Patient Access Specialist I - Full Time - Days

Wellstar Health System•Austell, GA

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist I is typically the first point of contact for patients and visitors, providing a pleasant, professional, and compassionate experience. The role interviews patients and representatives to gather accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information; completes registration and pre-admission arrangements; verifies insurance coverage and benefits; conducts screening for pre-certification and service eligibility; obtains required signatures and consents; and coordinates collection of estimated patient liabilities. The specialist uses computer systems to access and update records, resolve account errors and work queues, document patient interactions, process receipts and transactions, and maintain confidentiality of patient information. The position also supports scheduling, answers questions and phone calls, provides directions, coordinates patient escorts, and helps establish financial arrangements and identify potential financial assistance. It requires courteous collaboration with patients, families, physicians, colleagues, and other departments, while following WellStar policies, procedures, service standards, and required training. The scheduled work pattern is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with one required closing shift per week from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and rotating Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The posting identifies the role as full-time and day shift.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; an associate degree is preferred.
At least 1 year of experience in healthcare or an institutional work setting.
Computer and data-entry experience.
Ability to communicate with 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.
CHAA, CPAR, CRCR, or CRCR-P certification required upon hire unless otherwise stated; CRCR-P must be completed within 120 days.
Complete Patient Access Services Operations Onboarding Training and achieve the required passing score on the final exam within 45 days of hire.
Observe work hours and provide proper notice of absences, tardiness, and schedule changes.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of patient registration systems.
Intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills.
Epic experience.
An associate degree is preferred.
Successful completion of the PAS onboarding exam may provide the option to pursue enrollment in the WHS Enterprise Membership–HFMA Certification program, subject to PAS leadership approval.

Responsibilities

Receive physician-office requests for reservations and make pre-admission arrangements, advising office staff of unavailable scheduling dates.
Interview patients or representatives to obtain accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information.
Enter, correct, and update patient information in registration and other computer systems.
Obtain required signatures, consents, attestations, and payer-specific forms.
Review physician orders to determine requested procedures and provide instructions to patients.
Escort patients or arrange escorts to procedure areas and assigned rooms.
Obtain medical record numbers for newborn admissions and other new patients.
Document explanatory notes on patient accounts, including non-routine circumstances and special billing processes.
Maintain knowledge of information-system capabilities and complete required system applications.
Apply WellStar and Patient Access Services policies and procedures, including admission, outpatient, and emergency registration processes.
Maintain confidentiality of patient information in accordance with policy and HIPAA regulations.
Organize and prioritize work, maintain data-entry proficiency, and complete work productively without creating backlogs.
Assist physicians and office staff with scheduling, pre-admission, Medicaid screening, and pre-certifications.
Resolve errors and applicable Claim, DNB, and Patient Work Queues; complete appropriate work-queue errors and issues and identify and resolve payor denials as indicated.
Greet guests positively and professionally; answer incoming calls and follow through on requests.
Receive patient valuables for safekeeping in the hospital safe.
Maintain courteous, cooperative relationships and tactfully handle difficult situations.
Maintain a professional appearance consistent with department and hospital dress codes.
Collect estimated self-pay balances for inpatient, outpatient, and emergency accounts at the earliest appropriate collection point.
Monitor in-house accounts and seek financial arrangements with guarantors for payment before discharge.
Complete financial evaluation forms documenting guarantors’ income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.
Identify patients without adequate coverage, discuss ability to pay and potential financial-assistance eligibility, and refer patients or guarantors to outside funding sources as needed.
Maintain information on healthcare 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 policies, and collect estimated self-pay balances.
Document collection activity, patient or guarantor interactions, collection efforts, and Medicaid referrals.
Coordinate financial counseling with Admitting, Outpatient Registration, Emergency Registration, Utilization Review, Nursing, Social Services, and Patient Financial Services.
Verify insurance coverage and benefits.
Meet monthly collection quotas and report self-pay collection results to the direct supervisor as required; provide management feedback on collection and data-integrity issues.
Work efficiently and accurately within designated time frames to support continuity of information and cash flow.
Observe work hours and provide appropriate notice of absences, tardiness, or schedule changes.
Attend selected departmental meetings and complete required monthly, quarterly, and annual training.
Perform other duties as assigned and comply with WellStar policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.