Patient Access Specialists (Remote - Must reside in IL, IN, IA, or WI)

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare • Chicago, IL

5h • $18 - $28 • Remote

About The Position

The Patient Access Specialist supports Northwestern Medicine's patient-first mission by providing customer-focused patient access services. The role responds to patient questions and concerns, collects and verifies demographic and insurance information, schedules appointments, performs medical necessity checks, and provides information about financial accounts and out-of-pocket estimates. The specialist works with hospital departments, physician offices, scheduling staff, and patients to guide patients through NMHC systems while safeguarding confidentiality and following applicable policies, procedures, and compliance standards.

The position uses Epic and other online systems to retrieve orders, verify insurance eligibility and benefits, document handoffs, and communicate with patients and staff. It also supports quality assurance, registration and scheduling standards, process improvement, and training for new staff. Cross-training across departments may be required to support coverage, and schedules may change to meet business needs.

This is a remote position for candidates who reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, or Wisconsin. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., for 40 hours per week (1.0 FTE).

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, including a typing speed of 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 exceptional, patient-first customer service and respond to patient questions and concerns.
• Escalate extraordinary issues and customer satisfaction concerns to the appropriate lead, coordinator, or manager.
• Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and applicable policies.
• Collect, identify, verify, and update patient demographic and registration information.
• Coordinate with hospital departments and physician offices to schedule and direct patients through NMHC systems.
• Contact patients to schedule appointments as defined.
• Perform medical necessity checks and communicate options when an appointment does not meet requirements.
• Inform patients of issues securing the financial account for an encounter and complete out-of-pocket estimates when requested.
• Communicate information about physician referrals, insurance referrals, and consultations, and collect authorization numbers as applicable.
• Use online order retrieval systems to verify or print patient orders and online tools or phone calls to verify insurance eligibility and benefit levels.
• Run real-time eligibility checks, follow out-of-network policies, and document accurate handoff instructions in Epic.
• Create clear, descriptive, and grammatically correct Epic messages and telephone encounters.
• Prevent visit issues by checking test types, preparation requirements, scheduling conflicts, time and location, order documentation, and duplicate patient records.
• Monitor registration, scheduling, and insurance verification for compliance with quality standards; analyze account activity and initiate appropriate resolutions.
• Participate in quality assurance and quality improvement activities, and suggest process improvements.
• Provide training and education as needed and serve as a resource for new and existing staff.
• Collaborate constructively across units and departments, support coworkers, and accommodate different communication abilities.
• Manage work schedules efficiently, complete assignments on time, use resources efficiently, and adapt to changing business needs and healthcare policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Loan forgiveness
• 401(k) matching
• A range of benefits intended to support physical, emotional, and financial well-being and provide protection for unexpected life events

What This Job Offers

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