⚖️What tasks can an assistant do in telehealth?

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Last week, I wrote about how therapists with online practices, struggling to juggle the multiple admin tasks can hire an assistant to reduce their workload. But what tasks can one outsource to an assistant?

Here are some thoughts.

I’d suggest getting a separate work number and phone which this person is in-charge of. You’ll need someone in your immediate vicinity to make the process of handing it over and taking it back smoother.

  • Scheduling existing clients- Let them know your weekly/monthly schedule. If there are changes to it, they can be responsible for reaching out to the client and helping them find another time.

  • Answering incoming calls/messages- You can train them on basic things to ask with respect to intake and share basic details about the practice.

  • Track and follow up on payments- Clients can be asked to send a screenshot of payments to the work number. The assistance can keep a log of it on an Excel sheet and send reminders/follow ups as per your policies.

  • Miscellaneous Logistics- I’d suggest taking the assistant’s help in any task that you feel can be delegated. (make sure you set a clear expectation about the same in advance). For instance, booking a flight, placing an online order, calling customer care etc.

Trust is paramount while delegating the sensitive tasks of therapy work to someone else. An enthusiastic learner can always refine their skills with time and support.

Have more suggestions? Write to me.

Until next week,
Suvrita

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