Patient Access Specialist I | Rapid City Hospital

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital•Rapid City, SD

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist I is responsible for the integrity of front-end patient access and registration functions, supporting patient care and the revenue cycle. The role is often the first point of contact for patients entering a facility or department and provides service to patients, families, physicians, clinicians, and internal departments. No prior experience is necessary to begin a healthcare career in this position. The specialist collects and verifies patient and coverage information, supports financial clearance and point-of-service collections, educates patients about required forms, and performs registration, scheduling, reception, and other business office tasks. The role also maintains registration work queues and communicates with patients and care teams to support a secure, pleasant experience. Employees must follow department schedules, Monument Health policies, and required compliance and safety practices. Individuals may be required to work beyond their scheduled shifts.

Requirements

Ability to work the assigned schedules and hours determined by the department.
Ability to comply with Monument Health policies and procedures and the Attendance Policy.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
At least 1 year of customer service experience.
At least 1 year of patient relations experience.
At least 1 year of medical patient accounts or financial services experience.

Responsibilities

Accurately collect patient demographics, confirm identity and guarantor assignment, and obtain and verify coverage information and required documents across patient settings and communication methods.
Follow Revenue Cycle guidelines and participate in quality assurance and improvement activities.
Demonstrate knowledge of payer information and benefits, including Medicare, Medicaid, commercial payers, and third-party liability payers.
Perform point-of-service collections, reconcile the cash drawer daily, and provide basic account reconciliation to patients.
Initiate financial clearance by providing cost estimates, escalating financial clearance needs, and reviewing authorization and referral records.
Distribute and obtain required forms and signatures, including treatment consents, financial agreements, ABN/waivers, and other regulatory forms.
Perform business office duties, including answering calls and messages, communicating with patients and departments, scanning and faxing, and handling vouchers, mail, lost property, and valuables.
Provide reception, way-finding, and attentive, caring service to patients and other customers; maintain communication to support a secure and pleasant experience.
Obtain referrals and order transcription when applicable to the service area.
Schedule patients and perform check-out, pre-arrival management, and management of wait lists and recall lists according to protocols.
Maintain registration-related work queues and resolve errors on an ongoing basis.
Use the electronic medical record for tasks such as advanced directives, release of information, and patient portal proxy forms; educate patients about relevant purposes and regulations.
Address account inquiries and resolve or escalate them as appropriate.
Perform patient movement activities in the electronic medical record when needed; arrange transportation and other enabling services, and assist the clinical care team, including with transport as directed.
Attend mandatory education, compliance, and safety sessions; comply with current and future policies and procedures and report directly to the supervisor.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work assigned schedules and hours determined by the department; comply with the Attendance Policy and, when required, work beyond normally scheduled shifts.