Virtual Assistant- Patient Outreach & Referral Coordinator (Functional Medicine)

About the Role We are seeking an outgoing, articulate, and customer-service-driven Patient Outreach & Referral Coordinator to lead our patient engagement and referral management workflows. In this role, your primary responsibility will be connecting directly with patients via phone calls and text messaging. You will manage incoming/outgoing specialist referrals, conduct proactive outreach to patients to guide them through care steps, and ensure seamless follow-up. If you naturally enjoy speaking with people, building rapport over the phone, and providing a warm customer service experience, this position is ideal for you. Requirements Key Responsibilities 1. Phone & Text Patient Outreach - Conduct outbound phone calls and send text communications to connect with patients regarding appointment reminders, care updates, and follow-ups. - Serve as an empathetic, friendly, and reassuring point of contact for patients navigating their care plans. - Maintain high call volume standards while ensuring every patient feels listened to and supported. 2. Referral Management & Specialist Tracking - Process, log, and track inbound and outbound patient referrals to external specialists and diagnostic centers. - Perform follow-up outreach with specialist offices and diagnostic facilities to confirm appointment dates and obtain clinical consult notes. - Keep patients continuously updated via phone or text on the status of their pending referrals. 3. Customer Service & Patient Retention - Apply strong customer service skills to answer patient inquiries, address concerns, and de-escalate patient frustration over the phone. - Reach out to overdue or un-scheduled patients to assist them in getting their required care booked promptly. - Document all phone conversations, text exchanges, and referral tracking updates accurately in the practice Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Qualifications & Requirements - Communication Excellence: Flawless, exceptionally clear spoken and written English with a pleasant, warm telephone voice and active listening skills. - Phone & Customer Service Experience: Prior experience in customer service, call handling, or patient communication roles where phone interaction was a primary duty. - Interpersonal Passion: A genuine enjoyment of phone communication and connecting with patients empathetically throughout the day. - Referral Workflow Familiarity: Experience or familiarity with medical referral processing, specialist outreach, and patient tracking logs. - Technical Setup: Quiet home office environment, noise-canceling headset, reliable high-speed internet, and comfort with web-based phone/texting tools and EHR systems.