Patient Access Services Emergency Department Specialist

Parkland Health

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This patient-facing, clinical position works in the Emergency Room and Urgent Care Emergent Care setting. The specialist enters patient rooms to complete screening and registration activities, including collecting and verifying demographic, residency, contact, injury or illness, insurance, and primary care physician information; explaining and obtaining patient consent and responsibility documents; collecting and scanning identification and insurance cards; and securing a patient photo for the chart. The role also initiates preliminary collections and financial counseling for unfunded patients to support Parkland’s financial viability and help coordinate care plans without delays. The position serves patients in Trauma Services, Psychiatric Services, Labor & Delivery, Urgent Care Emergency Services, and inpatient units for direct admissions, including Medical, Surgery, Trauma, and Obstetric units. The specialist reviews financial status, validates insurance coverage, collects copayments when applicable, offers funding-resource applications when insurance is unavailable, explains patient financial liabilities, and may estimate service costs and establish payment plans. Accurate registration, account documentation, consents, collections, and productivity and quality reporting are essential. The role may be required to assist the hospital during an internal or external disaster.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Minimum of 2 years of experience in a hospital or clinical environment, insurance company, managed care organization, other financial service setting, registration, financial counseling, financial clearance, and/or healthcare customer service.
Working knowledge of medical and insurance terminology.
Proficiency using personal computers, printers, and scanners.
Ability to use computer software such as Word and Excel, hospital information or enterprise systems such as EPIC, registration and accounting systems, document imaging and scanning systems, payer websites, and data-quality monitoring systems accurately and efficiently.
Customer service skills and experience.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-stress environment while multitasking.
Ability to receive and communicate detailed information orally and in writing.
Professional approach and appearance.
Attention to detail and basic mathematical and analytical skills.
Ability to resolve registration issues involving third-party payors, systems, patients, and physicians.
Ability to problem-solve within established policies and procedures.
Willingness to support on-the-job training of new hires.
Completion of a Parkland Workforce Development Training Program may substitute for the required education and experience.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for both education and experience requirements.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree.
Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA), Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM), Certified Patient Account Technician (CPAT), or Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) credentials.
Working knowledge of patient access, financial counseling, and customer service functions in acute and non-acute settings, banking and financial settings, or department of health and human service settings.
Knowledge of contract reimbursement, third-party payors, and insurance verification.
Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Greet patients, family members, peers, and leadership professionally, in a friendly and respectful manner.
Move throughout the system as needed to complete job responsibilities accurately and on time.
Assist the hospital in the event of an internal or external disaster.
Obtain, verify, and update accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information during registration, including entering patient and guarantor information into registration and accounting systems.
Help ensure accounts are billed accurately and on time, and prevent duplicate medical record numbers or overlays.
Review patient accounts to identify non-funded or under-funded patients and conduct preliminary financial counseling screening using residency, income, employment, and insurance eligibility information.
Validate available insurance coverage and collect identified copayments; when insurance is unavailable, explain and offer a PFA/SPCD application to initiate a funding resource.
Provide estimates of service costs and establish payment plans when needed.
Educate patients about financial liabilities and use appropriate payment collection, security, deposit, and documentation techniques while following financial and cash control policies.
Document actions clearly and promptly in account notes so other departments can review them.
Track productivity and quality and provide cumulative reports daily, weekly, and monthly as required.
Ensure appropriate patient consents are communicated and received.
Identify opportunities to improve work processes and customer satisfaction, make recommendations to the supervisor, and implement and monitor results as appropriate.
Keep current with developments and trends in the field through professional learning and integrate relevant knowledge into work practices.
Maintain knowledge of applicable rules, regulations, policies, laws, and guidelines; develop effective internal controls and seek guidance as needed to support compliance.