Access Specialist I - ED

Albany Medical Center•Hudson, NY

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The Emergency Department Access Specialist I is a hybrid position combining the Access Representative and Health Unit Coordinator roles, requiring the ability to work in a high-pressure environment. This role involves rotating assignments across multiple disciplines within the Emergency Department, including Triage, ED Zone Support, Bedside Registration, and the EMS Desk. The position demands accurate patient identification, data collection, registration, and communication with various internal and external personnel, while adhering to strict regulatory and safety protocols.

Requirements

High School Diploma/G.E.D.
Ability to keep composure in a high-stress environment.
Ability to multi-task in a stressful and high patient volume unit.
Good judgment and resourcefulness to problem-solve and escalate issues.
Ability to manage contained blood, urine, and other bodily fluids.
Ability to handle a multi-line telephone system.
Paging required.
Ability to push 35-50 lb WOW.
Must be able to stand for long periods of time.

Nice To Haves

Associate's Degree
1-3 years in customer service experience, or a hospital or clinic setting.

Responsibilities

Triage of walk-in patients, including quick data collection, ADT system entry, patient wristband placement, and acquiring regulatory signatures.
Complete full patient registration, including General Consent and collection of financial responsibility, if seen by a provider.
Accurately identify patients in the ADT system, addressing challenges like lack of identification.
Provide ED Zone Support, including answering a multi-line telephone system, managing inquiries, transferring calls, discharging patients via the medical record, and verifying laboratory specimens.
Perform Bedside Registration, collecting demographic and insurance information, regulatory consent forms, and financial responsibility.
Operate the EMS Desk, shadowing and answering EMS Radio calls, providing patient descriptions, and managing the UNKNOWN Patient policy.
Ensure accurate patient identification in stressful situations as a patient safety measure.
Collect patient demographic and insurance information at the bedside, obtaining signatures for regulatory forms and MSPQ information for Medicare patients.
Verify insurance at the bedside, obtaining additional information for No Fault or Worker’s Compensation cases.
Ensure Access expectations for key clinical measures are met, such as Door to EKG notification for chest pain patients.
Review, assess, and assign appropriate health insurance plans and collect copayments.
Interact effectively with external agencies like EMS, Law Enforcement, and Correction Facilities.
Capture patient pharmacy information to support expedited discharge.
Answer multi-line telephones calmly, courteously, and respectfully.
Capture brief information via Ambulance Radio, including patient description, age, chief complaint, and Vital Signs.
Manage the ED Patient Tracker and complete Access Specialist tasks.
Verify laboratory specimens and ensure timely transport to the laboratory.
Manage daily workflow during system downtimes, following downtime procedures.
Ensure EMTALA Regulations are maintained.