Medical Receptionist & Prior Authorization (Rheumatology)

We are seeking an exceptionally articulate, patient, and highly organized Virtual Medical Receptionist & Prior Authorization Specialist to support a specialized Rheumatology practice. Because this role involves high-touch interactions primarily with elderly patients who may be hard of hearing or impatient, the ideal candidate must possess flawless, clear English communication skills with a neutral/native-sounding accent, combined with genuine empathy and patience.

In this hybrid front-and-back-office role, you will answer inbound phone calls, manage provider calendars in Elation Health EHR, convey vital messages, prevent appointment drop-offs, and process prior authorizations during lower call-volume windows.

Working Environment & Core Schedule

• Specialty: Rheumatology
• Status: Full-Time (40 Hours / Week)
• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST (US Pacific Standard Time)
• Core EHR Platform: Elation Health EHR
• Communication Tools: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) & Cloud/VOIP Phone System

Top 3 Daily Tasks

1. Front-Desk Call Management & Scheduling: Answer inbound patient phone calls clearly and patiently, schedule appointments, input accurate patient data into Elation EHR, and proactively reschedule patients to prevent schedule drop-offs.
2. Prior Authorization (PA) Processing: Complete end-to-end prior authorizations for specialty rheumatology medications, infusions, and diagnostic testing.
3. Patient Messaging & Care Communication: Take accurate, detailed messages and convey clear, correct clinical and administrative instructions back to patients.

Core Responsibilities

• Patient Phone & Front-Office Support: Answer incoming calls with a warm, extraordinarily clear, and patient tone, accommodating elderly patients with hearing difficulties.
• Elation EHR Data Entry & Scheduling: Book, confirm, and optimize patient appointments in Elation Health, ensuring chart notes and patient details are updated accurately.
• Patient Retention & Schedule Management: Monitor cancellation queues and actively reach out to patients who miss or attempt to cancel appointments to get them rescheduled.
• Prior Authorization Management: Submit and track prior authorization requests for complex rheumatology prescriptions, biologics, and lab/imaging orders.
• Patient Messaging & Triage Routing: Take thorough messages, consult with providers, and relay clear, precise instructions back to patients in layperson's terms.
• Administrative Organization: Utilize Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word) to organize daily task logs, trace outstanding PAs, and maintain seamless clinic workflows.

Requirements

• Specialty Experience: Prior medical front-desk or administrative experience supporting a Rheumatology practice.

• Communication Mastery (CRITICAL): Exceptional, accent-free spoken English with pristine articulation, slow/clear pacing, and high listening comprehension for elderly and hard-of-hearing callers.
• Soft Skills: Extreme patience, empathy, kindness, and emotional composure when speaking with frustrated or impatient patients.
• Prior Authorization Expertise: Direct hands-on experience handling medical prior authorizations for specialty medications or treatments.
• EHR & Technical Skills: Experience using Elation Health EHR (or quick adaptability to Elation) and strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Schedule Retention Mindset: Active effort and confidence in placing outbound calls to reschedule patients and protect provider utilization.
• Remote Workspace: Quiet, distraction-free, HIPAA-compliant home office with a reliable PC/Mac, high-speed internet, backup power/internet, and a high-quality noise-canceling USB headset.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are a compassionate, clear-spoken, and meticulous medical receptionist who takes pride in caring for elderly patients. You handle phone calls with soothing clarity and patience, keep Elation EHR meticulously updated, and effortlessly switch gears to tackle prior authorizations.