Patient Access Specialist (FT Nights)

Ascension Wisconsin Hospital•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist serves as a liaison among patients and their families, payers, Patient Financial Services, and other members of the health care team. The role facilitates patient tracking and billing by obtaining and verifying accurate demographic information, financially securing accounts, and collecting guarantors’ out-of-pocket responsibility to maximize hospital reimbursement. The position maintains compliance with applicable hospital and government regulations, including EMTALA, DNV, and HIPAA. It provides customer service throughout the patient access process and supports registration, insurance verification and authorization, collections, medical records, patient transfers, and facility operations.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 1 year of patient registration and insurance verification experience in a health care setting.
Knowledge of insurance plans, including HMO, PPO, POS, Medicare, and Medicaid, and their payers.
Basic understanding of medical terminology.
Excellent customer service skills.
Fluency in English, including written and oral communication.

Nice To Haves

2 years of patient registration and insurance verification experience in a health care setting preferred.
Emergency Department registration experience strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Maintain compliance with EMTALA, DNV, HIPAA, and other applicable hospital and government regulations related to admissions and medical records.
Provide excellent customer service by meeting customer needs and building quality relationships.
Answer telephone calls professionally and courteously, record messages, and communicate them to appropriate medical staff.
Provide and obtain signatures on required forms and consents.
Obtain, verify, and enter complete and accurate patient demographic information on accounts.
Verify insurance benefits, confirm the correct payer and plan, and enter them into the patient accounting system.
Obtain insurance authorizations when required by individual insurance plans.
Pursue and collect patient payments at the time of service in a customer service-oriented manner.
Scan registration and clinical documentation into the system and maintain medical records.
Assist with coordinating patient transfers to other hospitals when necessary.
Respond to medical record requests from patients, physicians, and hospitals.
Maintain the cash drawer according to policies.
Maintain logs of patients, payments received, transfers, and hospital admissions.
Maintain the visitor and vendor log.
Maintain a clean working environment, including the front desk, restroom, waiting room, break area, and patient rooms when medical staff need assistance.
Receive deliveries, including mail, and forward them to appropriate departments as needed.
Notify the appropriate contact about malfunctioning equipment or maintenance needs.
Attend required staff meetings and other company-sponsored or mandated meetings.
Assist medical staff as needed.
Perform additional duties as assigned.