Patient Access Lead

BJC HealthCare • Farmington, MO

3d

About The Position

The Patient Access Lead supports all aspects of the Point of Service Collections process across BJC hospitals, including generating individual estimates, managing the price estimation request line, and providing educational support to Patient Access staff. The role may be the first point of contact for potential patients and requires professional, compassionate service consistent with BJC’s mission, vision, values, and service standards. The lead helps ensure accurate insurance plans and financial liability amounts are recorded in patient records, coordinates projects and special assignments that support Patient Access processes and initiatives at the assigned Health Service Organization (HSO), and develops innovative processes to improve staff efficiency.

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 the work of others, supports staff development, and helps ensure operational goals are met. This is a safety-sensitive position requiring the ability to remain alert and work safely.

The scheduled hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with possible weekend and holiday work. The position participates in an on-call rotation.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• 2–5 years of experience.
• 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 with a patient-focused approach in person and by phone.
• Identify and report system-related issues and, when appropriate, work with vendor and BJC IT resources to investigate, resolve, and monitor corrections.
• Work across multiple computer systems and be cross-trained in pre-arrival services; provide training and audits for those processes.
• Complete training documentation, provide feedback, and support supervisors in staff development.
• Perform registration, authorization securement, and other pre-arrival workflows while following applicable regulations and standards, including Medicare Secondary Payer, HIPAA, Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, Advance Directives, Consent to Treat, EMTALA, and JCAHO requirements.
• Communicate operational procedure changes to staff and perform visual quality audits, reporting results to leadership.
• Provide coaching and re-education when staff trends or competency issues are identified.
• Perform service recovery and support the investigation and resolution of operational issues.
• Mentor staff on handling situations and delivering consistent customer service.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in patient access and round registration areas to observe staff and identify mentoring opportunities.
• Run and review reports to assess registration accuracy and timeliness, and provide additional education as needed.
• 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, determine staffing needs, and review hours worked versus scheduled hours to determine appropriate action when there are discrepancies.
• Serve as the first-line resource for staff questions and concerns and help ensure the group supports departmental operational goals.
• Participate in a weekend and holiday call rotation.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, 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