Scheduling, prep-confirmation and authorization support for gastroenterology practices across Los Angeles County, from first-time screening colonoscopies to IBD medication renewals. Licensed providers keep every clinical decision.
Gastroenterology front desks in Los Angeles juggle three things at once: a steady stream of screening colonoscopies, authorizations that often come from a medical group rather than the health plan, and long-running specialty medication cases. A remote virtual medical assistant (VMA) takes the administrative side of that work inside your own EHR and phone system, so your staff can focus on patients in the office.
Good fit for: independent GI practices and ambulatory endoscopy groups in LA County with a mixed commercial HMO, Medicare and Medi-Cal panel.
In 2021 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended starting age for average-risk colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45. That added a whole group of first-time patients who have never done a bowel prep and have more questions than a returning patient. A VMA can:
Prep questions that are clinical, such as medication changes before a procedure, go straight to your licensed staff.
Los Angeles is one of the markets where many HMO members are managed through delegated medical groups (IPAs). The authorization for a GI consult or procedure often comes from the patient's medical group, not the health plan named on the card. Medi-Cal adds another layer: in LA County, Medi-Cal managed care runs through L.A. Care Health Plan and Health Net, their plan partners (such as Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California Promise and Molina), and Kaiser Permanente under its own direct contract. A VMA working on prior authorization support and referral coordination:
Patients on biologic or other specialty medications for inflammatory bowel disease usually need authorizations that expire and must be renewed. A VMA tracks renewal dates, gathers the chart documents your provider specifies, coordinates infusion-center or specialty-pharmacy scheduling, and sends lab-order reminders exactly as your protocol states. Treatment choices stay with your gastroenterologists.
After a procedure, a VMA can watch for pending pathology reports and route them to the ordering provider, then set up recall for the surveillance interval your provider records in the chart. Recall outreach brings patients back when they are due, instead of relying on memory or paper lists.
Access is limited to the systems your practice approves, and a signed Business Associate Agreement is in place before any account access begins. See our security and privacy practices.
Diagnosis, procedure decisions, sedation and prep medication guidance, interpretation of endoscopy and pathology findings, medical necessity and final chart approval always stay with your licensed providers.
Yes. A VMA calls patients before the procedure to confirm they received the prep instructions, have an escort arranged and can still make the appointment. Any clinical question about the prep or medications is passed to your licensed staff.
The VMA first identifies who issues the authorization for that patient, which in Los Angeles is often the delegated medical group rather than the health plan. The VMA then submits and tracks the request. The payer or medical group makes the decision.
The VMA can check the patient's benefits and note how the plan treats screening versus diagnostic procedures for your billing team. Coverage decisions are made by the payer.
No. This is remote support for gastroenterology practices that serve patients in Los Angeles. We do not have a local office or local employees in the city.
No. This is administrative and documentation support only. Billing and coding are handled by a separate Mednex Group brand, Practice Revenue Partners.
No PHI required for the initial conversation.
Tell us about your front-desk and admin workload - we reply within one business hour.
