Orthopedic practices carry a heavier administrative load than most specialties - imaging and procedure authorizations, therapy referrals, and a steady stream of post-operative check-ins. Virtual Medical Assistant provides trained remote administrative and medical-scribe support so your front desk and clinical staff can stay focused on patients instead of paperwork.
Orthopedic care generates an unusual volume of administrative work relative to visit length. A single patient pathway can involve an initial evaluation, imaging orders, a prior-authorization request for that imaging, a follow-up visit to review results, a possible referral to physical therapy, and - if surgery is indicated - authorization for the procedure itself, equipment coordination, and a defined sequence of post-operative visits. Each step has its own paperwork, its own payer requirements, and its own deadline.
Front-desk and clinical staff in independent orthopedic practices often describe the same recurring bottlenecks: authorization requests for MRIs, CT scans, and procedures like joint replacement, arthroscopy, or spine surgery that sit in a queue; physical therapy referrals that go out but are never confirmed as scheduled; post-op patients who fall through the cracks between their 2-week, 6-week, and 3-month checks; and new-patient intake packets full of injury history, prior imaging reports, and referral documents that need to be organized before the first visit even happens. A virtual medical assistant can take on this administrative volume within your existing systems and permissions, working the queues so your in-office staff and providers are not buried in them.
Good fit for: independent orthopedic practices and orthopedic surgery groups with 1-10 providers that need consistent support for imaging and procedure authorizations, physical therapy referral tracking, post-operative scheduling, and high-volume new-patient intake, and that are prepared to grant a remote assistant defined, role-based access to their scheduling and EHR systems.
New orthopedic patients frequently arrive with a stack of history to sort through - prior imaging, referral letters, injury details, and previous treatment records. A VMA can manage new-patient intake administratively: collecting demographic and history forms, organizing prior imaging and referral paperwork ahead of the visit, and confirming that everything a provider needs is staged in the chart before the patient walks in (or logs in). On the scheduling side, VMAs handle routine booking, rescheduling, and reminder calls for evaluations, follow-ups, and procedure consults, following your practice's booking rules and provider preferences.
Imaging and procedure authorizations are one of the heaviest administrative burdens in orthopedics, and this is where a dedicated remote assistant tends to save the most staff time. A VMA can verify insurance eligibility and benefits ahead of visits, and can handle the administrative steps of prior authorization for MRI and CT orders and for procedures such as joint replacement, arthroscopy, and spine procedures - compiling the documentation your provider specifies, submitting requests through the applicable payer portal, logging reference numbers, and following up on pending or stalled cases. Payers make authorization decisions, and clinical decisions - including what documentation supports medical necessity - remain with licensed providers.
Physical therapy referral coordination is a common gap in orthopedic workflows: a referral goes out, but nobody confirms the patient was actually scheduled at the receiving clinic. A VMA can track outbound PT and rehab referrals, confirm receipt with the therapy provider, and follow up with patients who have not scheduled within the expected window - closing the loop your staff often doesn't have time to close. The same applies to post-operative follow-up: orthopedic surgery typically requires visits at defined intervals, such as 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months post-op, and a VMA can proactively schedule and confirm these checkpoints so patients don't miss them. VMAs can also follow up administratively on durable medical equipment orders - such as confirming a brace or equipment order was placed and received - without handling any billing or coding related to that equipment.
Within your EHR, a VMA can support administrative tasks such as updating patient records with intake information, managing inbox messages and routing tasks to the right staff member, and keeping scheduling and referral notes current. For practices that use medical-scribe support, a VMA can document the visit in real time or from a recording under your direction, following your templates and preferences. The licensed provider remains responsible for reviewing, correcting, and approving the final clinical record. Access to any system is limited according to client-approved roles and permissions, and a Business Associate Agreement may be executed when applicable.
A virtual medical assistant does not diagnose, does not interpret imaging or test results, and does not make or influence decisions about surgical versus non-surgical treatment. Determining medical necessity, deciding on a treatment or surgical plan, and approving or denying any request stay entirely with your licensed providers and, where applicable, the payer. VMAs may support the paperwork around those decisions; they never make the decisions themselves.
We support independent orthopedic practices remotely across the United States. Support is delivered remotely - we do not maintain a staffed local office.
A VMA can handle the administrative side of prior authorization - gathering the clinical documentation your provider specifies, submitting requests through payer portals, tracking status, and following up on pending cases for imaging such as MRI or CT and for procedures such as joint replacement, arthroscopy, or spine procedures. Payers make authorization decisions, and clinical decisions remain with licensed providers.
Yes. A VMA can send PT and rehab referrals according to your practice's approved workflow, confirm the receiving clinic has the referral, and follow up to check that the patient was scheduled. The VMA does not select a course of therapy or make clinical determinations about a patient's rehab plan - that stays with the referring provider and the treating therapist.
No. VMAs support administrative and documentation workflows only. They do not interpret imaging, diagnose, determine medical necessity, recommend or decide on surgical or non-surgical treatment, or alter a clinical record independently. Diagnosis, imaging interpretation, and treatment planning remain the responsibility of your licensed providers at all times.
No. Virtual Medical Assistant focuses on administrative and medical-scribe support - scheduling, intake, eligibility and prior-authorization paperwork, referral coordination, and documentation support. We do not provide medical billing, coding, or revenue-cycle services. Looking for medical billing or revenue-cycle support? Ask us about our billing partner.
No PHI required for the initial conversation.
Tell us about your front-desk and admin workload - we reply within one business hour.
