Patient Access Specialist, Admitting

Erlanger Health System•Chattanooga, TN

20h

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist I is an entry-level role responsible for accurate and efficient admitting, registration, bed placement, and financial analysis for patients arriving at the healthcare system. The position initiates activities required to comply with managed care contracts and CMS regulations, responds professionally to inquiries about patient information, greets patients, and begins the registration process. The specialist reviews past account balances, informs patients of their financial responsibilities, collects balances, and supports departmental pre-collection goals. For accounts with inadequate financial coverage, the specialist coordinates with financial counseling services and facilitates applications for State Agency or Charity assistance. The role requires a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare system’s patient access policies and procedures and enforcement of established requirements and processes. The specialist is expected to demonstrate empathy, professionalism, confidentiality, and excellent oral and written communication. The role involves communicating appropriately with patients of different ages, interacting with third-party payers and other departments, and relating well to people across a broad socioeconomic mix. Strong organization, multitasking, teamwork, computer skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced clinical setting that may involve stressful situations are essential. The work requires moderate sitting, standing, stooping, bending, and use of portable computers.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Ability to read, write, and perform arithmetic, including multiplication and division with fractions and decimals.
Strong computer skills.
Excellent customer service, interpersonal communication, and telephone etiquette.
Ability to multitask and manage high volumes.
Ability to work in a fast-paced clinical setting, including situations that may be stressful.
Strong organizational skills and commitment to teamwork.
Ability to communicate appropriately with patients of different ages and people across a broad socioeconomic mix.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and present oneself professionally.
Ability to work closely with patients, third-party payers, and other departments.
Demonstrated ability to use a computer, fax machine, copier, and multiline telephone.
Moderate ability to sit, stand, stoop, bend, and work at portable computers.

Nice To Haves

Graduate of a Medical Secretary Program.
Knowledge of basic registration and third-party payers.
Work experience in a physician front office or insurance/healthcare call center.
Knowledge of medical terminology and basic CPT and ICD-9 codes, insurance coding, and billing.
Certified Healthcare Access Associate from NAHAM.

Responsibilities

Register and activate scheduled patients by gathering demographic, financial, and other pertinent information needed to meet regulatory and billing requirements.
Register and activate walk-in, add-on, and emergency room patients by gathering demographic, financial, and other pertinent information needed to meet regulatory and billing requirements.
Verify insurance eligibility and benefits for scheduled outpatient and inpatient patients.
Validate pre-certification.
Compute patient liability at the point of registration.
Communicate and collect patient financial liabilities.
Review prior bad debts and request payment of outstanding balances.
Alert Financial Advocates to accounts with financial clearance issues and document patient liability and financial clearance status for timely processing at the point of service.
Provide excellent verbal and action-related customer service to patients, physicians, and visitors.
Respond professionally and courteously to patient information inquiries and initiate registration upon arrival.
Coordinate accounts with inadequate financial coverage with financial counseling services and facilitate applications for State Agency or Charity assistance.
Support departmental pre-collection goals and enforce patient access policies, procedures, requirements, and processes.