Patient Access Services, Team Lead - Communications (Switchboard & Bedboard)

Stony Brook University•Town of Brookhaven, NY

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Communications (Switchboard & Bedboard) Team Lead helps oversee clerical support staff and the day-to-day administrative operations of Patient Access Services. The role manages and delegates interactions among patients, providers, and administration to improve customer service and employee satisfaction; assigns tasks, ensures their completion, and serves as a resource for staff handling information needs and difficult situations. The Team Lead maintains open communication with staff, patients, providers, and leadership to help meet operational goals and collaborates with Patient Access leadership to support a high-quality patient experience and delivery of front-end revenue cycle functions. The position oversees telephone switchboard and bedboard operations, departmental communications and workflow, and a range of patient access and revenue cycle activities. Responsibilities include supporting patient safety, regulatory compliance, quality patient care, insurance and authorization processes, collections, reporting, staff training access, and coordination of staffing coverage. The role may require travel to other hospital or offsite locations and accommodation of shifts and locations across the department.

Requirements

Associate’s degree required.
Five years of experience in healthcare, revenue cycle, or a business office required.
Three years of staff supervision or leadership experience required.
Two years of Patient Access experience required.
One year of switchboard or bedboard experience required.
Customer service and support skills required.
Strong communication, interpersonal, and multitasking skills required.
Experience with CPT, ICD-10, and medical terminology required.
Quantitative analytical skills and computer proficiency required, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and external provider web portals.
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to minimize errors.
Ability to multitask in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, showing self-motivation, initiative, and time-management skills to meet deadlines.
Comprehensive knowledge to assist patients in understanding medical insurance benefits.
Must meet pre-employment requirements, including a physical examination and medical clearance, an electronic reference check with at least three professional references, a four-panel drug screen, and regulatory pre-employment screenings.
Provide copies of any required New York State licenses or certificates.
May be required to wear respiratory protection, which may prohibit facial hair.
May be designated essential and required to remain at or report to the work location during an institutional emergency.

Responsibilities

Oversee and coordinate the overall flow of Patient Access Services Office functions.
Operate telephone switchboards and consoles to connect, hold, transfer, and disconnect calls; direct calls to extensions or other numbers, or place them in a waiting queue when the requested number is busy.
Oversee bedboard systems to maximize hospital occupancy and patient flow.
Organize, distribute, and respond to incoming emails to the department email box.
Assist clinical and marketing teams with departmental promotions.
Assist with maintaining departmental regulatory compliance and work across teams to maintain workflow efficiencies.
Participate in revenue cycle initiatives as needed.
Collect copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance according to patients’ insurance plans and contractual agreements.
Help merge patient charts from ancillary systems into the electronic medical record.
Support quality patient care while meeting health and safety standards.
Verify insurance eligibility for insured patients and financially investigate self-pay patients.
Organize, maintain, and track authorizations for patients and visits.
Collaborate with other departments to meet patient and departmental needs.
Attend or report at monthly departmental meetings and provide updates on initiatives, goals, and statistics.
Create and prepare recurring or ad hoc reports and projects as assigned, keeping Patient Access leadership informed, including on daily point-of-service collections and revenue cycle initiatives.
Collaborate with Patient Access leadership on performance expectations and regulatory and accreditation mandates.
Work with the Patient Access training team to ensure new hires have necessary access to hospital systems.
Track and manage single case rate agreements to maximize reimbursement.
Monitor changes in third-party payer criteria related to revenue capture and hospital financial policy.
Maintain knowledge of insurance information, managed care guidelines, and designated networks under managed care contracts.
Coordinate with Patient Access leadership to meet staffing needs, arrange coverage, and accommodate shifts and locations across the department as required.
Promote positive customer service with patients, colleagues, visitors, and vendors, using diplomacy and tact.
Manage RQA reports by resolving errors and producing corrected accounts.
Follow documentation guidelines and company and department policies and procedures regarding confidentiality, regulatory and contractual mandates, and HR policy.
Follow the departmental dress code and maintain a neat appearance.
Keep current with departmental and hospital training requirements, including annual refresher courses.
Perform other department-related duties as assigned by Patient Access Services leadership.