Patient Access Clerk

Coalinga Regional Medical Center•Coalinga, CA

About The Position

The Patient Access Representative works under the direction of the HIM Director or designee and facilitates patient registration and admissions. The role includes identifying patients, gathering demographic and insurance information, securing financial and sponsorship data, obtaining required signatures and documents, collecting co-payments, reconciling cash, and helping maintain the Admissions Department. The representative answers inquiries from patients, case managers, physicians, social workers, and outside agencies, and processes financial clearance by contacting insurance carriers before admission. The position does not involve direct patient care and serves patients ages 18 and older. The representative explains hospital admission policies and services, processes pre-admissions and registrations, verifies insurance and approvals, prepares admission paperwork, assigns beds, and coordinates patients’ arrival to their room or testing area. The role also maintains bed availability and daily census information, alerts relevant departments to admissions and special requirements, and performs other Admissions Department duties as needed. The representative is expected to provide consistent customer service, communicate effectively, maintain confidentiality and professional standards, support teamwork and performance improvement, and follow hospital policies and applicable legal, safety, and accreditation requirements. The work involves frequent standing, walking, sitting, twisting, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, and bending, and may include exposure to outdoor or hot, cold, or wet environments and other workplace hazards described in the posting.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent.
One year of customer service experience; healthcare setting preferred.
Good oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to achieve a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Perseverance, concentration, resourcefulness, and good reasoning ability.
Ability to cope with interruptions and remember relevant guidelines, policies, and procedures.
Ability to organize and prioritize work and work as a team member.
Some knowledge of office computer software, including spreadsheets and word processing.
Ability to express and exchange ideas, understand others’ communications, perform secondary-level math, and read at a secondary level.
Ability to complete the physical activities and work-environment demands described in the posting.

Nice To Haves

Insurance verification experience.
Patient registration experience.
Customer service experience in a healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

Pre-admit patients by receiving bookings, confirming physicians’ admitting privileges, interviewing patients, and entering information into the pre-admissions database.
Explain admission policies, forms, procedures, services, and related information to patients and the public.
Screen insurance information, identify patients requiring pre-admission approvals, verify approvals, and notify Patient Accounts of self-pay admissions.
Prepare admission folders and paperwork for scheduled patients as needed.
Greet and interview patients, enter demographic and insurance information, confirm pre-admission details, obtain signatures on legal consents and insurance forms, receive payments, issue receipts, and distribute patient information.
Verify patient identity, prepare and place identification bands, assign beds, notify nursing units of arrivals, and arrange transport to assigned areas when needed.
Answer inquiries from patients, the public, case managers, physicians, social workers, and outside agencies; refer inquiries as appropriate.
Maintain updated bed availability and enter admitting information into the Daily Census; route printed copies to clinical departments by fax and SharePoint.
Alert necessary departments to admissions and special requirements through fax, SharePoint, and the electronic health record.
Answer phones and emails, assist with obtaining consent signatures as needed, and perform other Admissions Department duties.
Adhere to professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, applicable federal, state, and local requirements, and DNV standards.
Meet individual and team goals, demonstrate customer service excellence, communicate effectively, and contribute to positive working relationships, performance improvement, and teamwork.
Maintain a professional appearance and business-like demeanor with patients, visitors, physicians, clinical staff, and team members.
Follow facility safety, attendance, punctuality, confidentiality, and ongoing education requirements.