Virtual Clinical Administrative Coordinator (VMA)

Description

We are seeking an experienced, detail-oriented Virtual Clinical Administrative Coordinator (VMA) to manage behind-the-scenes clinical workflows for a fast-paced primary care / internal medicine practice. This is not a front-desk, phone, or scheduling role—it is a specialized, behind-the-scenes administrative position focused on Athenahealth EHR work queues, prescription refill processing, prior authorizations (PAs), referrals, and clinical document triage.

The ideal candidate possesses strong medical terminology and pharmaceutical knowledge, operates independently with proactive follow-through, and knows precisely when to resolve administrative inquiries versus escalating clinical decisions to providers. Athenahealth experience is strongly preferred.

Working Environment & Core Schedule

• Role Title: Virtual Clinical Administrative Coordinator (VMA)
• Practice Specialty: Primary Care / Internal Medicine
• Status: Full-Time (40 Hours / Week)
• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)
• Core EHR & Systems: Athenahealth (Strongly Preferred), Forus (Plus), Medical Messaging Platforms
• Role Nature: Behind-the-scenes clinical administration (No patient reception/scheduling duties)

Top 3 Daily Tasks

1. Athena EHR Management & Patient Inbox Triage: Review, triage, and route patient portal messages, provider task queues, phone notes, and inbound clinical documents with high accuracy.
2. Prescription Refill Coordination & Prior Authorizations: Audit patient refill requests against medication history/charts, prep scripts for provider sign-off, and manage medication prior authorizations in Forus or payor portals.
3. Referral Management & Clinical Documentation Triage: Process outbound specialty referrals with clinical notes and diagnostics attached, obtain facility precertifications, track pending referrals until closed, and summarize incoming records for provider review

Core Responsibilities

• Athenahealth Work Queue Management: Monitor inbox queues daily, answering routine patient administrative inquiries, filing clinical records, and maintaining updated chart documentation.
• Prescription Refill Processing: Verify medication orders, dosages, lab monitoring history, and last visit dates in the chart before routing prepped refills to the ordering provider for final approval.
• Prior Authorization (PA) Management: Submit and track medication PAs via Forus or clearinghouses, gather clinical justification, monitor approval statuses, and compile appeal documentation for denials.
• Referrals & Precertifications: Coordinate specialty referrals, transmit medical notes and lab/imaging attachments, obtain insurance precertifications, and follow up with specialist offices until consult notes are retrieved.
• Clinical Safety & Escalation: Distinguish between administrative routing and clinical decision-making—ensuring all medication changes, clinical advice, and urgent patient inquiries are promptly escalated to the supervising physician/provider.

Requirements

• U.S. Healthcare Experience: Minimum 2+ years supporting a U.S. medical practice in a clinical or administrative capacity.
• EHR Mastery: Hands-on experience navigating Electronic Health Record systems and high-volume inbox/task queues.
• Clinical Admin Knowledge: Proven experience handling prescription refill protocols, insurance prior authorizations, and outbound referrals.
• Terminology & Pharma Knowledge: Solid working knowledge of medical terminology, routine medications, dosage formats, and basic laboratory test panels.
• English Fluency: Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
• Compliance & Autonomy: Strong HIPAA compliance standards and the ability to manage multiple work queues independently.
• Remote Workspace: Dedicated, quiet, HIPAA-compliant home workspace with a high-performance computer (PC/Mac), high-speed internet, backup power/internet solutions, and a headset.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• EHR Specifics: Recent hands-on experience using Athenahealth (highest priority) and Forus.
• Clinical Background: Medical Assistant (MA) certification/background or prior experience in Primary Care / Internal Medicine.
• Screening Criteria Note: Candidates limited exclusively to front-desk reception, scheduling, or basic reception duties without refill or prior authorization experience will not be considered.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are a sharp, self-directed clinical administrator with strong Athenahealth skills. You audit refill requests, handle prior authorizations, and track specialty referrals with precision—keeping provider queues clean and efficient without needing constant supervision.