Developing Effective Time Management Skills With The Help of A Mental Health Virtual Assistant!
By Colleen McCaffrey
If just reading that title made you cringe, you are probably aware that time management can be a challenging part of running a private practice. Some people are able to tackle their daily to-do list with the skills of a multitasking ninja leaving time for a relaxing lunch break before they finish their day and lock the door at five o'clock on the dot.
If you find yourself far from that skill set and are more likely to have unaccomplished tasks left over at the end of your day, a virtual assistant for your therapy office can make a huge difference in your success.
A VA or virtual assistant is very similar to an office assistant who manages everyday tasks to help your business flourish. However, they can be brought onboard without adding the responsibilities of sitting through numerous interviews, adding payroll to your weekly schedule, designating office space, investing in new computers and equipment, spending extensive time training, or the extra cost and research time needed to add employee benefits.
Once your practice begins to grow, the thought of adding a team member without adding those extra responsibilities it takes to get them up and running will sound like an impossible task. Believe me, adding a VA can be much simpler than hiring a new employee. A carefully selected virtual assistant for your private practice can come vetted, trained, experienced, equipped, and without the paperwork of a new employee.
So how will your virtual assistant contribute to the success of your time management goals?
Routine Communication With New And Existing Clients
Free up time for you to see more clients.
A mental health virtual assistant can free up the time you are currently using to return phone calls and emails. If you are using your lunch break, evening/weekends, or appointment times to return phone calls, hiring a virtual assistant would mean you no longer have to do that.
Imagine being able to walk out the door when you are finished with sessions and notes for the day. It also makes financial sense. Have you ever returned calls during a time that you could use to see paying clients? Why not pay a virtual assistant a lower rate to make the phone calls?
Determine If A New Client Is A Good Fit
A good mental health virtual assistant can also determine a client's reason for therapy and type of insurance, decide if they are a good fit for your practice, and refer out or schedule for an intake appointment. This type of filter allows for effective use of your time in scheduling only those clients who would be able to continue sessions.
Increase Your Paid Claims
A virtual assistant who has experience dealing with insurance companies can save you time by verifying benefits before your new clients even set foot in your office. They can also help smooth over the beginning of the year when resetting deductibles and changing insurance plans require you to put in extra office hours.
Streamline The Intake Process
A virtual assistant can often work with new clients to get intake forms and consents completed and uploaded before you even meet them. Many VAs have experience using Simple Practice, Therapy Notes, or Therapy Appointments and can easily navigate getting the client portal set up. With teletherapy becoming popular, an experienced virtual assistant for your private practice will already be familiar with the technology needed to process HIPAA-compliant documentation.
Be A Line of Defense For Your Schedule
A gate keeper for your time.
A virtual assistant can draw a firm line when it comes to defending your lunch break, quitting time, personal appointments, or your child's music program or sporting events.
EHR systems make effective communication easy so your virtual assistant can schedule around things that are important to you. They can be a strong line of defense between your schedule and those that would deter good time management.
Focus On Marketing And Growth
A mental health virtual assistant can focus on marketing tasks like Facebook, Instagram, blog articles, and search engine optimization. They can help your practice continue to grow while you take time to focus on your clients.
Your team can be strengthened with a virtual assistant for your mental health office whose experience and expertise complement the goals you have set for your practice. An established mental health virtual assistant will most likely come with the tools they need to get started. They will have the experience, knowledge, programs, and equipment to hit the ground running saving you even more time. Using a virtual assistant to develop successful time-management skills can be a benefit to any growing practice.
