The Fair Work Commission recently announced a 3.75% increase in Australia's minimum wage, raising the hourly rate to $24.10. For healthcare providers, this seemingly small rise can significantly impact operating costs, particularly when it comes to staffing expenses. One area that will see a noticeable effect is the wage cost of medical receptionists, who are essential to ensuring smooth day-to-day operations in any medical practice.
Let’s explore how this wage increase impacts medical practices and why considering a virtual medical receptionist might be a smart alternative for managing costs.
The Impact of the Wage Increase on Medical Receptionist Salaries
A medical receptionist is often the first point of contact for patients and plays a crucial role in managing schedules, patient inquiries, and administrative tasks. With the new minimum wage increase, their salaries are also set to rise, adding extra pressure to the already tight budgets of medical practices.
For example, let's say your receptionist currently earns approximately $4,200 per month. With the 3.75% wage increase, their monthly salary would rise as follows:
Current Monthly Salary: $4,200
Wage Increase: 3.75% of $4,200 = $157.50
New Monthly Salary: $4,200 + $157.50 = $4,357.50
This may not seem like a significant amount at first glance, but when you factor in additional costs like payroll taxes, superannuation, and other employee benefits, the financial impact becomes more noticeable. Over a year, that’s an extra $1,890 in wages per receptionist, which could have a substantial effect on small and mid-sized practices already grappling with rising operating costs.
Why a Virtual Medical Receptionist Might Be a Better Alternative
With the rise in wage costs, many healthcare providers are exploring more cost-effective alternatives to traditional staffing. This is where a virtual medical receptionist comes in as an excellent solution, especially for practices looking to maintain efficiency without the added financial burden.
A virtual medical receptionist with MWBS typically starts at rates between $14 to $17 per hour, which is significantly lower than the new minimum wage of $24.10 per hour. Beyond the lower hourly rates, the key benefits of hiring a virtual receptionist include:
Paying Only for Hours Worked: Unlike a traditional full-time receptionist, where you are paying for an entire workday regardless of workload, a virtual medical receptionist only charges for the hours worked. This flexibility means you’re not paying for idle time, reducing unnecessary payroll expenses.
Low Minimum Entry Fee: Virtual medical receptionist services are designed to be accessible to practices of all sizes. With a low minimum entry fee, even smaller medical practices can afford to bring in a virtual receptionist without having to worry about the overhead associated with traditional employees.
The Cost Savings A Virtual Medical Receptionist Offers
To put things into perspective, if your medical receptionist works 160 hours per month at the new minimum wage of $24.10, you’re looking at a cost of $3,856 per month just for their base salary.
In comparison, hiring a virtual medical receptionist at a rate of $17 per hour for the same 160 hours would cost $2,720 per month—a savings of over $1,000 per month. This doesn’t even account for the added costs of employee benefits, superannuation, and taxes you’d not have to factor in using a virtual option - plus it is likely your staff will be happy to get those pesky busy (repetitive) work off their hands so that they can focus on taking care of patients.
Why Choose a Virtual Medical Receptionist?
1. Cost Efficiency: As mentioned, virtual medical receptionists offer a lower hourly rate, and you only pay for the hours worked, ensuring that you’re maximising every dollar spent.
2. Scalability: Virtual medical receptionist services are highly flexible, allowing you to scale up or down based on your practice's needs. This means you’re never locked into paying for services you don’t need.
3. Reduced Overheads: By opting for a virtual medical receptionist, you eliminate costs associated with office space, equipment, and employee benefits (of which will be covered by MWBS), further reducing operational expenses.
4. Expertise and Reliability: Virtual medical receptionists are trained to handle medical-specific administrative tasks, ensuring that your practice runs smoothly while maintaining high levels of professionalism.
Final Thoughts
The 3.75% increase in Australia’s minimum wage is a positive step for employees but can put a financial strain on medical practices, especially smaller ones. For practices looking to balance the rising costs of staffing with the need for quality patient service, a virtual medical receptionist offers an affordable and flexible solution.
It is important to note that our virtual medical receptionist work in tandem with your existing team; this can help improve the happiness of your own team by removing cumbersome and laborious work such as scheduling, claiming, documentation and much more so that your team isn't always on the phone or typing away when your patients come to visit - it is up for you and your team to decide on how best a virtual medical receptionist can help you improve your practice.
By choosing a virtual option, practices can save thousands annually while still providing patients with excellent care and efficient administrative services. If you’re looking to cut down on costs without sacrificing quality, now might be the perfect time to explore how a virtual medical receptionist can work for your practice.
Ready to make the switch? Contact us today on 03 8689 8989 or email sales@mwbs.com.au to learn more about our virtual medical receptionist services and how they can benefit your practice.
