Data strongly suggests that the number of jobs in the healthcare industry is on the rise. And that this rising trend will continue for the foreseeable future. Because of this, many healthcare providers are exploring ways in which to expand their business’s capabilities. One of the ways in which to do so is by engaging the services of a remote receptionist.
Hiring a remote receptionist has many benefits for your practice. These include budgetary savings like no increase in overhead costs with a slight increase in salaries. Plus, it can also come with a significant increase in patient satisfaction.
But what do you need to know before hiring a remote receptionist, and what services can they take on?
A remote receptionist works virtually. In other words, they are not situated in your designated working environment. These people, located in another location, can use technology to help you with myriad tasks in your practice. Their exact role, however, depends on your practice’s needs. These could include dealing with patient inquiries, sending out appointment reminders, or managing scheduling software. Essentially, they manage many in-house receptionist duties.
While a remote receptionist cannot take over all of an in-house hire’s duties, they can shoulder a large part of your practice’s workload. In so doing, they can significantly help improve the efficiency of your practice.
Another positive aspect of a remote hire is that they afford you more flexibility within your practice. They can take up the slack whenever needed, stand in for another member of staff when they need some personal time, and can work after hours or over weekends. This flexibility is especially beneficial when you wish to enable patients to schedule appointments during these times.
A virtual hire can take on many duties while working from a remote location. We will look at a few of these duties.
A remote receptionist can easily manage your phone. Many use VoIP, allowing them to easily do so no matter their location. This frees up your staff so that they can focus on medical care issues.
Your virtual receptionist can take on the task of confirming, canceling, or rescheduling patients, leaving medical staff to get on with the job of taking care of patients.
Often, patients may not turn up for an appointment. They may have forgotten about it, or something urgent may have come up and they forgot to reschedule. Your remote hire can make confirmation calls before appointments to ensure a reduction in this type of scenario. They can also try and shift another patient’s appointment to fit into the slot in case of a cancelation to keep your schedule full.
A patient or another healthcare provider may call to talk to a healthcare professional at your practice while they are unavailable. Your remote receptionist can take a message and ensure it gets to the right person so that the situation can be dealt with as soon as possible.
In the event a patient calls about a matter the remote receptionist is not equipped to deal with, they can redirect the call to someone who is able to address the situation. This means that the patient is not shunted from one person to another until they finally get the help they need.
The paperwork we talk about these days is usually done on a computer in a practice setting. This may also include managing a healthcare hotline or work done on a practice’s website.
One of a remote receptionist’s most important duties is the accurate entry of data into your electronic health record system. Keeping accurate track of a patient’s medical history not only saves a healthcare provider time but makes it easier for them to provide professional medical care.
Your virtual hire can handle any referrals if patients need to see a different medical professional. They can contact their office, schedule appointments, and forward a patient’s medical records.
Besides entering relevant data into your electronic health record system, your virtual hire can also maintain patient records. They can update any relevant information including a patient’s contact information, schedule further appointments, and file paperwork where needed. Many states have strict documentation laws. This data should thus constantly be updated if relevant.
Filing insurance claims often forms part of a receptionist’s duties. If needed, your remote receptionist can complete this type of task. They can gather relevant documentation, submit a claim, and do periodic follow-ups with an insurance company. It is helpful having someone dedicated to overseeing this time-consuming task.
Finding someone who can work in-house already with the necessary skills is time-consuming. What is more, there is no guarantee that you will find someone with the skills you need anywhere in the vicinity. But you can get those skills when hiring a remote receptionist. Often at a fraction of the price of an in-house hire.
The most sought-after skills needed in a receptionist include the following:
Hiring a remote receptionist via Cool Blue VA means you employ the services of a seasoned professional fully HIPAA trained with excellent technological skills. Our remote workers are available precisely when you need them for as long as you need them. Furthermore, you can save up to 70% on salaries with a virtual hire. You pay only for the time worked.
What is more, there are no contracts, and you can cancel any time you no longer need their services. No explanations are necessary. And you can start interviewing candidates within a couple of days to find your perfect fit.
If you need a cost-effective, professional, practical solution to upgrading your practice to the next level, a Cool Blue VA remote receptionist may be the solution. Contact us today at 714-695-8000 to find out more about our services.
