Lead Patient Access Advocate

Intuitive Health•Hilton Head Island, SC

About The Position

The Lead Patient Access Advocate leads duties that support Patient Access Team efficiency, including team performance accountability, daily operations, and collaboration on process and operational excellence. The role provides feedback to leadership on daily registration processes and staffing issues, supports compliance with department policies and procedures, and assists with staffing, report reconciliation, and other assigned duties. The position models patient experience expectations and helps ensure the team follows them while maintaining a welcoming, friendly, and respectful environment. It performs Patient Access work such as verifying benefits, checking patients in and out, and collecting copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. The Lead creates and maintains the schedule for the assigned location, covers staffing gaps, trains and mentors new staff, assists with interviews and new-hire access, and completes new-hire 90-day reviews. The role implements Patient Access policies and procedures with leadership input; reconciles cash, credit card receipts, patient petty cash, bank deposits, and ED Acknowledgment Forms; and conducts quarterly staff meetings. The Lead works assigned downtimes, maintains the Downtime Binder, reconciles and backloads patient information, and ensures staff are trained in the downtime process. Additional duties include maintaining accurate and complete patient records, supporting policy compliance, resolving patient concerns using de-escalation techniques, coordinating workflow with the hospital partner as needed, and following HIPAA and company policies. Scheduling is based on operational need and may involve rotating shifts, standby, AA, or on-call assignments. Hours should be flexible to meet the needs of 24/7 units.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a medical office setting.
Familiarity with health insurance and the insurance verification process.
Patient registration and medical record system experience.
Computer literacy, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize multiple demands effectively.
Exceptional communication and customer service skills.
Solid work history.
Flexibility with hours to support staffing needs of 24/7 units.
Ability to perform the described physical activities, including standing, walking, using hands, reaching, sitting, talking, and listening; may need to lift up to 10 pounds.
Ability to work near moving mechanical parts and tolerate moderate noise, such as from business printers and computers.

Nice To Haves

A 2- to 4-year college degree in Business, Accounting, Medical Administration, or a related area.
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a supervisory or lead role.

Responsibilities

Lead Patient Access team daily operations and drive team performance accountability.
Collaborate with others on process and operational excellence.
Provide leadership with feedback on daily registration processes and staffing issues.
Assist the Patient Access team with compliance with department policies and procedures.
Assist leadership with staffing, report reconciliation, and other assigned duties.
Model patient experience expectations and ensure the team adheres to them.
Drive Patient Access metrics, including callbacks, bedside, NPS, and RQA.
Maintain a friendly, respectful, and appropriate Patient Access environment.
Verify benefits, check patients in and out, and collect copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Create and maintain the Patient Access schedule for the assigned location.
Cover staffing gaps when coverage is unavailable.
Train and mentor new Patient Access staff.
Assist leadership in interviewing candidates, prepare appropriate access for new hires, and complete new-hire first 90-day reviews.
Implement Patient Access policies and procedures with input from leadership.
Reconcile cash intake, credit card receipts, patient petty cash, and bank deposits daily.
Reconcile ED Acknowledgment Forms daily.
Conduct quarterly Patient Access staff meetings.
Work all assigned downtimes, maintain the Downtime Binder, reconcile and backload patient information, and ensure staff are trained in the downtime process.
Ensure patient records are accurate and complete.
Assist the leader in ensuring personnel policies and procedures are followed.
Provide patients and their families with a customer-focused, friendly, reassuring, and open environment.
Address and attempt to resolve patient complaints in the moment using appropriate language and de-escalation techniques.
Manage conflict and request leadership assistance when needed.
Coordinate workflow processes with the hospital partner as needed.
Follow HIPAA policies and procedures and enforce company policies.
Work schedules determined by operational need, which may include rotating shifts, standby, AA, and on-call assignments.