Introduction

Raleigh Eye and Face Case Study

When Dr. Pradeep Mettu, board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon and Raleigh's premier eyelid surgeon, founded Raleigh Eye and Face in 2019, he was alone in the office returning calls, scheduling surgeries, coordinating insurance authorizations, and more in addition to treating patients.

"We got to the point at which we needed assistance with everyday tasks in the office so Shayla and I could focus more on patients," Dr. Mettu said. "I also wanted to build some redundancy into our operations in case Shayla was out so I wouldn't be completely on my own."

The Snapscale Healthcare Virtual Services Solution

Most of the tasks that were draining valuable time and energy could be handled remotely. Dr. Mettu had explored outsourcing but was concerned about data privacy and security. In May of 2022, Dr. Mettu contacted Snapscale Services to discuss the company's Healthcare Virtual Services Solution.

"Snapscale's centralized office was very appealing to me," Dr. Mettu said. "Other companies have their virtual assistants working from home, which can reduce oversight and create issues with reliability and security. With Snapscale, work is done in a centralized office where all data and hardware are monitored and protected."

Similarly, because the Snapscale Healthcare Virtual Services Solution is a cloud-based managed service, Dr. Mettu and Shayla don't have to worry about maintaining his virtual assistant's technology, dealing with support issues, or installing software updates. Everything is managed by Snapscale and its technology vendors.

Dr. Mettu was excited to welcome his new virtual assistant, Rose, to the team. As the practice's everyday assistant, Rose was trained on the communication platform, workflows, and HIPAA-compliant protocols so she could function independently with minimal supervision. The initial onboarding process focused on essential, high-priority tasks, while additional tasks were gradually added to her workload.

"Rose picked up our systems quickly and it's easy to communicate with her," Dr. Mettu said. "She follows the same protocols that we use in the office. We have an efficient process that allows us to respond quickly and offer Rose guidance if needed, but we're at the point where she's very independent. She asks the right questions and can identify potential problems so they can be addressed proactively."

The Results

Greater Efficiency, Positive Patient Feedback, Less Stress

Raleigh Eye and Face does not have a traditional receptionist. While Dr. Mettu and Shayla see patients, they have full confidence that Rose is taking calls, returning messages, reviewing incoming referrals, scheduling surgery, obtaining authorizations, and more. Rose is almost never absent, but Snapscale will always provide coverage if needed.

Patients have commented to Dr. Mettu and Shayla about their responsiveness, and an already positive patient experience is now even better.

"We have a small buffer between appointments, but the schedule can be pretty tight," Dr. Mettu said. "As we move from patient to patient, we don't have time to do everything Rose does. This allows us to see more patients and give them more attention. Rose has made a huge difference in terms of operations and the patient experience."

Dr. Mettu's confidence in Rose allows him to take time off without closing the office or relying solely on Shayla to keep the practice functioning. If a serious issue does arise, Rose can be trusted to manage the situation effectively.

"I was traveling on a family ski trip and there was a time-sensitive issue involving a patient's upcoming surgery and Shayla was on vacation that day," Dr. Mettu said. "Rose and I jumped on a quick video call to discuss the situation and what steps needed to be followed. She was able to take care of things while I got back to my family."

In addition to being a reliable, valued member of the team, Rose has a personality and demeanor that are ideal for this position.

"Rose has great customer service skills and our patients love her," Dr. Mettu said. "When we were on that ski trip, my wife overheard part of our conversation and said, 'Wow, she's delightful.' When she interacts with patients, they have a similar response. Rose is a wonderful person who we're grateful to have on our team."

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