Patient Access Specialist I PRN - Various

Wellstar Health System•Dallas, GA

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist I PRN works on an as-needed basis, typically fewer than 16 hours per week. The position may be scheduled in Patient Access Services departments and locations other than the team member’s home facility to support business needs. If unavailable for three consecutive scheduled as-needed occurrences after availability is established, the team member may be notified of release from the PRN roster. The role is typically the first point of contact for patients and visitors and is responsible for providing a pleasant, professional experience. The specialist interviews patients or representatives to collect accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information; conducts screening for pre-certification and eligibility requirements; obtains required consents and signatures; verifies insurance coverage and benefits; and coordinates collection of estimated patient liabilities. The role also responds to questions, addresses customer concerns, accesses and updates records, posts transactions, processes receipts, files documents, provides hospital information and directions, and establishes financial arrangements that support reimbursement to WellStar. The role supports patient scheduling, pre-admission arrangements, registration, financial counseling, self-pay collection, Medicaid screening, and pre-certification. It maintains patient confidentiality, documents account activity, resolves errors and denials, and coordinates with clinical, administrative, and financial services teams. The specialist is expected to demonstrate service excellence, accuracy, organization, professionalism, and adherence to WellStar policies, procedures, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Minimum of 2 years of related experience in a healthcare or institutional work setting required.
Computer and data-entry experience required.
Ability to communicate with various members of the healthcare team.
Effective written and verbal communication, attention to detail, self-direction, and a positive attitude.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in another or related field preferred.
Epic experience preferred.
Working knowledge of patient registration systems preferred.
Intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills preferred.

Responsibilities

Receive physician-office requests for reservations and make pre-admission arrangements, advising office staff when requested dates are unavailable.
Interview patients or representatives to obtain accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information, and enter or update information in the registration system.
Obtain required signatures, consents, attestations, and payer-specific forms.
Review physician orders, determine requested procedures, and instruct patients accordingly.
Escort patients or arrange for their escort to procedure areas and assigned rooms.
Obtain new medical record numbers for newborn admissions and other new patients.
Document account notes, non-routine circumstances, billing processes, collection activity, patient interactions, and referrals to Medicaid.
Maintain working knowledge of information systems and perform required system applications.
Follow WellStar and Patient Access Services policies, procedures, admission and registration processes, and patient confidentiality requirements.
Assist physicians and office staff with scheduling, pre-admission, Medicaid screening, and pre-certifications.
Resolve errors and applicable Claim, DNB, and Patient WorkQueues, and identify and resolve payer denials as indicated.
Greet guests professionally, answer incoming calls, and follow through on requests.
Receive patient valuables for safekeeping in the hospital safe.
Maintain courteous and cooperative relationships with management, patients, physicians, professional contacts, and the public; tactfully handle difficult situations.
Maintain a well-groomed, professional appearance consistent with department and hospital dress codes.
Attempt to collect estimated self-pay balances for inpatient, outpatient, and emergency accounts at the earliest appropriate point.
Monitor in-house accounts and arrange payment of self-pay balances before discharge or within ten working days afterward.
Complete financial evaluation forms documenting guarantors’ income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.
Identify patients with inadequate coverage, assess ability to pay non-covered charges and potential eligibility for financial assistance, and refer patients to funding resources as needed.
Maintain information about financial assistance programs and their eligibility requirements.
Contact scheduled patients at home to obtain pre-admission information, explain financial policies, estimate self-pay balances, and obtain a promise to pay.
Interview inpatients and select self-pay outpatients to verify insurance and financial information, explain financial policies, and collect estimated self-pay balances.
Coordinate financial counseling activities with Admitting, Outpatient Registration, Emergency Registration, Utilization Review, Nursing, Social Services, and Patient Financial Services.
Verify insurance coverage and benefits, and provide feedback to management about self-pay collection and data integrity issues.
Meet or exceed monthly collection quotas and report collection results to the supervisor as required.
Observe work hours and provide appropriate notice of absences, tardiness, or schedule changes.
Attend departmental meetings as requested and complete mandatory monthly, quarterly, and annual training.
Perform other assigned duties and comply with WellStar policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.