Clerical Support - Cancer Center

Tahoe Forest Health System•Truckee, CA

About The Position

Provides individualized clerical support for the Cancer Center, including scheduling, pre-registration and registration, electronic verification, estimating patient out-of-pocket expenses, helping patients use self-service options, and obtaining authorizations when assigned. The role supports day-to-day operations and patient access, serves as a resource to support staff, participates in team engagement and process-improvement activities, keeps management informed of team issues, and provides backup coverage for other support functions. The position coordinates appointments and patient access by working with patients, families, caregivers, providers, and clinical and non-clinical staff. It gathers and updates patient and guarantor information, verifies eligibility and benefits, communicates financial policies and preparation instructions, and helps patients understand authorization status and next steps. Additional clerical coverage includes telephone switchboard operations, appointment confirmations, imaging requests, faxing, correspondence tracking, medical-record requests, scanning and importing records, and reception-desk coverage as needed.

Requirements

2–3 years of relevant experience; no educational requirement is specified.
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Understanding of the authorization process.
Clear, courteous, and pleasant communication skills, including appropriate grammar and pronunciation.
Excellent customer service skills.
Self-motivated and goal-oriented, with the ability to multitask.
Team-oriented approach.
Positive, open-minded attitude and focus on continuous improvement.
Ability to learn new processes, procedures, and software programs quickly while maintaining attention to detail and accuracy.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of EMR processes.
Knowledge of scheduling processes.
Experience working with various insurance plans, including denials, appeals, and authorizations.

Responsibilities

Schedule appointments for complex service lines, including Diagnostic Imaging and Oncology.
Provide callers with information such as directions, addresses, telephone numbers, and appointment times.
Educate patients about District self-service programs, such as the patient portal.
Coordinate patients’ access to healthcare with patients, families, providers, and clinical and non-clinical staff.
Interview patients to schedule and register them; collect, verify, and update patient demographics and guarantor information.
Establish eligibility, verify benefits, determine co-pays and estimated out-of-pocket expenses, and explain hospital financial policies.
Refer patients to a financial counselor when appropriate and obtain authorizations when assigned.
Ensure procedures, treatments, tests, and appointments are scheduled and authorized within established timeframes and with appropriate resources.
Communicate information clearly to patients, guarantors, and family members, and provide service-specific preparation instructions.
Participate in patient-satisfaction and process-improvement activities and provide a high-quality patient contact experience.
Communicate with patients, families, caregivers, providers, and staff to complete authorization work.
Contact insurance companies for authorization documents and document interactions and outcomes, including authorization numbers, in the EMR.
Follow up with providers and patients regarding denied authorizations or requests for additional information; interpret provider notes and confirm medical necessity.
Notify patients about authorization status and assist with scheduling when necessary.
Prioritize tasks and follow work through to completion; maintain proactive communication with management, peers, and patients.
Navigate multiple computer applications and interpret financial and insurance information; meet department productivity and accuracy expectations.
Maintain and update knowledge of insurance and healthcare coverage using provided reference materials.
Operate the telephone switchboard to answer, screen, and triage calls, provide information, take messages, and refer or forward complaints to management.
Maintain a current record of staff members’ whereabouts and availability.
Confirm scheduled office appointments for the next day by telephone.
Assist with incoming and outgoing imaging requests.
Ensure outgoing EMR faxes are sent and track outside-provider correspondence to ensure reports reach physicians.
Handle incoming medical-record requests according to HIM policy and follow up on internal record requests.
Provide backup coverage in additional job classifications, including reception desk and Oncology Support Coordinator duties.
Provide clerical support for the Oncology Program, including scanning and importing records.
Demonstrate System Values and comply with System policies and procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.