 Running a successful therapy practice takes more than being a good therapist. There are dozens of administrative responsibilities and other tasks that influence the quality of service you provide patients. Having a well-trained staff can make it easier for a practice to keep up with these responsibilities. Therapists can also use technology to help their patients. Here are four ways therapists can use a virtual assistant from The Revitalized Therapist to make their practice more productive. Appointment SchedulingAppointment scheduling is more important than many therapists realize. You need a continual flow of patients to ensure the practice continues to make money. Ideal appointment scheduling fits in as many people as is reasonable and follows up with patients to ensure they don't miss an appointment. One of the advantages of using a virtual assistant is that an automated system handles these appointment-related. Our system can schedule appointments for patients and send reminders to reduce the likelihood of missed appointments that can hurt a practice’s bottom line. New Client IntakeWhen therapists take on new patients, there’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be done to ensure that everything is ready for the initial visit. Therapists can speed up this process by using a virtual assistant to handle new client intake paperwork. New patients can end up spending half an hour filling out client intake forms when they arrive at the office. By letting patients fill out intake forms through a virtual assistant, therapists can save a lot of time, which means there’s more time for other appointments. Verification of Insurance Eligibility and BenefitsEnsuring that patients have proper insurance is a vital part of any medical facility. Patients often don't know the limits of their insurance policy, which can lead to issues if they try to get a service that isn't covered by their plans. A virtual assistant can verify the benefits of a patient and make sure they're eligible for a particular treatment. This feature also helps therapists understand the benefits available to their patients, which may influence the treatment options they suggest. Follow-up on Claim DenialsThe biggest problem faced by therapists is having claims denied by insurance companies and government programs. Often, these denials are the result of minor mistakes in paperwork or an error in determining the eligibility of a patient. Following up with denied claims can be a time-consuming process, but it's something that must be done. The Revitalized Therapist virtual assistance can follow-up on claim denials. This ensures therapists get proper compensation for their work and frees up time from workers who would otherwise need to handle the claim denial process on their own. The Revitalized Therapist has many features that can help therapists engage with their patients more effectively. Our virtual assistant tools include marketing and social media features that can help therapists attract new patients. If you’re interested in trying The Revitalized Therapist for yourself, visit our website to sign up today.  According to industry reports, the U.S. outpatient rehabilitation market is estimated to be a $30 billion industry, and it’s projected annual growth rate outpaces the growth of the economy overall. With so much activity, now is the perfect time for therapy practices to reach new audiences and to grow their market share. Besides improving the productivity of the office, using a virtual assistant like The Revitalized Therapist can enhance the marketing of a therapy practice.
Doctors develop a reputation in their community for how easy it is to work with a particular practice. A practice that's hard to contact and difficult to book will suffer as potential clients learn about other practitioners with better customer service. Using a virtual assistant is an affordable way to increase the quality of your customer service. The Revitalized Therapist can handle tasks such as onboarding new patients, setting appointments, managing calls or voicemails, as well as other activities. Being able to offer fast and efficient service for new patients is a marketing point that will make a practice stand out. The Revitalized Therapist can improve the marketing strategy for a therapy practice in a more direct way. Our services include many online marketing tactics that doctors can use to increase brand awareness, reach new audiences, educate the public, and connect with your current patients. It's common for people who need therapy services to look to the internet for information first. By publishing online content that's useful to a target audience, a therapy practice can connect with patients who are seeking their services. Blogging is a great way to reach potential patients and to improve the SEO for a therapy practice. Writing about their area of expertise allows a doctor to show off their knowledge by answering common questions. Search engines like Google look for a website that answers a question when delivering search results. So blogging can help a website rank better when people search for a particular service in a given area. The Revitalized Therapist can write accurate, well-researched articles for a doctor that can be used to boost their site. Social media marketing is another area where The Revitalized Therapist can help a therapy practice. When researching a potential health care service provider, many consumers use social media and online reviews as sources of information. Maintaining a consistent social media presence is necessary for online marketing. If someone visits a practice's social media page, and it hasn't been updated for months or years, the person has every reason to suspect things aren't going well for the practice. They may assume the practice has closed or that it's not popular with the public. Keeping up with social media can be a time-consuming activity, which is why doctors should consider outsourcing those responsibilities to a virtual assistant. Online marketing tactics can also be used to communicate with the current patients of a practice. Little things like email newsletters can show your patients that you care about them and provide an opportunity for you to share helpful information. A good email newsletter will include health information that can benefit patients and information about the practice that can be used to attract new patients. This information will be in their mind if their friends ever ask for a good service provider. It also reinforces their reasons for choosing a specific therapy practice. The Revitalized Therapist can design, write, and manage an email newsletter campaign for a therapy practice. The doctor gets the benefit of a high-quality email newsletter without having to spend a lot of time working on it themselves. The job of a virtual assistant is to provide effective services that make things easier for a therapy practice. By handling online marketing duties, The Revitalized Therapist can help a therapy practice increase their clientele and revenue. Visit our website to learn more about our pricing plans for all of the services we provide.  A desire to help people in need is usually the motivating factor behind a person becoming a therapist. Currently, there are over 550,000 mental health professionals practicing in the United States. Having a desire to get help and support for ourselves is something most therapists struggle with. Attempting to handle every aspect of obtaining new patients, scheduling them, and marketing your practice can be overwhelming. Instead of trying and failing to handle these tasks, you need to think about the power of outsourcing. Modern technology has made outsourcing easier than ever due to the rise of virtual assistants. The following are just some of the things a therapist should consider outsourcing. 1. Scheduling is a Great Thing to Outsource The more patients a therapist takes on, the harder they will find it to keep their schedule straight. Neglecting to find a better way to handle scheduling can lead to patients getting mad and even leaving your practice if there is a double-booking or other errors. Instead of putting your practice at risk, you need to find a company to outsource scheduling too. Completely outsourcing this task can help to ensure no mistakes are made. Companies who handle this task will be able to take calls and emails from your patients and schedule them as needed. The longer you wait to get this type of help, the harder it will be to avoid problems. 2. Emails Need to Get Answered Email is one of the most preferred forms of communication for modern Americans. It is much easier to drop a person an email than it is to call them at a convenient time. Usually, a therapist will receive several emails from their patients regarding a wide range of topics. Failing to answer these emails promptly can make patients think their therapist doesn't have time for them. Instead of giving your patients the wrong idea about your level of care, outsourcing emails can be beneficial. There are many companies out there who will check and respond to the emails a business receives, but not many who specialize in mental health. Allowing someone with professional expertise and sensitivity to your client's needs to handle this time-consuming task can help you focus more on in-office patient care. 3. Allow Professionals to Handle Your Online Marketing Campaigns If you are on a mission to increase the number of patients you currently have, engaging in online marketing campaigns is vital. Most mental health professionals have zero marketing experience, which can pose a problem. The best way to ensure these campaigns are carried out correctly is by hiring professionals. With the help of an experienced online marketing agency, you can get a website and high-quality content in place. These professionals will also be able to establish a presence for your practice on social media. When done correctly, online marketing can help you generate a number of quality and ideal client leads. Choosing the Right Professionals to Use For outsourcing regardless of what you want to outsource, finding the right professionals is crucial. If you need help with things like content marketing, client intake or appointment scheduling, contact Cristina Smugala, MA, LPC, and Maggie Kell. A desire to help people in need is usually the motivating factor behind a person becoming a therapist. Currently, there are over 550,000 mental health professionals practicing in the United States. Running a successful practice will require a therapist to take advantage of the help that his available to them. Attempting to handle every aspect of obtaining new patients, scheduling them and marketing your practice can be overwhelming to say the least. Instead of trying and failing to handle these tasks, you need to think about the power of outsourcing. Modern technology has made outsourcing easier than ever due to the rise of virtual assistants. The following are just some of the things a therapist should consider outsourcing. 1. Scheduling is a Great Thing to Outsource The more patients a therapist takes on, the harder they will find it to keep their schedule straight. Neglecting to find a better way to handle scheduling can lead to patients getting mad and even leaving your practice if there is a double-booking or other errors. Instead of putting your practice at risk, you need to find a company to outsource scheduling to. Completely outsourcing this task can help to ensure no mistakes are made. Companies who handle this task will be able to take calls and emails from your patients and schedule them as needed. The longer you wait to get this type of help, the harder it will be to avoid problems. 2. Emails Need to Get Answered mail is one of the most preferred forms of communication for modern Americans. It is much easier to drop a person an email than it is to call them at a convenient time. Usually, a therapist will receive a number of emails from their patients regarding a wide-range of topics. Failing to answer these emails in a timely manner can make patients think their therapist doesn’t have time for them. Instead of giving your patients the wrong idea about your level of care, outsourcing emails can be beneficial. There are a number of companies out there who will check and respond to the emails a business receives. Allowing someone else to handle this time-consuming task can help you focus more on in-office patient care. 3. Allow Professionals to Handle Your Online Marketing Campaigns If you are on a mission to increase the number of patients you currently have, engaging in online marketing campaigns is vital. Most mental health professionals have zero marketing experience, which can pose a problem. The best way to ensure these campaigns are carried out properly is by hiring professionals. With the help of an experienced online marketing agency, you can get a website and high-quality content in place. These professionals will also be able to establish a presence for your practice on social media. When done correctly, online marketing can help you generate a number of quality leads. Choosing the right professionals to use for outsourcing regardless of what you want to outsource, finding the right professionals is crucial. If you need help with things like content marketing, client intake or appointment scheduling, contact The Revitalized Therapist.   Therapists choose their field of study because they find fulfillment in the process of helping others. Service driven individuals who are called to work in this field, often do so due to their ability to connect and empathize with people. While therapists utilize their talents for their client’s needs, it is easy for them to sometimes focus more attention on their roles as clinicians, rather than that of entrepreneurs. Running a private practice takes the consistency of being persistent as a business owner as well as a therapist. Finding a way to balance both of these parts of the practice can sometimes seem a daunting task. It is easy for therapists to become overwhelmed with meeting the demands of running a business and also being present for their clients. Therapists often lose their passion due to the overwhelming amount of work this balancing act generates. Fortunately, when analyzing how a practice can run smoother and more efficiently, there is no need to recreate the wheel. A significant hurdle for therapists who have a private practice is that many just never learned the aspects of running a business. Clinicians tend to receive excellent training in their chosen fields but are rarely exposed to the skill set necessary to running a successful business. While therapists may be expert in counseling others, their understanding of accounting, financial management, marketing, and profit margins, may fall short of what is needed for their practice to succeed ultimately. When considering the nuances of private practice, it becomes clear there is a distinct divide. First is the clinical portion, which can only be performed by the therapist. Next is the business portion, which can be performed by someone else. Private practice owners can benefit more than most businesses, from outsourcing marketing and business-related responsibilities. This is where having an expert in private practice consulting, and a virtual assistant becomes an invaluable resource. The Revitalized Therapist specializes in mental health private practice and can take over almost any task related to the business portion of your practice. Therapists can assign as little or as many tasks to their virtual assistant, creating more space for doing the work they are trained to do. Lifting the burden of the business aspects of private practice can enable you to focus on the health of your clients as well as growing your business. Having the time and energy to get out into the community and network or perform outreach services is an essential aspect of building and sustaining a private practice, and one that can have positive effects for both the business as well as the therapist. Therapists need to remember that they are only effective if their business is healthy. Concentrating efforts on the practice as a whole will significantly reduce stress, which is the ultimate goal for any therapist.   