# Patient Intake Specialist (USA Healthcare) - EST Hours (Remote) > ISTA Personnel Solutions · South Africa (Remote) · Full-time · Posted 2026-05-18 **Workplace:** remote **Department:** SA - Operations ## Description ISTA Personnel Solutions is a dynamic and fast-growing BPO company. We are not a recruitment agency. We partner with international US clients and integrate our staff members directly within our clients' operations. We focus on long-term placements where you contribute directly to the client's success. We are seeking a **Patient Intake Specialist** on behalf of our US-based client, a leading provider of innovative mental health and wellness treatments, including FDA-approved ketamine infusion therapy and Spravato (esketamine) treatments. The clinic serves patients struggling with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and chronic pain, offering compassionate, medically supervised care. Each clinic visit is a substantive 2-hour appointment, and the team is deeply committed to patient care. As our client's COO puts it: “You can literally change their lives — and we have so many stories.” **Role Summary** The Patient Intake Specialist is the warm, empathetic first voice that prospective patients encounter. This is not a traditional call centre role: the person in this seat must balance genuine human connection with clinical awareness and operational efficiency. The intake department is the critical first point of human contact for prospective patients — many of whom are in genuine distress — and plays a pivotal role in the clinical journey. The role is the bridge between a patient in need and life-changing treatment. The Intake Specialist is responsible for converting inbound interest into scheduled consultations with the right patients, while ensuring every caller feels heard, valued, and supported. **PLEASE NOTE:** - **Working Hours:** **You will be working EST Hours which converts to Monday – Friday | 00:00 AM – 9:00 AM SAST South African time** – _subject to change in accordance with daylight savings in the United States as well as the operational requirements of the Company_. - **Salary Range:** This position offers between **R10 000 - R23 000 GROSS** (before deductions), depending on experience. Please note that there is no additional company benefits such as Medical Aid, Provident Fund, etc. - You will be required to **work** on both South African and U.S. **public holidays** (compensation for SA public holidays in accordance with the BCEA). - **Internet Requirements:** A fixed fibre line with a minimum speed of **25 Mbps (upload & download)** and the ability to support a **wired Ethernet connection** is mandatory. Applicants without a fixed fibre line cannot be considered. - **Power Backup:** A **reliable power backup solution** is required to manage load shedding and power outages. Applicants without a power backup cannot be considered. - **Work Environment:** This is a **fully remote** working role. **Key Responsibilities:** **Patient Communication & Intake** - Handle inbound calls, texts, and messages from prospective patients, many of whom are experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, or crisis. - Conduct empathetic, structured intake conversations with a target duration of 6–11 minutes — long enough to build rapport and gather key information, efficient enough to maintain throughput. - Identify appropriate treatment pathways (Spravato, IV Ketamine, or TMS) based on patient history, insurance status, and clinical eligibility criteria. - Schedule evaluation consultations and onboard patients into the clinic management system. - Manage existing patient calls, including rescheduling, follow-up appointments, and re-engagement of lapsed contacts. **Clinical Screening & Qualification** - Gather essential pre-qualification information (e.g., prior medication history required for Spravato eligibility, insurance coverage). - Identify red flags that would indicate a patient is unlikely to convert, and handle those calls professionally without wasting clinical resources. - Work closely with the clinical team to ensure only appropriately qualified patients are scheduled for consultations. **CRM & Workflow Management** - Utilise the clinic’s patient management and CRM system to log interactions, set tasks, track follow-ups, and manage milestones. - Maintain an organised, up-to-date pipeline of leads and patient contacts. - Proactively reach out to prospects who previously expressed interest but did not convert. **Quality & Continuous Improvement** - Participate in quality assurance reviews of calls and interactions. - Contribute to post-visit follow-up initiatives (e.g., checking in with patients after their first appointment). - Identify process improvements and raise them constructively with the supervising team. ## Requirements - Customer service or client-facing experience (minimum 1 year); experience in healthcare, social work, counselling, or mental health settings is a strong advantage. - Excellent verbal communication in English — clear, warm, and professional. - Computer literate with the ability to navigate CRM/patient management systems. - Comfortable managing a high volume of interactions while maintaining quality. - Experience with inbound/outbound phone-based roles is beneficial but not essential. **Essential Qualities:** - Warmth and genuine empathy — patients must feel cared for from the very first hello. - Strong active listening skills, including the ability to pick up on keywords, emotional cues, and unsaid concerns. - Ability to hold a conversation with dual intent: emotional support and clinical qualification, simultaneously. - Confidence to gently steer conversations toward an outcome without ever making a patient feel rushed or dismissed. - High emotional resilience — regular exposure to patients in distress, including those expressing suicidal thoughts. - Self-motivated and able to work independently in a remote environment during evening/night hours. **Attributes That Will Make Someone Excel:** - A natural night owl who is energised and sharp during evening hours. - Someone who finds deep meaning in helping people access mental healthcare. - Organised, detail-oriented, and reliable. - Able to set and maintain professional boundaries, even with emotionally demanding callers. - A long-term thinker who sees this as a career, not a stepping stone. **What Success Looks Like In This Role:** **Quality Indicators** - Patients feel heard and cared for - High conversion rate (intake to booked consult) - Correct patients scheduled (clinical fit) - Call duration averaging 6–11 minutes **Volume Indicators** - 5–7 calls handled per hour - Follow-up pipeline kept current - CRM tasks and milestones up to date - Minimal “dead on arrival” consultations _If you are not contacted within 14 working days, please consider your application unsuccessful._ ## Apply [Apply at ISTA Personnel Solutions](https://apply.workable.com/ista-2/j/B1BFCB572D/apply) --- Powered by [Workable](https://www.workable.com)