Patient Access Specialist I

Hospital for Special Surgery•New York, NY

1d•$33 - $37

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist serves as the first point of contact for patients and their families, helping ensure a positive experience and efficient delivery of care. The position performs scheduling, pre-registration, and registration; verifies insurance and benefits; collects payments; and maintains accurate patient records in Epic. Working with clinical and administrative teams, the specialist supports patient flow, coordinates documentation, and provides customer service while meeting productivity and quality standards in a fast-paced environment. The role is regular full-time on the day shift. The stated base pay scale is $33.20–$36.94. Final compensation depends on factors including the scope of the role, experience, education, accomplishments, internal equity, budget, and Fair Market Value evaluation.

Requirements

Associate’s degree required.
0–1 years of experience in admitting and/or an ambulatory setting, or patient registration in an outpatient setting.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong customer service orientation.
Strong computer skills, including proficiency with email, Outlook, and data entry.
Ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels, patients, and customers.
Ability to respond positively to fluctuations in patient flow.
Ability to manage heavy phone volume, triage calls, and respond professionally to changes in call volume.
Knowledge of the front-end role in the revenue cycle, including insurance benefits collection, verification, authorization, and pre-certification.
Ability to sit in one location or stand and walk, and to stop or lift light materials or equipment weighing 10 to 20 pounds.
Work takes place indoors, with frequent exposure to mild physical discomfort from dust, fumes, temperature, and noise.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Healthcare or medical admissions experience and patient access experience in a hospital and/or ambulatory care setting, or patient registration experience in an outpatient setting.
Working knowledge of medical terminology.
Self-directed, motivated, resourceful, and demonstrates initiative.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

Perform patient scheduling, pre-registration, and registration in person and by phone using Epic.
Complete patient access tasks in an assigned functional area while meeting productivity and quality standards.
Interview patients or representatives to gather and accurately enter demographic information.
Collect and process documentation, including legal IDs, insurance cards, consent forms, third-party liability documents, and advance care plans.
Verify benefits electronically or by phone, coordinate insurance coverage, and determine participating or non-participating status.
Collect co-payments and other patient financial obligations at the time of service.
Resolve patient checklists and pre-registration workqueue encounters to support care delivery.
Schedule appointments, follow-up tests, and procedures, and transcribe physician orders.
Prepare patient visit itineraries and assist with sign-in, admission, and check-out procedures.
Support chart preparation, bed planning, and other patient access functions as appropriate.
Make bed-board assignments based on patient preference, condition, and diagnosis, as required.
Provide customer service and coordinate with clinical and administrative teams to help manage patient flow.