How WelcomeWare And Welcomers (Virtual Receptionists) Have Eliminated Hiring Challenges and Increased Coverage
The Situation
Evolution Physical Therapy is a 14-location physical therapy practice with locations nationwide. Audrey Medlock, the National Office Manager responsible for managing Evolution’s patient care specialists (PCS), was short-staffed. With frequent turnover at the front desk, Audrey and other office managers frequently traveled to cover when PCSs left, were out sick, or went on vacation. In need of a front desk check-in solution that could be used to staff their de novo clinics and support their busier clinics, Evolution turned to WelcomeWare for help.
Problems
Vacant Front Desk
Frequent turnover of patient care specialists led to a lack of coverage across all locations.
Increase in Travel Expenditure
Increased travel costs as office managers regularly traveled to cover empty seats.
Negative Patient Experience
Evolution was understaffed and could not adequately check in patients, collect payments, or answer questions.
Continuous Hiring Cycle
Office managers regularly had to hire and train new patient care specialists, detracting from other responsibilities.
The Solution – WelcomeWare
Evolution Physical Therapy began their partnership with WelcomeWare in February 2022. WelcomeWare would serve as the tool for Evolution to leverage current PCSs across their multiple locations. Still in search of patient care specialists to cover their empty seats, WelcomeWare’s Welcomers (expertly trained and managed Virtual Receptionists) were employed as virtual patient care specialists as part of the Evolution team.
3 Use Cases of WW in Evolution Physical Therapy
The WelcomeWare kiosk and software is used in 3 different ways across Evolution’s locations.
In all three use cases, patients check in, provide intake paperwork and payment, and can ask questions, all in a highly personalized interaction.
Sole check-in solution for de novo clinics which don’t have the patient volume to support a full- time employee in that clinic. All patients check in at the WelcomeWare kiosk.
Supplemental support in busier clinics used for patients to check in who are there for follow-up appointments.
Backup support across Evolution’s locations during peak hours or when an in-clinic PCS is unexpectedly out of office.
WelcomeWare Welcomers
In addition to one PCS covering multiple locations, Evolution hired virtual receptionists through WelcomeWare to staff their empty PCS seats with reliable front desk staff. Working from a remote location, Welcomers are able to complete all patient care specialist responsibilities. Welcomers have higher retention rates, are provided more direct training and management support, and are more KPI-disciplined than local hires.
Well-trained on WelcomeWare and Evolution’s processes, Welcomer’s serve as an extension of the Evolution team, and combat the difficulties of hiring and training reliable front desk staff.
The Result
Through a combination of WelcomeWare and Welcomers, Evolution Physical Therapy has been able to fully staff their clinics. On average, one virtual patient care specialist can cover 2.5 clinics, which allows Evolution to simultaneously improve coverage across their locations, while also reducing their front desk headcount. WelcomeWare has enabled Evolution to reduce their front desk costs by over $100,000 per year, while also eliminating previous challenges associated with frequently hiring and training new patient care specialists.
Decreased time spent on hiring and training
Over the past 5 years, it has been really difficult to staff the front desk. WelcomeWare helps out tremendously because when we don’t have coverage or we are short-staffed, we always have someone to check in and schedule patients, take payments, and answer questions. It’s been really helpful.
Audrey Medlock, National Office Manager, Evolution Physical Therapy
Impact on Evolution PT
The use of WelcomeWare has allowed Audrey, her managerial team, and Evolution’s clinical team to focus on what they do best – manage their clinics and treat patients. Frustration associated with front desk vacancies is eliminated, and thanks to WelcomeWare’s ease of use, they have flexible and immediate front desk coverage. Any burden previously placed on office managers and therapists to check in patients has been removed.
Not only has Evolution decreased their front desk headaches and costs, but they can now offer promotional opportunities to patient care specialists as WelcomeWare’s enablement of cross-clinic coverage frees up resources to promote and reward employees, helping them retain top performers.
Further, Evolution’s increased presence at the front desk has brought about an increase in new patients. Members from the neighboring gym regularly book physical therapy appointments through the free-standing WelcomeWare kiosks.
Impact on Patients
The implementation of WelcomeWare and their Welcomers has a noticeable effect on the patient experience. Patients’ questions pertaining to billing and scheduling are quickly answered by knowledgeable virtual patient care specialists, whereas before, these questions would go unanswered. The immediate presence of Evolution’s VPCSs has resulted in more patients completing their plan of care as they can now schedule out at time of care.