Behavioral Health Receptionist / Patient Support Associate

Serve the People•Santa Ana, CA

14d

About The Position

The Patient Services Associate supports clinicians by providing direct and indirect clerical services and coordinating appointments. The role handles pre-registration, financial eligibility determination, appointment scheduling, and front office and registration functions for one or more clinical teams. It ensures relevant information and actions are communicated clearly to clinicians and serves as a liaison among clinical teams, patients, external agencies, and internal departments to support efficient workflows and quality patient care. The position includes greeting patients and visitors, answering phones, managing clinician schedules, preparing for the next day’s clinic, handling patient paperwork and financial transactions, and supporting patients with records and financial assistance applications. The associate maintains accurate patient demographic and financial information, protects confidential records, and escalates issues appropriately. This is a full-time position with a stated salary range of $22.00–$24.00.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Basic computer literacy and basic arithmetic skills.
Ability to maintain a calm, professional, courteous, and helpful demeanor under pressure and stress.
Sound decision-making skills that support patients and company objectives.
Ability to prioritize work and complete it promptly with minimal supervision.
Ability to work well in a team and independently when needed.
Ability to follow procedures.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and record keeping.
Ability to handle change and seek opportunities to promote patient care.
Strong customer-service approach to problem solving.
Ability to read, write, understand, and spell English and Spanish correctly.
Experience working with common health care programs.
Flexibility and adaptability to shifting priorities and fast-paced environments.
Ability to multitask while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
Ability to identify and escalate issues appropriately to support quality patient care.
Experience with patient registration procedures.
Basic knowledge of medical or dental terminology.
Experience with EMR/EHR systems.

Nice To Haves

Spanish-speaking ability is preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with triage nurses so clinicians can see patients as quickly as possible.
Schedule appointments accurately for assigned clinicians and make effective use of clinical hours.
Monitor cancellations and no-shows for openings that can be used for walk-ins or add-ons, and remove the day’s cancellations from the computer.
Pre-register patients and record answers to all pre-registration questions.
Greet patients and visitors promptly, courteously, and helpfully.
Attach appropriate paperwork, including financial assistance forms and point-of-service reports, to encounter forms.
Process visit-related financial transactions, collect co-payments, record unpaid amounts, and close the day by balancing the cash bag.
Answer telephone calls, handle calls as appropriate, and take messages when needed.
Refer calls concerning matters outside routine appointments, refill requests, or test-result messages to the triage nurse, while maintaining appropriate boundaries around medical advice and patient triage.
Evaluate patients’ financial status, assist with enrollment applications, determine eligibility for appropriate programs, and follow up on pending applications.
Educate patients about financial responsibility and SCHC payment policies.
Assist with training as needed.
Communicate with the clinical team about patient requests, scheduling issues, and other work-related matters.
Maintain and protect the confidentiality of medical records and patient information, report safety hazards, and comply with HIPAA and other relevant privacy laws.
Attend seminars and trainings to maintain current knowledge of financial programs.
Maintain accurate patient demographic and financial information in the patient management system.
Prepare for the next day’s clinic and alert the Lead Visit Coordinator or designated person about needed supplies or equipment.
Perform other duties as assigned by executive leadership and administration.