Last Updated on September 30, 2024
The medical industry is constantly changing. New diagnostic techniques and treatments and the introduction of new equipment present healthcare providers with much to keep track of.
Luckily, some people specialize in keeping abreast of all this information: medical VAs. Medical VAs have helped countless doctors and practitioners stay on top of their game by supporting administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, filing insurance claims, and updating patient records.
But how can these medical remote assistants bring even more value to your organization? They can help you engage your patients even further! Here are just some ways that hiring a medical VA can increase engagement.
Increase Accessibility
The first and most apparent benefit of medical virtual assistants is that they can provide 24/7 access to healthcare. As the name suggests, you do not have to schedule an appointment with a doctor or nurse and wait days or weeks for your appointment time.
Instead, you can communicate with a VA using your mobile device (or computer) anytime, day or night.
The second benefit is that VAs can provide healthcare services to patients with difficulty attending a medical office or clinic.
Many people live far away from major cities and do not have access to reliable transportation systems—and even if they do, many cannot afford transportation costs for every visit. In addition, some people are bedridden due to age or illness. VAs can thus be mediators between patients and doctors or nurses. Anyone who cannot leave home or their comfort zone can transfer their medical records electronically.
Enhance Communication
Virtual assistants can communicate with patients. Rather than having a healthcare provider call patients directly, the VA can make all the calls to keep things running smoothly and ensure no one is missed.
This can help increase patient engagement as well as compliance with treatment plans.
- Virtual assistants can be used to communicate with other healthcare professionals. Any doctors are too busy or not technologically savvy enough to use email or other means of communication, not requiring them to answer the phone themselves (or meet face-to-face). However, VAs have no limitations–they can send out emails, text messages, and even voice memos immediately. Doctors will then have time for their next appointment instead of waiting for an answer from their patient’s doctor.
- Virtual assistants can be used by family members who want closure after losing someone significant in their lives.
Much could be due to illness or injury-related factors. Iatrogenic problems may arise from poor hospital staff control.
Lackadaisical scheduling practices leading up to the discharge date could have been prevented. There might have been better communication between nurses working together across floors at different times throughout shift hours instead of just one shift at a time.
VAs to Enhance Patient Engagement
Healthcare VAs can help improve patient engagement in various ways. By providing patients with the information they need, they can feel more in control of their health.
Also, giving patients access to their records will increase trust and confidence in your practice or institution. By helping patients schedule appointments and pay bills online, you’ll get them out of the waiting room (or off the couch) more quickly. This way, they can return to their lives without stress or hassle.
When it comes time for your VA agency to choose which providers will have access to these services, ensure all team members are on board before making such decisions.
Some providers might feel that this is an intrusion into their territory. You don’t want anyone feeling left out or left behind—and neither do your patients!
Better Care Coordination
Accessing patient data from any location or device can help improve care coordination. VAs can review and update patient information in real time, especially for patients who frequently change providers or hospitals.
- VAs can use technology to make communication between providers more efficient.
- Patient data from multiple sources can be integrated, including medical records, pharmacy records, and other systems that may be used by an individual provider’s practice or office. This means less time spent on routine tasks such as entering new prescriptions into a database. Instead of spending hours each week entering new drugs into a database (or worse, doing it manually), VAs can spend that time ensuring that each medication order suits their patient’s specific needs.
- Medical VAs can benefit healthcare organizations, including higher patient engagement, improved care coordination, and greater access.
- Medical virtual assistants can help improve patient engagement, care coordination, and access to care. They can also enhance communication between doctors, nurses, and their patients, allowing for better quality of care and improved efficiency.
Conclusion: How Healthcare VAs Can Enhance Patient Engagement
Ultimately, healthcare VAs can undoubtedly help improve patient engagement, care coordination, and access to care.
If your organization seeks to boost those three areas, it may be time to consider utilizing medical VAs. This could be a good solution for you.
3 Key Takeaways
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Increased Patient Engagement: Medical VAs can improve patient engagement by providing greater access to healthcare, enhancing communication between patients and providers, and helping patients manage their health information.
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Improved Care Coordination: Medical virtual assistants can improve care coordination by facilitating communication between healthcare providers and ensuring patient information is up-to-date and accessible.
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Greater Access to Care: Medical virtual staff can increase access to care for patients who have difficulty traveling to appointments or live in remote areas.