Patient Advocate Representative

Tenet Healthcare Corporation•San Antonio, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Advocate Representative screens self-pay patients at the hospital bedside for eligibility for governmental and non-governmental programs. The role identifies potential payors—including auto insurance, Workers’ Compensation, commercial and private insurance, and third-party liability—and routes accounts appropriately in the Patient Accounting environment. The representative obtains and completes Confidential Financial Statement forms and assists patients with applications for benefits for which they may be eligible. The position includes patient and family interviews, financial clearance and collections, follow-up on government applications, and communication of screening outcomes to hospital staff. It may also involve field visits to patients’ homes for skip tracing or document assistance. The role works in hospital and office facilities and has a Tuesday–Saturday schedule from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Some travel may be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 2 years of work experience in Social Services, Hospital Admitting, or a related area.
Working familiarity with rules and regulations pertaining to Federal, State, and County programs.
Computer literacy, including Windows, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Ability to work independently.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and a clear understanding of English.
Detail-oriented, with the ability to deal with multiple facilities, supervisors, and hospital platforms.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks efficiently.
Ability to sit and work at a computer terminal for extended periods.
Ability to walk through a hospital environment, including broad campus settings and Emergency Department environments, and visit patients at bedside.
Ability to travel if required.
As applicable and permitted by law, obtain and provide confirmation of required vaccinations and screenings before employment starts; these may include COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations or future required vaccines and screenings.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability, preferably Spanish.

Responsibilities

Screen self-pay patients at the hospital bedside for eligibility for governmental and non-governmental programs.
Identify potential sources of payment, including auto insurance, Workers’ Compensation, commercial insurance, private insurance, and third-party liability, and route accounts appropriately.
Obtain and complete Confidential Financial Statement forms and assist patients with applying for eligible benefits.
Conduct interviews with patients and/or family members.
Record and maintain complete documentation of activities performed on accounts while patients are in-house and during the Patient Accounting cycle.
Perform financial clearance, including collections; cancel accounts when patients have not cooperated and are ineligible for programs; and prepare accounts for Financial Assistance review.
Follow up on assigned EES accounts to ensure follow-through on submitted government applications.
Develop working relationships with patients through effective communication to help process accounts promptly for government program eligibility.
Conduct field visits to patient homes for skip tracing and/or to assist patients with documents.
Notify hospital case management, social services, and admissions staff of case screening determinations and outcomes through verbal and written communication.