Patient Access Specialist (Part-Time, Evening Shift)

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare • Winfield, IL

18d

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist reflects Northwestern Medicine’s mission, vision, and values and follows its Code of Ethics, Corporate Compliance Program, policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory and accreditation standards. The position provides patient-centered customer service while supporting patient scheduling, registration, insurance verification, and access to care. The role is part-time, with hours from 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m., and may involve cross-training between departments to ensure coverage. Work schedules may change to reflect business needs.

The specialist collects and verifies patient demographic and registration information, schedules and directs patients, performs medical necessity checks, communicates appointment and financial-account issues, and provides out-of-pocket estimates when requested. The role uses online systems and Epic to retrieve orders, verify insurance eligibility and benefits, document handoffs, and communicate with patients and staff. The specialist also supports quality assurance, process improvement, training, and effective collaboration across departments while protecting patient confidentiality and avoiding patient financial or safety risks.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2–3 years of customer service or medical office experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.
• Proficiency in computer data entry and typing; ability to type 40 words per minute.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to multitask.
• Customer-service orientation.
• Excellent organizational, time-management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Additional education.
• Additional language skills.
• Healthcare finance and/or healthcare insurance experience.
• Knowledge and experience in a healthcare setting, especially patient scheduling and/or registration.

Responsibilities

• Provide consistently excellent, patient-first customer service and foster a collaborative team atmosphere.
• Respond to patient questions and concerns, resolve service breakdowns, and escalate extraordinary issues or concerns to appropriate personnel.
• Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
• Collect and verify patient demographic and registration information in accordance with organizational standards.
• Schedule appointments and coordinate with hospital departments and physician offices to direct patients through Northwestern Medicine systems.
• Reach out to patients to schedule appointments as defined.
• Perform medical necessity checks for scheduled services and communicate options when an appointment cannot proceed as planned.
• Inform patients of issues securing a financial account and complete out-of-pocket estimates when requested.
• Communicate information about physician referrals, insurance referrals, and consultations; collect authorization numbers where applicable.
• Retrieve or print patient orders using online systems and verify insurance eligibility and benefits using online tools or by phone.
• Complete accurate handoff instructions and notes in Epic, run real-time eligibility checks, and follow applicable out-of-network policies.
• Use computer applications efficiently and send clear, descriptive, grammatically correct Epic messages and telephone encounters.
• Prevent visit issues by verifying test type, preparation requirements, schedule conflicts, appointment time and location, and order documentation; check for duplicate patient records.
• Collect and update the minimum data required for complete registration and monitor registration, scheduling, and insurance verification against quality standards.
• Analyze account activity, identify problems, and initiate appropriate resolutions.
• Participate in quality assurance and departmental quality improvement activities; suggest process improvements and adjust processes as needed to meet standards.
• Use organizational and departmental resources efficiently and understand applicable quality metrics and policies.
• Provide training and education as needed and act as a resource for new staff and coworkers.
• Communicate constructively across units and departments, support internal customers, help coworkers, and accommodate different communication abilities.
• Manage the work schedule efficiently and complete assigned work on time; perform other duties as assigned.
• Adapt to changing business needs and evolving healthcare policies.

Benefits

• Northwestern Medicine describes a wide range of benefits supporting employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being, with eligibility depending on employment classification.
• The company description mentions tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness, and 401(k) matching.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED