Patient Access Lead

BJC HealthCare • Belleville, IL

2d

About The Position

The Patient Access Lead supports all aspects of the Point of Service Collections process for BJC hospitals, including generating individual estimates and educating Patient Access staff. The role manages the price estimation request line and may be the first point of contact for potential patients, representing BJC with customer service, compassion, and adherence to its mission, values, and service standards. The lead helps ensure accurate insurance plan and financial liability information in patient records, coordinates projects and special assignments supporting Patient Access processes and initiatives, and develops processes to help staff work efficiently.

The Patient Access Lead facilitates pre-boarding and onboarding for Patient Access Representatives (PARs), performs PAR I and II duties, and serves as a formal mentor. Working independently of direct supervision, the lead coordinates others’ work and serves as a subject matter expert across patient access. The position also supports training, quality audits, staffing coordination, service recovery, and operational issue resolution. This is a safety-sensitive position requiring the ability to remain alert and work safely.

The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with an on-call rotation every fifth weekend and one to two holidays per year.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• 2–5 years of experience.
• Exceptional attention to detail and critical-thinking skills.
• Ability to work independently of direct supervision and coordinate the work of others.
• Proficiency in multiple computer systems.
• Experience or proficiency in registration, authorization securement, and pre-arrival workflows.
• Ability to understand and comply with Medicare Secondary Payer, HIPAA privacy standards, Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, Advance Directives, Consent to Treat, EMTALA, and JCAHO requirements.
• Ability to provide consistent, excellent customer service and communicate in a professional, positive, patient-focused manner.
• Ability to mentor, train, audit, and coach Patient Access staff.
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner.

Nice To Haves

• Associate's degree.
• Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) certification.

Responsibilities

• Communicate professionally, positively, and in a patient-focused manner in person and by phone.
• Identify and report system-related issues and, when needed, work with vendors and BJC IT resources to investigate, resolve, and monitor corrections.
• Maintain proficiency in multiple computer systems and cross-train in pre-arrival services to provide training and audits.
• Complete training documentation, provide feedback, and support supervisors in staff development.
• Perform registration, authorization securement, and other pre-arrival workflows while complying with applicable requirements and standards.
• Communicate operational procedure changes to staff.
• Perform visual quality audits, report results to leadership, and coach or re-educate staff when trends or competency issues are identified.
• Support departmental staffing plans and adhere to staffing goals as assigned.
• Provide service recovery and support investigations and resolution of operational issues.
• Mentor staff on responding appropriately to situations and provide consistent customer service.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in patient access and round registration areas to identify mentoring opportunities.
• Run and review reports for registration accuracy and timeliness, and provide additional education when required.
• Train staff on collecting point-of-service payments and identify trends in patient outcomes related to audits, reporting, and compliance.
• Adjust staffing based on expected volume, serve as a first-line resource for staff questions and concerns, and support departmental operational goals.
• Determine staffing needs and review hours worked against scheduled hours, deciding appropriate disposition when differences occur.
• Participate in a weekend and holiday call rotation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and legal services available the first day of the month after hire.
• Disability insurance paid for by BJC.
• Annual 4% BJC Automatic Retirement Contribution.
• 401(k) plan with BJC match.
• Tuition assistance available on the first day.
• BJC Institute for Learning and Development.
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Paid Time Off combining vacation, sick days, holidays, and personal time.
• Adoption assistance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED