PAS Specialist

Oregon Health & Science University•Portland, OR

13h

About The Position

The PAS Specialist gathers and records patient information and provides customer service related to insurance coverage, financial obligations, authorizations, referrals, and appointment scheduling. The role schedules physician office, cancer treatment, procedure, clinic, and ancillary appointments, including a potentially high volume of complicated appointments. The specialist serves as a liaison and information resource for physicians, nursing staff, coworkers, referring offices, patients, and insurance companies regarding referral requirements by diagnosis and service. The position handles approximately 20% of clinic calls, explains procedures within scope, responds to patient questions and concerns, coordinates appointments with other medicine and surgery clinics, manages rescheduling and wait lists, prepares patient information packets, directs patients to appropriate providers, and enters information in the electronic medical record. The specialist supports patient access to Oncology services at CHH2 through customer service, call processing, check-in and checkout, scheduling, integrated care coordination, and administrative tasks. Call duties include screening, routing, documenting, and triaging calls to appropriate staff, as well as providing callers with information such as directions and hours. Check-in and checkout duties include reviewing insurance and demographic information, confirming eligibility and authorizations, correcting account issues, completing appointment comments and documentation, and identifying payment requirements. Integrated care work includes obtaining records and studies and tracking referrals and authorizations for outpatient clinic and lab visits. The role also performs faxing, letter queue work, referral receipt notifications, mail sorting, and other assigned duties. The specialist participates in educational activities, staff meetings, and information-sharing to develop professional knowledge and skills. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, either 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Requirements

Six months of work experience in a medical office setting, including high-volume direct patient contact, or one year of work experience in a high-volume direct public contact position.
Basic computer keyboarding skills, including typing 30–45 words per minute.
A successful completion of a formal OHSU Administrative Internship Program may substitute for one year of experience; contact Compensation to confirm eligibility.
Ability to perform the listed physical activities, including stooping, crouching, reaching, listening, sitting, and keyboarding, and to lift up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or advanced degree preferred.
Experience in a medical and/or oncology office setting.
Knowledge of Epic systems.
Knowledge of OHSU network systems, including Outlook and Microsoft Office products.
Appointment scheduling experience.
Basic computer keyboarding skills including typing 40–50 words per minute.
Proficient computer skills, including word processing.
Extremely high level of attention to detail.
Strong customer service orientation.
Excellent verbal and written communication and listening skills, and awareness of self.
Demonstrated reliable attendance record.
Demonstrated effectiveness in confrontational customer interactions.
Demonstrated problem-solving and negotiation skills in resolving patient concerns, scheduling challenges, and managed care-related problems.
Demonstrated understanding of managed care.

Responsibilities

Provide professional, prompt customer service to patients, families, referring providers, insurance carriers, and OHSU providers and staff.
Process clinic calls by answering, screening, routing, transferring, documenting, and triaging them to appropriate staff; create telephone encounters and contact nursing coordinators or page providers as needed.
Handle approximately 20% of incoming clinic call volume, stated as 60–80 calls per day.
Provide callers with information such as directions, addresses, and hours of operation, and use schedules and department procedures to identify the appropriate on-call person.
Schedule and coordinate clinic, procedure, infusion, oncology, physician office, cancer treatment, and ancillary appointments as directed by physicians or nursing staff.
Manage rescheduling and wait lists and coordinate care appointments with other medicine and surgery clinics.
Check out clinic, procedure, and infusion appointments; review insurance benefits and demographic information, confirm eligibility and authorizations, resolve account issues, ensure appointment comments and documentation are complete, and identify payment requirements.
Obtain, record, track, and verify referrals and authorizations for outpatient clinic and lab visits; obtain prior medical records and studies when appropriate.
Serve as a liaison and information resource for physicians and nursing support staff and maintain a service-based working knowledge of oncology practice.
Return phone messages, prepare and send patient information packets, direct patients to appropriate providers, complete and route referrals, and accurately enter patient information into the electronic medical record.
Perform administrative tasks including faxing, managing letter queues, sending referral receipt notifications through RightFax, and sorting mail.
Participate in educational activities, staff meetings, informational sessions, and information-sharing with peers and coworkers.
Perform other duties as assigned.