Remote Staffing: The Answer to Medical Hiring Problems?

The healthcare system has struggled with staff shortages for the past couple of years because of the  COVID-19 virus. Resignations and terminations plague healthcare facilities across the globe. And yet, people still need medical care worldwide. The number of people infected with the virus keeps on rising to staggering heights. Both patients and  healthcare providers  took an unexpected turn to provide and receive health services.

The current staffing challenges for medical practitioners are far from over. That's why we created this post to provide you with the best solution. Can remote staffing solve hiring problems? Please read on to find out how.

What is Remote Staffing?

Remote staffing refers to hiring an individual or group to perform tasks outside the office. From a medical practice perspective, it means that you are assigning clinical or administrative tasks to virtual medical assistants remotely. Virtual staffing is ideal for enhancing productivity and efficiency with fewer expenses. Considering remote staffing is your best option in today's situation with the COVID-19 virus and its variants. You can reduce the risks of infection and still provide optimum service to your patients. 

How Remote Staffing Solves Hiring Problems

Traditional hiring methods can be very challenging right now. People are anxious to go outside in fear of getting the COVID-19 virus. Remote staffing offers a safer way for aspiring  virtual medical assistants  to find jobs and make a living. As a medical practitioner, take advantage of this situation. Learn the essentials of remote staffing and enjoy its benefits. Knowing the fundamentals of remote staffing is the initial step in solving your hiring problems. Here's a list of how remote staffing helps with hiring challenges

• Increases talent acquisition 
• Getting the right people fit for the role
• Reduces the risks for contracting COVID
• Cost-efficient

The bottom line is you can effectively reduce manual tasks with the help of modern technology. It's a win-win situation for your medical practice and patients.

How to Do Remote Staffing the Right Way

Finding the right candidate for your medical practice is crucial. Optimizing your recruitment process is the key. We've compiled some of the most effective methods to choose your remote staff.

• Communication Skills. Filter your applicants based on their level of communication. Your target is to hire a virtual medical assistant that can convey messages comfortably and efficiently. Think of it this way: Virtual medical assistants will handle phone calls, emails, chats, and patient charts. Miscommunication in this aspect can lead to disastrous results in your medical practice. 

• Skills in Customer Service. Customer service is a large part of the overall patient experience. Hiring a remote worker with excellent customer service skills is necessary for your medical practice. Look for a VA that can efficiently answer general inquiries, schedule appointments, reply to emails and chats. Politeness is vital too. You can promote positivity by training your remote workers to be on their best behaviors at all times. 

• Technical Knowledge. Technical skills are crucial in hiring remote medical staff. They will spend most of their time using computers and the internet. It would be beneficial if they knew how to troubleshoot technical difficulties. What's more, having a virtual medical assistant that can navigate computer programs with ease is for keeps. 

• Background in the Medical Field. One of the most significant aspects you should look for in a remote staff is their medical background. VAs with medical knowledge could make a difference where it matters most. Nurses, for example, need little to no training at all when it comes to managing  patient charts  and records. In addition, there are many nurses out there who prefer to work from home, giving you tons of talents in your pipeline.

The Benefits of Remote Staffing

Now that we've covered the right approach in the remote staffing hiring process let's talk about the benefits. 

• Productivity Boost. Remote workers have fewer distractions, giving them the ability to focus more on their daily tasks. It boosts their competency in terms of accuracy, leaving fewer errors in their reports. Also, they can handle a lot of other admin stuff, allowing you to focus more on your patients.

• Reduced Absenteeism. It's infrequent for a remote worker to miss a day of work. Absenteeism hurts the productivity of one individual and the entire team. Remote staffing eliminates this problem. 

• Reduces Expenses. Remote staffing requires no office space at all. You don't have to spend extra money providing a workplace for your employees. In addition, you can manage office supplies and medical equipment easily for in-house staff. 

• Optimized Training. One of the best benefits of hiring remote staff is training efficiency. You can quickly provide all the training materials your learners need in one accessible location. For example, create a shared folder that your remote staff can access anytime. This technique saves time, money, and effort for you and your employee. You no longer need to buy office materials like papers, folders, pens, etc. Your remote worker will also have an increased level of information absorption. They can study and absorb all the information they need with fewer distractions. In addition, if they get confused with several subjects, they can conveniently look for clarification online. 

Increased Accuracy in Daily Reports.  In healthcare, handling reports should be accurate and precise at all times. Keep in mind that records concerning your patient's health should never be compromised. A single mistake could put your patients' lives in danger. Not only that, errors in billing statements can open a can of worms. You can avoid all these problems easily by hiring a remote worker. Record handling is a breeze for virtual medical assistants. Their time and dedication to their tasks make them very efficient. Typically, they review all records before submitting them for the end-of-day reports, with 100% attention to detail. You don't need to worry about missed appointments, incorrect coding, or inaccurate data in your patient's chart. Your VA can take care of all these for you.   

Partner with DrCatalyst

DrCatalyst  is the number one provider of  virtual medical assistants  worldwide. We tailor our services to your medical practice's staffing needs. We aim to help you achieve higher productivity and quality at all times. 

Choosing us to be a part of your team this 2022 is the best decision you'll ever make.  Call us today, and let's talk about the best ways to improve your remote staffing strategies!

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