It’s well known that physical therapists work long hours, have to contend with mountains of paperwork, and are at risk of burnout. So, wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could get a helping hand? They do, of course, have the option of employing assistants to help them. And this has worked fine up until now, but there’s always room for improvement. And this can be found in the form of a physical therapy virtual assistant.
The Principles of a Physical Therapy Assistant
Before we look at the specifics of a physical therapy virtual assistant, let’s take a look at what a traditional physical therapy assistant is. As the name suggests, they’re in place to support physical therapists. With physical therapists often working 12-hour days, it’s clear this assistance is crucial
And this is what makes a physical therapy assistant such an important addition to the team. They can take control of your clinics and ensure everything runs smoothly. With a strong foundation of customer service, physical therapy assistants excel in communication and couple this with world-class administrative skills.
With physical therapist roles rising in popularity, competition in in this industry is only going to get fiercer. This is why a physical therapist assistant makes perfect sense for any physical therapy business looking to enhance their competitiveness. This edge can be sharpened further when you choose to work with a physical therapy virtual assistant.
Unveiling the New World of Virtual Assistants
We’ve established that physical therapists tend to employ physical therapists to support them with their workload. But what’s this exciting new alternative we keep talking about? How can a physical therapy virtual assistant transform your fortunes?
Adding a physical therapy virtual assistant to your team allows you to tap into the virtual assistant revolution. First gaining traction in the early 2010s, when internet speeds started to increase and become commonplace, virtual assistants have continued to make headlines ever since. And with the pandemic making businesses rethink the concept of remote work, virtual assistants have experienced a huge boost in popularity.
It's important, however, to remove the mystery around virtual assistants. After all, a physical therapy virtual assistant sounds complex, technical, and IT heavy. Thankfully, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, virtual assistants thrive upon simplicity. Using modern internet connections – which are more than capable of facilitating remote working – a physical therapy virtual assistant can easily connect their PC to your IT infrastructure. And remember, this means your staff no longer need to be restricted to the local area, the internet opens up global possibilities for your team.
Why are Virtual Assistants Game Changers for Your Business?
The simplicity of a virtual assistant, be they a physical therapy virtual assistant or a healthcare virtual assistant, provides a wide range of benefits for your business. These advantages can help you strengthen your competitive edge and ensure your finances head in the right direction. The main benefits of working with a physical therapy virtual assistant include:
Maximize Savings:
When it comes to cost savings, every business loves to put this into action. And with a physical therapy virtual assistant on your team, you can make significant savings. Hired through a VA agency, you avoid employee costs like vacation pay, pension contributions, and sickness pay. While these expenses seem minor, they add up over time. In fact, estimates suggest a virtual assistant can save you up to $11,000 per year compared to an in-house assistant.
Around-the-Clock Service:
In today's fast-paced world, clients expect quick responses, no matter what time it is. If, for example, you had a client trying to confirm a booking time outside of standard opening hours, it would be difficult to satisfy the client’s need. But with many virtual assistants working in different time-zones, you can manage 24/7 coverage effortlessly. This means your clients always get a timely response and your reputation for customer service is enhanced.
Instant Availability:
The good news is that a physical therapy virtual assistant can be available for your business very quickly. And working with an experienced VA agency, ensures you partner with a virtual assistant who can hit the ground running. These assistants come pre-trained in essential software like PlanetRehab and AdvancedMD , meaning minimal onboarding time for seamless integration into your operations.
Boost in Productivity:
One standout benefit of virtual assistants is the productivity boost they bring. With no daily commute, virtual assistants can dedicate more time and energy to their core tasks, such as creating world-class therapy plans and solving customer queries. Working from home also means fewer distractions compared to a traditional office, and the ability to customize their workspace enhances concentration and productivity.
Seamless Scalability:
Virtual assistants provide unparalleled adaptability, making scaling your healthcare organization smoother. Growth is vital, but managing increased activity and balancing labor costs with revenue can be tricky. Unlike permanent staff with long-term contracts, a physical therapy virtual assistant is available on a short-term contract, offering the flexibility to scale your resources as dictated by demand.
Discover what a Physical Therapy Virtual Assistant Can Do
A physical therapy virtual assistant is an exciting and beneficial prospect for any organization based in the physical therapy industry. But once you decided to take the plunge and hire a physical therapy virtual assistant, what are you going to get for your money? Luckily, the answer is: LOTS!
Much like a healthcare virtual assistant, a physical therapy virtual assistant is multi-skilled and has the potential to help you with the following daily tasks:
Appointment Scheduling:
With physical therapists seeing, on average, 12 – 16 patients a day, it’s no surprise their schedules can become complex and difficult to manage. So, why not turn to a physical therapy virtual assistant to manage it? They can handle bookings, rescheduling, and cancellations, reducing no-shows and optimizing appointment slots. This ensures that the therapist’s schedule is optimized, and that they can focus on patient care.
Document Management:
Patient records rely on good documentation to make sure their health is managed correctly. But the sheer number of documents involved in charting a patient’s care can be overwhelming. And physical therapists, already at risk of burnout, struggle to do this efficiently. Therefore, with most documents available in digital forms, a physical therapy virtual assistant can maintain these records. Making sure that they comply with the relevant privacy regulations, a virtual assistant will file health records accurately onto the EHR, an essential exercise in healthcare.
Patient Intake Forms:
Pre-appointment planning can make a world of difference in healthcare, but finding the time to do this is challenging. Your team are going to be busy, and gathering forms together, sending them out, and reviewing the responses is going to eat into their valuable time. This is where a physical therapy virtual assistant can step up to the plate. They can send forms electronically, guiding patients through the process, and verifying that all information is complete and accurate.
Supply Management:
Keeping track of office and therapy supplies, a physical therapy virtual assistant makes sure the clinic is well-stocked with necessary materials. They monitor inventory levels, place orders for new supplies, and manage vendor relationships, preventing any disruptions in daily operations and ensuring therapists have the tools they need to provide quality patient care.
Insurance Verification:
Before patients start their treatment, it’s vital that all necessary insurance approvals are in place. Again, this is a duty which your clinical team simply don’t have the time to commit to, not without eating into the time they spend with patients. So, to claw back this time, and enhance your organization's focus, you can outsource insurance verification to a physical therapy virtual assistant. This guarantees patient coverage is verified, the billing process is streamlined, and the burden removed from your clinicians.
Social Media Management:
The positive impact of social media content within the physical therapy sector has been known about for some time. But not enough physical therapists harness this power and incorporate it into their business. A physical therapy virtual assistant provides you with an opportunity to make this happen. Taking control of your social media accounts, they will schedule posts, engage with your followers, and monitor your analytics to sharpen your marketing performance.
Embrace the Future with a Physical Therapy Virtual Assistant
You now know how to pilot your physical therapy business into the future, and it’s all thanks to the power of virtual assistants. Whether you need a dedicated physical therapy virtual assistant or a standard healthcare virtual assistant, the option is there to hire one. Well, at least it is if you know who to approach.
It’s difficult, of course, to approach an individual virtual assistant, especially if they live on the other side of the planet. But you can simplify this by partnering with a VA agency, and Hello Rache is that VA agency. With years of experience in sourcing virtual assistants, we can find you the very best-in-class. And they’re available at a flat-rate pricing of $9.50 per hour, with no contracts and no setup fees to complicate things.
Interested in talking to us to find out more? To get started on the best business decision you can make today, just click here.
