Patient Access Rep 1

Advocate Health•Chicago, IL

2d•$21 - $31

About The Position

The Patient Access Rep 1 creates the initial electronic health record and helps prevent duplicate records, supporting patient safety and accurate billing. The role checks in and registers patients, verifies demographic, guarantor, and insurance information, discusses and collects patient financial responsibilities, and maintains confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA. The representative explains insurance coverage and financial obligations, identifies when patients should be referred to Financial Advocates, and ensures required forms, rules, and signatures are completed to comply with organizational, state, and federal requirements. The position may schedule appointments and coordinate cancellations, reschedules, wait-list requests, and recall requests. It provides patients with detailed information about test preparation, arrival times, check-in procedures, and directions. The representative offers professional, welcoming service to patients and visitors, responds to routine requests, answers and screens telephone calls, and helps coordinate transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services. The role also monitors and works assigned electronic health record work queues according to approved processes. This is a full-time admitting position, scheduled 11:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m., five days per week, for 40 hours per week. The work is performed in a normal office environment with significant patient and public contact and possible exposure to ill or contagious patients. The position may require travel and a flexible schedule at times. Physical demands include frequent transitions between sitting and standing, extended periods of sitting or standing, mobility throughout the workday, frequent lifting up to 10 pounds, occasional lifting of 20 pounds or more, and pushing or pulling up to 50 pounds with assistance. The representative may escort patients to other departments and must respond quickly to medical-status changes or emergencies in clerical areas.

Requirements

High school graduate.
No prior experience required.
Demonstrate Advocate Health’s purpose, values, and behaviors.
Ability to work independently, set and meet deadlines, multitask, and prioritize in a high-profile, high-stress, fast-paced environment with interruptions and without direct supervision.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent customer service and service-recovery skills.
Independent thinking, problem-solving, and judgment to triage issues and concerns.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate professionally with patients, visitors, staff, and physicians.
Ability to educate patients about insurance coverage, including services that may not be covered by their health plan.
Ability to collect and manage payments, including cash, and follow related security procedures.
Strong computer skills and technical proficiency; understanding of basic medical and insurance terms and abbreviations used in scheduling and registration.
Knowledge of HIPAA and applicable state and federal regulations, and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in accordance with internal policies.
General understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and commercial health insurance; ability to explain Medicare, HIPAA, and EMTALA rules and regulations and follow updates to insurance pre-certification requirements.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to act as a resource to other staff.
Ability to operate equipment needed to perform the job.
Physical ability to transition frequently between sitting and standing, remain seated or standing for extended periods, move around throughout the workday, lift up to 10 pounds frequently and 20 pounds or more occasionally, and push or pull up to 50 pounds with assistance.
Sensory abilities including vision, hearing, and touch; ability to speak clearly and use fine motor skills for keyboard data entry.
Ability to travel when required and work a flexible schedule at times to meet departmental needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience with insurance verification and eligibility tools, EPIC electronic medical record, patient liability estimation tools, email, Microsoft Office, internet browsers, and phone technology.
CPR certification may be required based on service location.
Notary training or licensure may be required based on service line or facility.

Responsibilities

Create initial electronic health records and help prevent duplicate medical records.
Use patient identifiers to positively identify patients before care is delivered.
Check in and register patients; obtain and verify demographic, guarantor, and insurance information.
Discuss and collect co-pays and other out-of-pocket patient responsibilities.
Maintain confidentiality of patient and financial information and medical records in accordance with HIPAA.
Explain insurance coverage and financial obligations, identify when a statement of financial responsibility is needed, and refer patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate.
Enforce applicable rules, forms, and questions required for compliance with organizational, government, and regulatory requirements; obtain patient or guarantor signatures as required.
Schedule appointments as needed and coordinate cancellations, reschedules, wait-list requests, and recall requests.
Provide accurate information about test preparation, arrival times, medication, food and beverage guidelines, check-in procedures, and facility directions.
Welcome and assist patients and visitors; answer routine questions, answer and screen telephone calls, and take messages.
Coordinate assistance such as transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services.
Monitor and work assigned electronic health record work queues according to the department’s approved process.
Collect and manage payments, including cash, and follow cash-handling security procedures.
Interact with physicians and their staff to resolve issues related to patient care.
Respond quickly to patient medical-status changes and emergency situations in clerical areas.
Escort patients to nursing units or outpatient departments as necessary.

Benefits

Paid Time Off programs.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
Educational Assistance Program.
Competitive compensation within the listed pay range, based on qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training.
Premium pay, such as shift or on-call pay, for eligible positions.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual performance-based increases.
Career development programs.