Portiva provides HIPAA-trained medical virtual assistants who support scheduling, billing, insurance verification, and patient communication starting at $10 per hour.
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Jennifer: Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Ask the Doc. I’m your host, Jennifer Filsen, and today I have with me Sanju Zachariah of Portiva. Welcome, Sanju.
Sanju: Thank you, Jennifer. It’s a pleasure.
Jennifer: I’m so glad you’re here. So tell us all about Portiva and what you guys do.
Sanju: Yeah, definitely. Thanks for having me. A little background about Portiva: my name is Sanju Zachariah, and I’m the owner and CEO of Portiva. We’re a medical staffing company headquartered in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in the greater Philadelphia area. We started back in 2009, and we had a different focus back then. We were engaged in back-office operations for doctors. We serve healthcare practitioners in general, so we have some dentists, some veterinarians, and so on. Back in 2009, we were focused on back-office operations, doing a lot of medical transcription. That was the main bread and butter of the company.
That continued until the pandemic hit. That’s when things shifted a bit because we started getting calls from our clients asking for more help, especially with front-office operations. We had a situation where people couldn’t come into the office anymore, like the medical assistants, because of restrictions. Doctors were strapped, managing everything themselves. So that’s when we started getting calls from doctors asking, “Do you have people who can help us with phone calls, scheduling, billing, and so forth?” That’s when we started our virtual medical assistant service. We added that to Portiva’s portfolio. That’s how it all began.
Jennifer: That is amazing, and you’re absolutely right. We’re already seeing that doctors are busy doing what they do, practicing and seeing patients. But to also be the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker within your own practice, running the back end, running the front desk, doing all the paperwork, and making sure everything’s sterilized, that’s a lot for one person to handle. So it’s great that you guys are providing a service that gives them the help they need. I’d imagine that with the labor shortage we’re currently seeing, you really are a blessing to a lot of these doctors and practices because it’s hard to find help these days. So are you doing temporary staffing specifically for this, placements that end once they’re no longer needed, or is it more of a headhunting model where you’re placing people permanently in these roles?
Sanju: It’s a permanent placement model. Basically what we do, and I don’t want to call it “disruption,” maybe that’s too harsh or extreme, but we’re looking to disrupt the traditional medical staffing industry. In the old-school way, doctors typically reach out to a medical staffing firm and say, “We need a medical assistant or certified medical assistant,” and they’d have to wait weeks, these days even months, because it’s hard to find people who want to work in an office. A lot of people have retooled because of the pandemic. They’re not going back into offices. Every industry is going through this, restaurants, hospitality, travel. People are having a hard time finding good people willing to work on-site. They’d rather work online.
So basically what we do, Jennifer, is maintain a roster of pre-vetted candidates with medical backgrounds. A lot of them are former nurses, and everything can be done remotely using voice-over-IP and conferencing technologies. A medical staff member gets interviewed and, depending on the doctor’s needs, whether it’s billing, medical scribing, patient scheduling, or other specialties, we already have candidates ready. They go through a process we call “Portiva University,” where they receive rigorous training and testing. Once they’re ready to be placed, they go into a queue. When a doctor reaches out to us, we provide a list of candidates, typically two or three, and ask the doctor to choose the one who resonates best with their practice.
Once that happens, they come on board, and we’ve had a wonderful experience so far. Doctors really like them. They’re logged in when the doctor comes into the office and typically log out when the doctor leaves, though sometimes they’re doing follow-up work even after the doctor leaves, like documentation and catching up. The great thing is that we become an extension of the doctor’s office, and it saves the doctor a lot of time. We have doctors who love their virtual assistants because they’re not taking up physical space in the office. We handle all the benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and everything else. The doctor just pays a flat hourly rate.
In the worst case, if the doctor doesn’t feel it’s the right fit after a month or so, which does happen sometimes, we can immediately provide another set of candidates. Compared to the traditional model, where a doctor has to wait weeks, go through interviews, and then start all over again if it’s not the right fit, with Portiva we already have candidates lined up and ready to go. We can typically place a doctor with a trained candidate within hours. We also have doctors’ offices that need more than one virtual assistant, or VA. Those are some of the benefits of the service we provide.
