Clerical Office Assistant - Radiation Oncology Clinic

American Addiction Centers•Libertyville, IL

8d•$20 - $30•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for initiating and maintaining radiation oncology patient records, including analyzing patient information, obtaining necessary data, and updating records with new information. The role involves interfacing with physics personnel for treatment planning information, answering phones, greeting patients, and performing general clerical duties. Additionally, the assistant will manage supplies, sort and distribute mail, and maintain the confidentiality of patient and department information. The position also requires assisting with patient registration by collecting and analyzing demographic, insurance, and clinical data, obtaining authorizations, and processing required forms. A key aspect involves ensuring accounts are ready for billing and collection, and addressing communication needs for patients with sensory or language barriers. The role also includes auditing patient records for proper coding and revenue cycling, entering charges daily, evaluating charges for accuracy, and maintaining competency in billing procedures. Finally, the assistant will verify insurance and billing information and assist with patient flow during physician visits, including escorting patients to rooms and ensuring necessary supplies are available.

Requirements

High School Diploma or the equivalent.
Less than one year experience in a health care related field.
Good communication skills.
Good telephone etiquette.
Effective organizational and prioritization skills.
Possess good communication skills.
Possess intermediate math and business writing skills.
Knowledge of office equipment.
Computer literate.
Demonstrate customer service skills.

Responsibilities

Initiate and maintain radiation oncology patient records.
Analyze patient information and diagnosis to determine patient information needed for physician consultations and follow up visits.
Obtain required patient information from medical records and any additional sources.
Add new information (e.g. lab and radiology reports, consultations, dictation) to the patient record in a timely manner.
Maintain patient demographics and produce departmental statistics at least on a monthly basis and in addition, as needed per request.
Interface with physics personnel to assist with retrieving treatment planning information and integrating information into the patient's medical record.
Answer phones and greet patients in the Radiation Oncology department.
Perform clerical duties as necessary.
Order and stock supplies.
Sort and distribute mail.
Mail dictation/correspondence to physicians.
Maintain confidentiality of patient and department activities and records.
Go to hospital to pick up mail and other supplies from pharmacy, central, kitchen, etc.
Answer department telephone calls, respond to all inquiries in a polite and professional manner, route calls to appropriate persons and/or take messages that include all pertinent information.
Greet and assist patients and family members upon their arrival in the department.
Act as an advocate for the patient's needs at all times.
Coordinate patient's schedule to ensure a smooth flow of patients through the department as well as coordination procedures with the needs of other ancillary departments or doctors appointments.
Present a consistently pleasant and cooperative demeanor to team members, offering assistance as needed.
Provide explanation of delay to patients who are waiting past their scheduled time.
Accurately collect and analyze all required demographic, insurance/financial, and clinical data necessary to register patients.
Identify and obtain needed authorizations, referrals and service approvals from physicians, insurance companies and/or medical management companies.
Accurately generate, assemble and process all required forms, documents and reports including face sheets, medical record forms, and other special documents.
Produce and distribute these on a timely basis to both internal and external parties.
Analyze and record data and process transactions to ensure that an accurate historical patient data base is maintained for each registration encounter.
Review and analyze records of active patients to identify and resolve situations where future care is different than originally identified, including reverification of insurance coverage, decertification of payer requirements, and recalculation of patients liabilities.
Using approved identification standards, positively identify the patient.
Collect and record accurate and thorough patient, guarantor, insured and insurance information when registering patients' accounts.
Appropriately explain, secure, and witness all signatures required to provide medical treatment, assign insurance benefits, release information, establish financial responsibility and meet other internal regulatory, or payer requirements.
Complete the Medicare Questionnaire for all Medicare patients.
Ensure accounts are in order for timely billing and collection.
Recognize communication obstacles for patients with loss of hearing and/or sight, and those that have trouble in reading, writing and understanding the English language.
Respond appropriately to patients' communication needs, secure interpreter or other necessary assistance to ensure comprehension.
Ensure that departmental charges and revenues are obtained.
Audit patient records for proper documentation related to coding and revenue cycling.
Obtain charges from department team members, therapists, dosimetrists, physicians, and physicists.
Enter charges daily.
Evaluate charges and determine whether charges are missing, duplicated, or are in conflict with each other.
Maintain competency with radiation oncology billing procedures.
Remain current with changing reimbursement guidelines.
Communicate record deficiencies to appropriate associate and determine that documentation has been completed.
Verify accuracy of insurance and billing information.
Assist with patient flow during physician visits.
Bring patients to examination rooms.
Make sure room is clean and supplies necessary for visit are available.
Assist the physician with ordering and scheduling patient for follow up studies.
Assist with any insurance requirements.