So, what should I post on social media? Some of the most informative, organized, and professional social media pages by therapists are those that make use of all the features of the application. Many of these profiles also happen to have thousands of followers too due to the attention and time devoted to the page. This is great as far as getting your name out there and generating business. For example, Instagram gives you the option to post regular photos and videos; however, you can also make use of Instastories or ‘stories,’ which remain posted for only 24 hours, to provide your followers with daily inspirational/motivational quotes, a brief personal message from you, or even lifestyle related content like a scenic sunset at the end of the day, the ingredients and making of a great green smoothie, or maybe a live deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation demonstration. As long as you ensure to not reveal your location or information that is too personal (e.g., maybe leave your young child out of the smoothie video or avoid revealing the location of your sunset view or relaxation session), these added features will add variety and interest to your social media page and surely generate a following. To Accept a ‘Friend Request’ or Not Let’s say you exert your best effort to create a top-quality, professional, social media page that is updated frequently and is an informative and fun space for your clients and viewers to visit. Despite your time and attention to channeling your clientele to this space, some of your current clients may find your personal page and send you a friend request. This is an ethical gray area because it can be seen as harmless, but at the same time, your clients are not your friends. Many people may believe that a friend request can’t go any further beyond clicking that ‘accept’ button and forgetting about it, but the reality is that it can lead to comments made under your personal photos or video posts, your client responding to or having conversations with your family/friends who comment on your posts, the client liking your posts, or even a direct message (DM) from your client. Some clients may respect your privacy, but not all clients will understand these boundaries and typically, a client who sends a friend request to your personal account, especially when it is set to ‘private,’ is technically already crossing a boundary whether the client is aware of it or not. As therapists we understand the value of prevention when it comes to pretty much any problem. Ethical issues are no different: Prevention is key here, too. Talk to your clients ahead of time about social media. It doesn’t need to be a long discussion, but mention that a) you have a professional page and they are welcome to follow you, and b) you have a private page, which you don’t use for anything associated with your therapy practice. Alternatively, you can inform your clients that they are welcome to follow your professional page, but you don’t use the DMing feature or ‘comments’ for any therapy conversations and that all questions/comments need to be discussed in sessions. Explain that you are not allowed to confirm or deny that you are their therapist in any public post and using social media can potentially let other people know that you are their therapist! Tell your client that the same applies to your personal page: You don’t want anyone you know personally to be able to identify your therapy clients because you would be violating HIPAA laws. Some therapists even put these disclaimers in their ‘bio’ on their social media page, letting visitors know that if they want to contact “Mary Smith, LMHC, please follow me at (insert Instagram handle).” The point is that it’s always better to inform clients ahead of time when it comes to your intentions and behaviors on social media. This way, you avoid dual relationships, violating confidentiality, or other ethical dilemmas while also ensuring that you don’t offend or hurt a client by rejecting a friend request or other online communication. As therapists, we must ensure that we do no harm to a client, as this is our primary objective. Keep in mind that accepting a friend request or communicating online with a client does not automatically imply a dual relationship, breach of confidentiality, or any other ethical violation; however, social media or online contact with clients can lead to ethical violations, which is why it is critical to take precautions and have a specific, pre-set plan of how you would handle these situations. Existing Ethical Guidelines According to the American Counseling Association (ACA; 2014), counselors that have an online presence must distribute a social media policy to their clients regarding what they are or are not willing to accept regarding online or social media communication. Public Comments by Clients & Confidentiality If you write or operate an online blog, Facebook page, Instagram profile, or Twitter page, depending on how big your following is, you will likely receive feedback, comments, and or likes on the content you post. Although a comment on its own cannot necessarily reveal a users identity, the users social media page can if it is set to ‘public.’ If the user also reveals that they are a client of yours, this information could be seen by other users. This is yet another gray area when it comes to ethics because the user, and not you, is revealing his/her own identity. However, the blog or social media page is yours, after all and you are aware that the client’s confidentiality is at risk. In this circumstance, prevention is again, the best route to take. As a therapist, it’s excellent to blog or post content related to mental health and this can inevitably lead to your clients wishing to make a comment. Some great prevention strategies include asking your clients ahead of time to either make their own profiles private to protect their privacy or to avoid mentioning that they are your client during comments or discussions. Taking these simple precautions can prevent a confidentiality mess that you might find yourself in the middle of.   