Patient Access Associate

Anne Arundel Health System • Lanham, MD

51d • $18 - $24 • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Access Associate (PAA) is a hospital-based, non-clinical healthcare professional who serves as the first point of contact for patients. In this pivotal role, the PAR ensures a positive patient experience during the registration and admission processes by accurately collecting essential demographic and financial information. 1. Patient Identification and Documentation: · Greet patients and visitors courteously and professionally. · Accurately identify patients in the Master Patient Index to reduce erroneous duplicate medical records, maintaining a 98% accuracy rate in medical record creation. · Update demographics per legal identification. · Verify the information on armbands before placing them on patients. · Explain all required documents verbally, obtain signatures appropriately, and document any inability to obtain signatures correctly, including immediate scanning into EMR, per process. · Process all ‘unable to sign' consents per process, including following legal algorithms to research and communicate with patient contacts to obtain appropriate surrogate; escalate to next steps (Care Management) when unable to find surrogate. 2. Patient Registration and Insurance Verification: · Conduct face-to-face interviews to accurately obtain and process patient demographic and financial information, maintaining a minimum accuracy rate of 97% for error-free registrations. · Process and act on Real-Time Eligibility (RTE) messages, including adding, terminating, and correcting coverages. · Identify all true self-pay patients accurately and forward to Medicaid eligibility and application staff, ensuring only true self-pay patients are screened. · Scan all required documents into patient records and place HAR notes on accounts when necessary. · Identify and resolve insurance verification issues, informing patients of available options, including financial assistance. 3. Regulatory Compliance and Customer Service: · Ensure all patients receive necessary regulatory information and enter appropriate documentation in the EMR (e.g., HIPAA, Patient Rights Brochure, IMM, NOOS, ABN, etc.). · Explain hospital policies, procedures, and financial responsibilities to patients and their families, providing excellent customer service. 4. Appointment Scheduling: · Schedule appointments, surgeries, and other medical procedures according to patient and provider preferences. · Verify insurance coverage and obtain pre-authorizations as needed. 5. Financial Communication: · Communicate financial responsibilities to patients and collect funds in accordance with established protocols. · Make referrals to Charity Care and Medical Assistance when needed. 6. Workflow Management: · Answer and direct incoming and external calls promptly. · Independently prioritize work, including work queue management, patient registrations, insurance verification, and other assigned tasks to meet performance and productivity standards within department deadlines. · Identify and correct errors in accounts using appropriate tools (e.g., NextBar, OneSource). 7. Meeting and Training Participation: · Attend departmental staff meetings or watch videos when absent. · Attend all required in-person training/in-services and complete all educational assignments within the required timeframe. · Read and respond to emails during each shift. 8. Adherence to Policies: · Adhere to hospital policies and procedures, including timely arrival, minimal absences, appropriate attire, readiness for work, and minimal personal electronic usage. · Adhere to the RISE values. Contribute to a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement. 9. Additional Responsibilities: · Perform other duties as assigned by the Director, Manager, or Supervisor.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 0-11 months of direct Patient Access or healthcare registration experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to interact with patients, families, and clinical teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a high-paced healthcare environment.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and documentation.
• Compassionate, patient-centered approach to service delivery.
• Must obtain Certified Patient Access Specialist (CPAS) certification within 8 months of hire.
• There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens.
• Physical Demands - Light Work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Responsibilities

• Patient Identification and Documentation
• Patient Registration and Insurance Verification
• Regulatory Compliance and Customer Service
• Appointment Scheduling
• Financial Communication
• Workflow Management
• Meeting and Training Participation
• Adherence to Policies
• Additional Responsibilities

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan (with employer match for employees who work more than 1000 hours in a calendar year)
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Assistance Benefits
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Paid Holidays, Disability, and Life/AD&D for full-time employees
• Wellness Programs
• Employee Assistance Programs and more Benefit offerings based on employment status
• Opt-in for text notifications!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees