As the name suggests, “home care” is a medical service that ensures patients can live safely in their homes with assistance from medical professionals. The type of patients that benefit from home care includes senior citizens, those recovering from medical issues, and those with special needs or disabilities. Traditionally, home care professionals are therapists, nurses, and nursing aides. However, as technological advancements flood the healthcare industry, virtual medical assistants like those provided by My Mountain Mover, have emerged as a savvy new solution to home care services,

What are virtual medical assistants?

Medical virtual assistants are remote professionals who help practices be more productive through years of healthcare experience and knowledge in specific specialty areas, including home care. They can handle tasks outside the practice’s location, giving them a competitive advantage of flexibility compared to their in-office counterparts. In most cases, the virtual assistant company that provides the talent runs a comprehensive screening to ensure they are more than qualified for the job.

What are the different types of virtual medical assistants?

Because virtual medical assistants are so versatile, they can hold different designations that strengthen home care businesses, including roles like the following:

Medical Receptionist

If you have multiple patients, consider hiring a virtual assistant to work as a receptionist and schedule home care appointments based on capacity & availability. Virtual receptionists also handle phone calls to and from patients, verify insurance to make the billing process quicker, and perform clerical tasks to expedite the business’ internal processes.

Medical Biller

We know how crucial billing is in a home care business. Virtual medical assistants can seamlessly integrate as billers who, despite being remote, help prepare, review, and submit claims using billing software. Virtual billers can also obtain referrals and pre-authorizations & can identify and bill secondary or tertiary insurance. Delegating tedious billing tasks to virtual billers ensures that bills are satisfied promptly and efficiently.

Medical Coder

Accuracy is everything regarding medical records[1], and virtual coders help avoid mistakes in patient documents. Because they are detail-oriented, virtual coders can audit patient charts, assign the proper codes for different patient cases, and ensure records are free of grammatical and typing errors. Remote workers will also examine documents for missing data if they need clarification on the patient documents.

Remote Patient Monitoring

Because patient monitoring doesn’t always require proximity, virtual medical assistants can efficiently perform remote patient monitoring (RPM) tasks. Virtual RPMs evaluate the patient’s vital signs, facilitate patient education on utilizing necessary equipment, and coordinate with other healthcare professionals. They also help monitor patients’ progress so they can offer assistance alternatives if the existing one is ineffective & keep uploaded documents updated in the business’ EHR system.

Telehealth Specialist

There are many methods for medical professionals to deliver patient care nowadays, including telehealth. Virtual telehealth specialists engage and screen patients without needing to be in a physical office while maintaining a high level of customer care. They provide virtual patient intakes, obtain and verify patient information, and schedule specialty referrals when necessary. Virtual telehealth specialists can also conduct preventive screening for social-emotional concerns.

How do virtual medical assistants help home care businesses succeed?

Virtual medical assistants are versatile and take the initiative to pick up specific skills and competencies unique to their client’s home care businesses. Unlike hiring in-house team members, virtual medical assistants don’t cost as much because they work remotely, helping home care businesses save as much as 70% in employment costs!

In a time when healthcare professionals can deliver quality patient care remotely[2], virtual medical assistants have more room and opportunities in the home care industry because proximity doesn’t limit the quality of care they provide.

References

[1] “Wrong Patient Identification Has Severe Consequences for Hospitals and Patients” psqh.com

[2] “Embracing Remote Work In Healthcare Organizations” forbes.com