The client is a primary care physician running a solo private practice that she opened about a year ago. The practice is currently part-time with a patient load of under 300, operates on an insurance-based model, and is located near the Texas-Mexico border, serving a patient base that is mostly English-speaking with a meaningful number of Spanish speakers. Dr. Garcia-Davalos currently works with one in-person medical assistant who checks in patients, takes vitals, and verifies insurance, alongside a third-party billing company that handles claims.
Role Overview
The client is going on maternity leave starting in September and will not be in the office at all for at least that month. Since no patients will be coming in during that time, she does not need in-person support — but she still expects calls and messages from existing patients about medication refills, appointment questions, and upcoming visits scheduled later in the year. She is also using this period to begin transitioning the practice from an insurance-based to a cash-based model, so this role is about holding things down reliably while she is out and helping keep patient communication organized as the practice evolves.
Key Responsibilities
- Answer incoming patient phone calls via the practice's VoIP line (QUO/OpenPhone), including medication refill requests, scheduling questions, and general patient inquiries
- Relay medication refill requests to the client for her personal review and sign-off — the VA does not send refills directly
- Monitor and manage the practice email inbox, including incoming faxes (medical records) and new patient inquiries submitted through the website
- Let prospective new patients know the practice has a temporary waitlist and is not currently scheduling new patient appointments
- Assist existing patients with questions about upcoming scheduled visits (the practice sees patients approximately one week per month from October through December)
- Communicate directly with the client as needed via WhatsApp, iMessage, or Zoom
- Help document and maintain SOPs during the practice's transition to a cash-based model, laying the groundwork for a smoother handoff when an in-person MA is hired again
Skills & Tools
- Bilingual: fluent in English and Spanish strongly preferred
- HIPAA certified
- Comfortable with VoIP/phone systems (e.g., QUO/OpenPhone) and standard email platforms
- Minimum 3–4 years of relevant experience (medical office, patient-facing, or virtual assistant experience)
- Strong attention to detail and discretion handling sensitive medical information
- Reliable and self-directed, comfortable working independently with light day-to-day oversight