Clinic Services Specialist - Otolaryngology

University of Iowa•Iowa City, IA

About The Position

The Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Iowa Health Care is seeking a Clinical Services Specialist to support access, scheduling, wayfinding, and patient services, helping ensure effective and efficient health care delivery and an excellent patient experience. The role involves activities such as scheduling appointments, advocating for patients, responding to access requests, addressing service recovery incidents, ensuring appointments are scheduled appropriately, and using independent judgment to support patient experience. The specialist performs and coordinates reception and scheduling functions, including patient check-in and check-out and appointment scheduling in EPIC. Additional duties include resolving scheduling issues, collecting point-of-service payments and insurance co-payments, issuing receipts, preparing and closing daily batch reports, and assisting with EPIC In Basket and schedulable-order work queues, email, campus mail, and reception and scheduling communications. The position may work varying hours between 7 AM and 5 PM as needed. The role also supports patient access and clinic operations through pre-registration, authorization verification, billing education, charge review, schedule maintenance, provider schedule support, patient navigation and service recovery, quality and compliance activities, process improvement, staff onboarding or training, and collaboration on pre-access and financial counseling.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 6 months of related experience.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an outpatient clinic setting.
Previous customer service experience.
Experience with hospital operations and/or ambulatory clinic operations.
Experience with EPIC.
Experience with scheduling.
Experience with in-person patient interactions.
Knowledge of University of Iowa Health Care policies, procedures, and regulations.

Responsibilities

Provide frontline clinic operational support, including coordinating appointments, preparing pre-registration paperwork, obtaining and verifying pre-authorizations, and educating patients about billing and financial responsibilities.
Perform and coordinate reception and scheduling functions, including patient check-in, check-out, and appointment scheduling in EPIC.
Assist with scheduling problems and follow scheduling policies to facilitate patient appointments.
Review patient charges for accuracy and answer questions about billing procedures and charges.
Provide backup for scheduling maintenance and assist with provider schedules, master schedules, daily templates, and clinic closures as assigned.
Collect point-of-service cash payments and insurance co-payments, issue receipts, and prepare and close daily batch reports.
Assist with EPIC In Basket and schedulable-order work queues, email, campus mail, and incoming reception and scheduling communications.
Provide patient services such as interpretation, assistance obtaining care, navigating the delivery system, and addressing care or service issues.
Provide high-quality customer service to patients, visitors, physicians, clinical staff, and other internal and external customers.
Document and appropriately triage calls and inquiries to support patient satisfaction and safety.
Address patient concerns, provide service recovery, and escalate issues as needed.
Recommend processes to improve patient and customer satisfaction and review scheduling templates for patient access and clinic operations improvements.
Perform tasks or inspections to meet compliance goals and patient or customer satisfaction expectations.
May provide training or support onboarding for students and other staff.
Collaborate with others on the management of Pre-Access and Financial Counseling.
Attend staff meetings as needed and perform other duties as assigned.