Jennifer: Amazing. Oh my gosh, I love your business model. You’re doing some great work, Sanju, truly. Now, we’re running out of time, but I tell you what, well have to have you come back in the future and tell us a little more about your origin story. In fact, let’s do a quick 30 seconds right now. How did you get into this?
Sanju: Yeah, no, it’s a good question. Portiva started back in 2009, and I’m an engineer by trade, but I have family members and friends in the medical field, some of them doctors. The idea came about because of a bad experience I had at a doctor’s office before 2009. I waited about 45 minutes to be checked in because my primary care office was so inundated, with the staff juggling so many different things. That’s when the idea originated. I felt like doctors need help managing their practice. As good as they are, and they truly are medical professionals, their time should be focused on the patient, not on administrative tasks. That’s how it all started, and that’s how the idea originated.
Jennifer: I love it. You didn’t just complain, you found a solution, and now you have a very happy business because of it. I love that. Well, we’ve run out of time, but truly, thank you, Sanju, for being here. And everyone, thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed hearing about the good work Portiva is doing. If you want to find out more, please go to BuzzTV.iab-buzz.com. Thank you so much for watching, and we’ll see you next time. Bye.
Businesses thrive with solutions that drive success and transformation. Clients achieve their goals, streamline operations, and see real results. Join them and experience the difference today!
Portiva’s Virtual Medical Scribing streamlines documentation, reduces costs, and frees up your staff’s time perfect for you!
Dental assistants can work remotely by logging into the practice management software to manage dental practices.
Prior authorization prevents unexpected costs for doctors and unnecessary patient expenses, saving money for both.
Virtual assistants automate insurance verification and ensure patients’ insurance information is accurate.
From scheduling appointments and handling patient inquiries to managing records and verifying insurance.
Enhance provider communication, convert audio to accurate records, and maintain secure electronic medical records.
Medical billing virtual assistants are gaining popularity for streamlining operations and boosting revenue in medical offices.
VEAs help streamline operations, improve productivity, and allow executives to focus on strategic decision-making.
Portiva medical virtual assistants help healthcare providers complete time-consuming administrative tasks that improve workflow efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Medical virtual assistants help healthcare organizations reduce administrative workload without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Offload time-consuming tasks like data entry, documentation, and record management.
Streamline appointment booking, reminders, and calendar management.
Provide timely responses and follow-ups to improve patient satisfaction and trust.
Free up your in-house team to focus on high-value tasks that impact patient care.
Ensure daily workflows run seamlessly with reliable behind-the-scenes support.
With less admin work, providers can focus on what matters most patients.
Calvin Elado
“We were overwhelmed with calls while our staff focused on in-clinic patients. Portiva came highly recommended, and since bringing on Jennifer as our Virtual Front Desk Receptionist, things have run much more smoothly.”
Stephen Sisselman
“I am currently employing and managing 3 virtual medical assistants in various roles including billing, population health and back office. These exemplary individuals are smart, self-starters who can be trained to perform new tasks.”
Aly Gonzalez
“Prior to Portiva, I used another virtual staffing agency and I was not happy with the candidates or the service. Portiva does an excellent job pre-screening qualified candidates that meet the requirements of the job.”
Brianna Gunther
“It has been a pleasure working with Portiva and their VMAs. Before working with them, we faced challenges managing the increasing workload that came with our growth, especially with limited on-site space.”
Portiva’s virtual medical assistant services cover a wide range of back office tasks and patient-facing responsibilities:
A Medical Virtual Assistant (MVA) from Portiva is a remote professional who provides essential administrative and clinical support to healthcare providers, helping practices run efficiently while reducing workload and costs. Their key responsibilities include:
Manage calendars, confirm appointments, and send reminders to reduce no-shows.
Handle claims processing, verify patient insurance, and manage invoices for faster reimbursements.
Update patient records in real time, organize health data accurately, and keep documentation current within your existing EHR system.
Assist with securing insurance approvals and processing medication requests.
