Healthcare Access Navigator

Cooper University Hospital•Audubon, NJ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Cooper University Health Care is seeking an extraordinary professional to join their team as a Healthcare Access Navigator. This role focuses on facilitating patient access to care, including scheduling appointments with Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) within 7 days of discharge or assisting patients in obtaining a PCP. The navigator will coordinate follow-up appointments for patients discharged from the 24/7 Emergency Department, working closely with primary care and specialty physicians to manage care plans for consultations, procedures, testing, and surgeries. Key responsibilities include verifying insurance coverage, collecting payments, retaining patients within the Cooper Health System by scheduling appointments, and assisting patients with community services when appropriate. The role also involves informing patients about billing policies and pre-authorization requirements, providing support and counseling, communicating with referring providers, and partnering with patients, families, and community resources for coordinated care. The navigator will track and report on scheduled services and may float to other ED registration areas as needed. This position covers discharged patients from various units including IP units, CDU, Urgent Care Centers, and multiple ED locations.

Requirements

0-2 years' experience required.
Excellent customer service, analytical and organizational skills.
Working knowledge of registration process, electronic appointment scheduling, insurance plans to include referral and preauthorization processes, third-party payor reimbursement and revenue cycle, as well as EMTALA, JCAHO and HIPAA regulations.
Ability to multi-task in fast-paced environment, and work any shift, as needed.

Nice To Haves

Minimum Two years of recent registration, scheduling or billing experience working in a medical facility.
Proficiency in patient registration, scheduling, medical insurance pre-certifications, authorizations and referrals
Epic experience
Some college preferred.

Responsibilities

Appointment scheduling to patients PCP within 7 days or discharges.
If patient has no PCP, assist with obtaining PCP and schedule appropriate appointment within set guidelines
Facilitate patient discharge from 24/7 Emergency Department by coordinating/scheduling follow-up appointments
Works closely with both primary care physicians and physicians in all specialty areas to coordinate patient’s care plan for consultations, procedures, testing, surgeries or other services as ordered by the treating ED provider
Verify insurance coverage and demographic information
Collect and receipt patient payments
Responsible for retaining patients in the Cooper Health System whenever possible by scheduling directly in Centricity Business system, Central Scheduling, or calling physicians’ offices directly
Schedule patients for appointments with community services when appropriate
Ability to work collaboratively with and communicate with multidisciplinary teams on behalf of the patient
Inform patients of billing policies and managed care referral and/or pre-authorization requirements
Assists patients and their families with obtaining referrals from PCP to needed specialist when needed
Provides support and counseling to patients and families as appropriate
Communicates with referring providers as appropriate to address patient and physician needs
Partners with patients, families, the interdisciplinary team and community resources to provide well-coordinated, timely, and exemplary care
Serves as a resource for community resources
Track and report weekly on all scheduled services
Float to other ED Registration work areas, as needed, to assist with patient access to Cooper services
Position will cover all discharged patients on IP units, CDU, Urgent Care Centers, Cooper Camden ED, Salem ED, and other hospital-based care areas as deemed in scope