FAQ

What is a virtual health assistant and what tasks can they perform?

A virtual health assistant (VHA) is an independent worker that can perform a variety of tasks such as chart prep, medical scribing, HEDIS, medication adherence, care coordination, insurance & benefit verification, referrals, prior authorization, document management, and any other non-patient touching tasks. Performing these recurring tasks for the provider and staff optimizes your frontline workforce and improves the patient experience.

What does, the VHA is "our" employee mean?

They are not an employee in the legal sense- they are an employee of ELEOS in Honduras.
They become an FIE of your organization.
They are onboarded the same way as your current employees. They go through the same training as your current employees.
They can be deployed with different responsibilities like any other employee.

Does ELEOS assign the VHA, or do we get to pick our own VHA?

We will provide you resumes of those VAs that best match the role you want to fill.
You can interview the candidates and choose your own VHA.

How do you recruit and vet your virtual health assistants?

ELEOS Latin American headquarters recruiting team sorts through a large pool of pre-screened, fluent English-speaking virtual assistants and matches them up against your needs.
Each of our virtual assistants goes through a thorough English screening and background check before they advance to the interview.
Once a candidate is chosen, ELEOS extends an offer and onboards the Virtual Associate.

Where do the VHA's work from each day?

Our VHA's work remotely from their homes in Latin America. This improves employee retention rate and decreases the number of call-ins.

Is the difference in time zones going to be an issue when working with my VHA?

It is a requirement that all ELEOS VHAs complete anual HIPPA certification training.
They are held to the same standards and ethics as the employees in your practice.
The Business Associate Agreements that al our VHA's sign ensures you receive the appropriate privacy and security safeguards.

Are your VHA's HIPPA-certified?

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How good are their communication skills? Will communication be a concern when working with these non-US VHA’s?

All our VHA's are English-speaking and have met verbal and written communication requirements during our pre-screening process.
They can communicate in English, and because they are bilingual, they are able to interact with your Spanish speaking patients.

Do your VHA's have work experience in the healthcare field?

Many VHA's have experience in healthcare, however we do have VAs with backgrounds in accounting, engineering, legal and administrative work.
With a wide range of profesional backgrounds, we can find a virtual assistant best suited for your specific needs.

What training do your virtual health assistants have?

Each of our virtual assistants goes through a training program to ensure that they are qualified to join our team. During this process, the VAs will learn and become familiar with the common functions of EMR systems, HIPAA compliance, and security protocols. By the end of the training, they are all required to pass a test proving that they can properly and efficiently navigate around an EMR system.
Once they understand how to navigate through the EMR, they spend one to two weeks shadowing the specific role for which they are hired.
We will collaborate with your team to design a training plan for your VHA.
Once you onboard the VA, they will go through your employee training program to learn your systems and workflows.
Having a well-developed onboarding, training and integration of a virtual team member is crucial for success.

Are virtual health assistants trained on my EMR?

During our basic training we will utilize our EMR superuser to give your VHA a 1-week EMR overview so that your VHA can navigate through your EMR.
We can provide an overview for NextGen. eCW. and Athena.

What are our HR responsibilities for the virtual health assistant?

Onboard the VHA like you would any other emolovee.
Include them in group meetings and team building.
Assign a supervisor.
Establish the VHA's schedule.
Support emplovee development.
Train the VHA in the company policies, procedures, and workflows.
Provide the VHA with resources, tools, and cheat sheets.
Provide clear expectations and key performance indicators.
Foster a safe work environment.
Manage disciplinary needs.
Conduct an annual review to approve or deny a salary increase.

Are there federal regulations regarding offshore staff accessing PHI?

There currently are no federal regulations or statutes that prevent storing or processing PHI offshore or overseas; however, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"), the U.S Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS"), and the U.S. Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") within the HHS, have all issued regulations or provided guidance on storing or processing PHI offshore.

Do you have an office in Honduras?

ELEOS has corporate headquarters is in Honduras and the Philippines.
Our other corporate office is in New Braunfels, Texas.

What kind of trial period do you offer?

We do not offer a trial period.
To protect your organization and ours we must have an agreement in place before we deploy any VHA.
The contract can be terminated by providing a 30-day notice.
We suggest giving the program at least 90 days (about 3 months) allowing ample time for the VHA to gain experience in your systems and workflows.