Virtual assistants are becoming a popular tool used by many different types of businesses, even those that are small. The truth is, most businesses could benefit from the many services provided by virtual assistants. From appointment setting or insurance coding to marketing and graphic design, virtual assistants can alleviate many burdens of businesses. Many small businesses and practices are managed from home, as the internet has provided options to traditional brick and mortar commercial settings. Because of working from home, business owners and professional service providers work as the sole employee of their company or practice. In this scenario, hiring a virtual assistant for tasks that a receptionist or secretary would provide makes sense, as those duties are required for success, yet take up important time of a professional working alone. No worries that there is no where to “house” the assistant, and the scale and scope of work they provide is taylor made to fit any need and budget. In general, utilizing the services of a virtual assistant can actually save money compared to the hiring of an actual employee. There is no payroll taxes, benefits, or other financial obligations of the business owner as these assistants are contracted on an “as needed” basis. There is also no employee management involved, which can be time consuming in and of itself. Virtual assistants provide specific services and do so without oversight of the contractor, making this business relationship simple and productive. Outsourcing of specific tasks, rather than roles, is very beneficial. A primary role of any business owner or professional practitioner is to establish and cultivate relationships with clients. This can include spending quality time on program development, case management, speaking engagements, and other high value tasks that can not be outsourced. Declaring what tasks are low value, but necessary, and giving them to a qualified virtual assistant maximises the time spent on running and growing a successful practice. Becoming overwhelmed with mundane tasks that never end can stall the progress of any professional. Most virtual assistants are self-employed, or work for a provider who hires and trains assistants for specific lines of work. The Revitalized Therapist offers virtual assistance for psychotherapists that are trained to provide the services unique to your field. Deciding to outsource aspects of work to virtual assistants is the wave of the future, not only for small businesses, but corporations alike. The versatility of services provided with the ability to hand pick duties that will free up time and ease stress, is what makes utilizing a virtual assistant such an attractive business decision.   All professions produce stress, some more than others. Work related stress is among the top causes of anxiety and unhappiness among professionals today. Careers involving the caretaking of others breed their own distinct forms of stress. Therapists make their life’s work helping people cope with stress, but for many therapists the stress of their practice can be overwhelming. Therapists and mental health professionals are caregivers at heart. For most, the very reason they chose their careers was to heal and support people in need. Those who form their own practices can quickly realize the business of counseling can sometimes take over the actual act of counseling. The demands of running a business can produce stress and ultimately burnout among mental health providers. A successful counseling practice has specific needs in addition to the actual act of therapy. Scheduling and customer service are just as important as insurance billing and collections. If one aspect begins to fail, it can cause the entire practice to break down. Many therapists are adept in their chosen profession, but find the daily demands of their practice frustrating, which leads to burnout. Aspects of business management can be outsourced to professionals who can provide the administrative support therapists need to run a successful and fulfilling practice. The increased need for business management assistance in mental health care has given rise to innovative solutions in this industry. Because each practice has unique needs, virtual administrative assistants are increasing in popularity. Therapists can contract with consulting agencies that provide virtual assistants who are specifically trained in the mental health field. These assistants accommodate a wide range of needs, allowing the therapist to spend more time and energy on clients instead of business. Many overwhelmed mental health counselors struggle with work life balance. The intensity of providing emotional support to clients can be all consuming. Seeking help from virtual assistants and outside support systems can be crucial to the well being of therapist and the success of a practice. But there are also other strategies that can be implemented to ward off burn out. As a business owner, it is important that therapists write themselves into the equation. Setting and maintaining business hours, taking vacation and sick leave, and compensating for over time are all ways therapists can guarantee self-care. Far too often practices can take over personal life if allowed to go unchecked. Caretakers can not provide quality care if they are continuing to put themselves last. Understanding that private mental health practices are businesses is fundamental to achieving a rewarding and successful counseling career. As in any profession, outsourcing administrative duties when appropriate can save valuable time and increase productivity. The nature of any mental health profession can be taxing and emotionally draining, but the rewards of maintaining a well-managed work life balance are countless.   First, it is essential to understand precisely what a virtual assistant does. A virtual assistant provides support to other people or businesses, virtually. The support can be administrative or technical.
