PA, EA or VA - what the blooming heck is the difference?
In a world of acronyms, knowing the difference is crucial
Ever scrolled through job titles and thought, ‘PA, EA, VA…what even is the difference?’
If you’re busy juggling patients, invoicing, scheduling, and a mountain of admin, this confusion is real. Because you didn’t get into healthcare to become a part-time secretary, right?
Understanding the difference between these roles isn’t just semantics. It can save you hours, reduce stress, and make your practice run smoothly.
Quick alphabet soup breakdown
Virtual Assistant (VA) – remote, flexible, self-employed. Freelancer.
Personal Assistant (PA) – usually office-based. Employed.
Executive Assistant (EA) – usually office-based, supporting C-Suite executives. Employed.
Titles matter, but what matters more is what you need done – especially in healthcare.
Why a GENERAL VA/PA/EA might not cut it for clinicians
A general VA might be brilliant, but your day-to-day as a clinician involves sensitive patient records, medical coding, billing, compliance, insurance applications, and referrals.
A PA/EA could be great if they know the healthcare space and want employees.
However this comes with legal and financial HMRC responsibilities such as:-
contracts, PAYE, NI, A/L, sick pay, pension contributions, satisfactory work environment, health and safety, Right To Work, Record keeping, Discrimination and Employment Law to name a few.
What you need is someone who gets medical admin and confidentiality – someone who can take that load off your shoulders without you holding their hand.
Enter the Medical VA – the superhero your practice deserves.
A Medical Virtual Assistant is like a regular VA but with healthcare knowledge. Remote, flexible, and specialised in medical admin, we make your life so much easier. Here’s how:
Bye-bye admin overwhelm – appointments, patient records, insurance verification, billing, referrals, follow-ups, reminders, correspondence – all handled.
Cost-effective support – pay for hours worked, no office or full-time overheads.
Flexible and scalable – hours up or down depending on demand.
Accuracy and compliance – skilled in healthcare documentation, coding, and billing.
Better experience for patients – reliable scheduling, faster responses, smooth communication.
Protect your energy – focus on care, not paperwork.
Why you need one yesterday
You didn’t train to spend hours drowning in spreadsheets or chasing invoices. You trained to help people, listen, and heal. A Medical VA gives you back your time, your headspace, and your sanity – all without breaking the bank.
Imagine finally being able to focus on your patients
and grow your practice,
and leave the admin to someone who actually enjoys it.
Sounds dreamy, right?
It’s also completely possible.