Answer inquiries, follow up on treatments, and improve overall patient experience.
HIPAA-trained by default. Every VA completes HIPAA training so record privacy and compliance standards are handled correctly from day one.
Matched to your specialty. We pair you with a VA who understands your discipline and practice requirements.
No overhead to hire. Bring on assistance without the cost of a full-time hire, while patient satisfaction and outcomes improve.
A trusted national network. We work with physicians, dentists, and healthcare professionals across the country, supporting practices and specialty clinics alike.
Partnering with Portiva means:
Getting started with Portiva is simple and hassle-free. We ensure that your virtual medical assistant is ready to integrate smoothly into your healthcare facility and start delivering value from day one.
We learn about your medical office, specific needs, and the skills needed to support your team. Our process involves understanding your workflow, patient volume, and administrative challenges to ensure a seamless integration.
We connect you with the same virtual assistant who is experienced in your medical specialty. Rest assured, every VA undergoes a rigorous training and HIPAA training program to protect patient data and uphold proper privacy practices.
Your VA becomes part of your daily operations, managing routine tasks, supporting patient communication, and helping you stay on top of patient data, health coverage validation, and scheduling appointments. of the cost
Protecting patient information is a core part of every service Portiva provides.
Our medical virtual assistants receive HIPAA compliance training and understand the importance of safeguarding protected health information (PHI). They follow established healthcare privacy standards while supporting administrative and operational tasks, helping practices maintain confidentiality throughout daily workflows.
Portiva medical virtual assistants work within the systems and workflows your practice already uses.
Our assistants adapt to your existing electronic health record (EHR), practice management software, scheduling platforms, communication tools, and other healthcare technologies to help maintain continuity across your daily operations.
Give your healthcare team more time to focus on patient care with dependable remote administrative support from Portiva.
Schedule a free consultation today to learn how our HIPAA-trained medical virtual assistants can help streamline your practice starting at $10 per hour.
| Comparison | Portiva Medical Virtual Assistant | In-House Administrative Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing cost | Flexible remote staffing without maintaining another full-time employee in your physical office. | The median annual wage for U.S. secretaries and administrative assistants was $47,460 in May 2024, before employer-related expenses. |
| Employee overhead | Remote support reduces the need for additional office space and on-site equipment. | May include payroll taxes, benefits, paid leave, equipment, office space, recruitment, and onboarding expenses. |
| Healthcare experience | Selected for healthcare administrative support and familiarity with medical-office workflows. | Medical terminology and healthcare workflow experience can vary by candidate. |
| Administrative coverage | Remote staffing can provide a more flexible approach to supporting changing workloads. | Coverage may be disrupted by absences, turnover, or recruiting delays. |
| Tasks supported | Scheduling, intake, insurance verification, prior authorizations, patient coordination, documentation, and billing support. | Scheduling, patient communication, records, billing support, and general office administration. |
| Scalability | Support can be adjusted as the practice's administrative needs change. | Adding capacity usually requires another recruitment and employment cycle. |
Physician Survey Data
How prior authorization affects physician time, burnout, and patient care.
Share of Physicians Who Agree
── WHO'S BEHIND THIS
Sanju Zachariah
Founder & CEO, Portiva
Sanju Zachariah is the Founder and CEO of Portiva, a healthcare staffing company he established in 2009 to help medical practices reduce administrative burdens and operate more efficiently. Before founding Portiva, Sanju worked as a management consultant at Accenture and PwC, where he gained extensive experience in process improvement and operational strategy.
Inspired by firsthand frustrations with inefficiencies in healthcare administration, he built Portiva to provide scalable virtual support that allows healthcare professionals and business leaders to focus on higher-value work.
2009
3
US
Find answers to your queries about Portiva’s medical virtual assistant services.
Portiva offers several types of medical virtual assistant services, including Medical Virtual Assistants, Virtual Medical Scribes, Medical Billing support, Insurance Verification, Prior Authorization, and Medical Virtual Receptionists. Each service is tailored to a specific administrative or clinical support function within a healthcare practice.
