20544 - Patient Access Spec I WMCG-1

Wellstar Health System

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Access Spec I is typically the first point of contact for patients and visitors, ensuring a pleasant experience while carrying out patient registration, scheduling, insurance verification, and financial counseling activities. The role interviews patients or representatives to collect accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information; obtains required consents and signatures; screens patients for payer pre-certification and eligibility requirements; and coordinates collection of estimated patient liabilities. The specialist responds to questions, addresses concerns, accesses and updates records, processes transactions and receipts, and provides general hospital information and directions. The position also establishes financial arrangements to reduce financial risk and support reimbursement for services. Responsibilities include receiving reservation requests from physicians' offices and arranging pre-admission details; entering and correcting patient information; reviewing physician orders; coordinating patient escorts; documenting account circumstances and collection activity; and maintaining confidentiality. The specialist works with patients, guarantors, physicians, and hospital departments to verify benefits, identify financial assistance options, collect self-pay balances, resolve account issues and denials, and maintain accurate work queues. The position requires courteous customer service, effective organization, adherence to procedures and policies, and completion of required training.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; an associate degree is preferred.
At least one year of experience in a healthcare or institutional (corporate) work setting.
Computer and data-entry experience.
Ability to communicate with various members of the healthcare team.
Effective written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, self-direction, and a positive attitude.
Effective problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Complete PAS Operations Onboarding Training and achieve the required passing score on the final exam within 45 days of hire.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree.
Working knowledge of patient registration systems.
Intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills.
Epic experience.

Responsibilities

Receive patient reservation and scheduling requests from physicians' offices, arrange pre-admission details, and communicate unavailable dates.
Interview patients or representatives to obtain accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information and enter it into registration systems.
Obtain required patient signatures, consents, attestations, and payer-specific forms.
Screen Medicare, Medicaid, and managed care patients for pre-certification requirements and provider service eligibility.
Review physician orders, instruct patients accordingly, and escort or arrange escorts to procedure areas and assigned rooms.
Correct and update patient account information, obtain new medical record numbers when required, and document non-routine circumstances and account activity.
Maintain knowledge of information system capabilities and perform required system applications.
Maintain confidentiality of patient information and follow applicable Wellstar policies and HIPAA regulations.
Assist physicians and office staff with scheduling, pre-admission, Medicaid screening, and pre-certifications.
Resolve errors and applicable Claim, DNB, Patient Work Queue, and payor denial issues.
Greet patients and visitors professionally, answer incoming calls, follow through on requests, and provide hospital information and directions.
Receive patient valuables for safekeeping in the hospital safe.
Collect estimated self-pay balances and make financial arrangements with patients or guarantors, including arrangements before discharge or within ten working days afterward.
Complete financial evaluation forms and identify patients with inadequate insurance coverage or potential eligibility for financial assistance programs.
Refer patients or guarantors to outside funding assistance sources as needed and maintain information about assistance programs and eligibility requirements.
Contact scheduled patients before admission to obtain information, explain financial policies, estimate balances, and seek a promise to pay.
Interview inpatients and selected self-pay outpatients at registration or within 24 hours of admission to verify information, explain policies, and collect estimated balances.
Coordinate financial counseling with Admitting, Outpatient Registration, Emergency Registration, Utilization Review, Nursing, Social Services, and Patient Financial Services.
Meet or exceed monthly collection quotas and report self-pay collection results to the direct supervisor as required.
Provide feedback to PAS management on collection and data integrity issues and complete appropriate work-queue errors and issues.
Observe work hours, provide appropriate notice of absences or schedule changes, attend requested meetings, and complete mandatory training.
Comply with Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct; perform other duties as assigned.