If you are new to the concept of a virtual office, you may be wondering how to implement this strategy in your own practice. It may be hard to imagine a worker who does not clock in and physically work a shift, but that is okay. Times are changing and to keep up, people have to adapt to new things. Remote workers are one of these new concepts that can save time and money, making your workflow easier at the same time.
Many people are working remotely these days because many jobs and businesses were closed down due to the pandemic. Virtual work allowed many of them a chance to continue doing the jobs they love without sacrificing their home and family time. So, now that you know a little about people choosing to do virtual jobs, let’s look at what those jobs entail.
What is a Virtual Medical Receptionist?
A Virtual Medical Receptionist is the first person your patient comes in contact with when he or she calls your office to make an appointment. They offer a friendly greeting and ask how they can help them. Whether it is booking an appointment, answering questions, or giving directions to your office, your Virtual Assistant does everything a physical worker would do in the same job, except that they are doing it from another location.
They connect to your office phone system via a secure, encrypted connection and handle all the incoming calls and any other tasks they are assigned to do. Not having to stop to answer a ringing phone can free up your other staff to assist patients in getting settled in the exam room and reducing their wait times. Being able to get patients seen faster with less waiting time is a big benefit and one that your patients will love. Nobody likes sitting in the waiting room for long periods, no matter how nice the decor is, or how many beauty mags there are to read.
Virtual Receptionists Are a Cost-Effective Solution
A Virtual Medical Receptionist works from their own home office via a desktop PC or laptop computer. They don’t take up any space in your office, don’t require any special accommodations, don’t need lunch breaks, and won’t call out sick on a Monday morning. They are available on your schedule, so you can use them as much or as little as you need.
The beauty of remote working is that they use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) software to answer incoming calls, verify medical insurance coverage, refill patient medications, schedule or confirm appointments, and arrange patient referrals. Nobody calling your office would ever know that the person they are speaking to is not sitting in your office behind a desk, but is actually miles away in a different setting.
The Virtual Medical Assistant maintains a high level of professionalism and uses noise-canceling equipment to avoid any background noise (barking dogs, honking horns, the neighbor’s lawnmower, etc.) and anything else that would give away the secret.
They have software tools to help them look up street maps for driving directions and use local area codes to make phone calls to patients and the pharmacy for prescription refills. They are very efficient at getting the work done quickly saving you time and money.
What a Day as a Virtual Medical Receptionist Looks Like
What is a typical day for a Virtual Medical Assistant?
Everyone has the idea that working from home means you have no schedule and your uniform consists of pajamas and bunny slippers. This is not an accurate picture of a remote worker. No matter whether you work in an office, at home, or at your hotel while on vacation, you still carry on as usual. Virtual workers get up, have breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth and hair, and present themselves for what they are…qualified, professional Virtual Assistants. They maintain a regular schedule, take a lunch break, and log their time in the system the same as any other worker.
The Start of the Work Day
Most Virtual Medical Receptionists start their day early and prepare for the tasks at hand. Before logging into the honing system they will: check their email and calendar for tasks and follow-ups, as well as make notes for open appointment times during the week to save time. They will spend the majority of their time on assigned tasks as well as:
Receiving incoming calls
Scheduling appointments
Meet witch doctors or staff through phone or video conference calls.
Answer questions about patient billing and invoicing
What Skills Does a Virtual Medical Receptionist Possess?
What skills do you need for this type of job? Just like any other professional worker, a Virtual Assistant in a Medical Receptionist role has the following skills and abilities:
Strong written and verbal communication
Proficiency writing (good spelling, use of grammar, proper terminology)
Office management experience
Understands billing and invoicing systems
Excellent organization and time management skills
Virtual Assistants have their own equipment such as computers, headsets with noise-canceling microphones, and are responsible for keeping a noise-free or quiet working environment.
Do You Need a Virtual Medical Receptionist in your office?
It’s not really a question of why does your practice needs a virtual medical receptionist, it’s more a case of why doesn’t your practice have one already?
This is an easy answer. It’s not so much a question of “Do you need one?,” it’s more like, “Why not have one, or two for that matter?” The benefits are clearly stated, and if they improve office productivity, increase patient satisfaction, and make life easier for your staff and you as a medical practitioner, then why not?
Get in touch with us and find your perfect Virtual Medical Receptionist at VA.care.