Patient Access Specialist

Emerus•Burleson, TX

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist serves as a liaison between patients and families, payers, Patient Financial Services, and other healthcare team members. The role supports 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 works in a small-format hospital and includes responsibilities across patient registration, insurance verification and authorization, collections, medical records, patient transfers, and customer service. The specialist must help protect patient safety by ensuring patients are properly identified and triaged upon arrival, while maintaining compliance with applicable hospital and government regulations. The role is listed as PRN and uses a flex shift covering 7 a.m.–7 p.m. and 7 p.m.–7 a.m. Fluency in English is required. Fluency in both English and Spanish is required in the El Paso Market. Pennsylvania candidates must have the specified Act 33 and Act 73 clearances completed within the last five years or obtain them before their start date.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Knowledge of insurance plans such as HMO, PPO, POS, Medicare, and Medicaid, and of payors.
Basic understanding of medical terminology.
Excellent customer service skills.
Fluency in English, including written and oral communication.
In the El Paso Market, fluency in both English and Spanish is required.
For Pennsylvania candidates: Act 33 Child Abuse History Clearance and Act 73 FBI Fingerprint Criminal History Clearance completed within the last five years, or obtained before the start date.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Maintain compliance with EMTALA, DNV, HIPAA, and other applicable hospital and government regulations for admissions and medical records.
Provide excellent customer service by meeting customer needs and building quality relationships.
Help protect patient safety by ensuring patients are properly identified and triaged upon arrival.
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 demographic information for all accounts.
Verify insurance benefits for all plans associated with each patient and enter the correct payor and plan into the patient accounting system.
Obtain insurance authorizations as required by individual insurance plans.
Pursue collections 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 the appropriate departments.
Notify the appropriate contact of malfunctioning equipment or maintenance needs.
Attend staff meetings and other company-sponsored or mandated meetings as required.
Assist medical staff as needed.
Perform additional duties as assigned.