Virtual assistants do not have to live near you. The only thing needed in addition to high-speed internet is a private computer. Virtual assistance is available for growing and established companies, and our services can be used in all capacities. You’ve made a long to-do list for yourself; the day starts smoothly, and then suddenly things go haywire. If your office activity has increased, it's likely you will need extra support. You don't really need a full time staff member, but it is clear that you need help. We can help you:
We understand that all therapists need to rest to counsel and treat clients effectively. Therefore, our services are essential to therapists with practices of all sizes. It is possible you are putting too much pressure on yourself to get things done. You are stressing, neglecting to take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and overworking to get things done. A virtual assistant will take the weight off your shoulders. We will handle all tasks and complete them efficiently to a high standard. We will also pay close attention to your workloads, address problems, and diffuse those that make you stressed. Do you dream of balancing work and life? Sometimes deadlines and family functions clash, making it completely impossible. At this point, you've missed enough birthday parties, christenings, and social gatherings to be considered the bad friend, and it weighs on you. Virtual assistants free up time to spend time with family, tuck in your children and enjoy your friends. Life outside of work is essential to self-care. When you are fighting stress and taking measures to improve your well-being, you are mindful of our body's needs. You regain control and focus and can effectively treat your clients when you are taken care of. Virtual Assistants are your weapons for fighting stress and controlling your life. You don't need to do anything but give us the orders, take care of yourself, and take care of your clients. With Revitalized Therapist – Virtual Assistant Solutions, you can customize services that meet your needs. We elevate stress, save you time, money, assist with marketing, growing your practice, and establishing passive income streams. Please view our website to learn how we communicate with you and your clients, our billing practices, how will schedule and other relevant information. Contact us to schedule a consultation and discuss the needs for your growing business. From there, we will decide upon a package, and our team will get to work.  At Revitalize Therapist, we play an extremely important role in helping to connect psychotherapy practices with patients and support these busy offices with administrative and marketing work.
Many of our customers would recommend Revitalize Therapist to any therapist office. Because of our commitment to taking on the tedious and time-consuming tasks that often distract therapy professionals from excellent patient care, Revitalize Therapist is an active partner in improving therapy services to a community. We manage voicemails, intake, eligibility, claim status, electronic file updates, appointment reminders and much more – so that you don't have to! But at the same time, we do more than just “filling in the gaps” – being an active partner means collaborating for excellence. The Nature of Therapy Services Here's part of the philosophy that led us to develop Revitalize Therapist services for professional therapy offices. Psychotherapy and mental health services are a particular kind of business. These businesses are some of those that can least afford to mire inbound callers in confusing red tape and less friendly customer interfaces. Imagine it from the patient's perspective – dealing with emotional or mental health problems and calling a phone number to be connected to a confusing, interactive voice system or a brusque and unconcerned receptionist. In so many cases, those with mental health and behavioral needs don't get the help that they need because they are discouraged or turned off by mediocre intake systems. A good intake professional has to have a good bedside manner and much more. They must be aware of current insurance and billing practices. They must understand how these look to a patient. They have to be able to empathize and put themselves in the client’s shoes and recognize how to deal with the challenges of intake and billing. Many experienced receptionists and clerical professionals in therapy offices will tell you about these challenges, but they won't have ready solutions. Instead they just get burned out and the practice suffers more. At Revitalize Therapist, we bring a real rejuvenating outsourced plan to our therapy office clients. That's why we call it Revitalize Therapist– take a look at our mission statement: “Our mission is to create more space for you in your life so you have time for the things that matter the most to you. We accomplish this by taking care of the time consuming task you don't enjoy and streamlining your practices to increase the efficiency of your practice. We assist you with administrative task, marketing, growing your practice, your tribe and establishing passive income streams. There are so many things that we are excited to share with you. We are passionate about empowering therapist to utilize creative solutions that promote the prosperity of their practice and happiness in their lives.” Take a look at our website to see more about everything we do for our mental health clinicians. Some doctors and therapists like to go it alone – to take on all of the entire chain around patient care and billing. But many others feel they are best served in a collaborative model where professional and reliable outsourcing allows them to focus on the patient's needs first. Call us and have a conversation about how to enhance and improve your outreach and patient management practice. |
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