Patient Registrar, Patient Registration

Athol Hospital•Athol, MA

About The Position

The Patient Registrar is responsible for accurately and promptly registering and scheduling patients in a variety of settings, including the Emergency Department, Admitting, and the Scheduling Office. The role also provides coverage for switchboard operators and scheduling office staff. Responsibilities include registering patient accounts, verifying insurance, and ensuring authorizations are valid. This is a per-diem position scheduled every other weekend from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., with rotating holidays and additional shifts picked up as needed.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent.
Medical terminology, spelling competence, and computer experience are essential.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to perform multiple tasks with minimal supervision.
Ability to deal effectively and courteously with the public, physicians, and hospital personnel in a high-volume setting.
Accuracy in work, which is critical for patient care and financial purposes.

Nice To Haves

Formal training beyond a high school diploma.
Referral and/or third-party billing experience.
Knowledge of Meditech.

Responsibilities

Conduct thorough patient registration interviews to obtain accurate demographic and insurance information, including completing non-patient registrations.
Obtain required signatures from patients or their representatives for Medical Records.
Verify insurance eligibility, benefits, and mailing addresses with insurance companies for inpatient, observation, and SDC accounts within 24 hours of admission, and verify eligibility for outpatient accounts.
Coordinate with patient care staff on bed assignments, notify the Emergency Department and physicians about bed availability, and ensure charts are delivered to the floor promptly.
Obtain surgery information from surgeon offices and generate pre-operation and surgical account numbers to support patient flow to Surgical Day Care.
Facilitate admitting for pre-operative testing and ensure correct account information is available for the Surgical Day Care process.
Prioritize and reprioritize work according to changing customer needs.
Perform assigned duties when covering scheduling operations, the receptionist desk, or switchboard operations.
File outpatient orders accurately and understand standing orders and the process for notifying physicians of expiration dates.
Assist the manager with training new employees on patient access processes when directed.
Maintain knowledge of registration policies and procedures; cover Emergency Department Registration breaks and days off and assist during high-volume or trauma situations.
Maintain knowledge of downtime procedures for Admitting, Outpatient, and Emergency Department Registration.
Contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of systems that support efficient department operations.
Maintain a positive, receptive, cooperative, committed, and optimistic attitude.
Meet performance standards for telephone etiquette, directions, first impressions, and patient wait times.
Use electronic and web-based payer systems to obtain eligibility information.
Register MABRs within one hour of receipt.
Contact insurance companies and physician offices to ensure Endo authorizations are completed and accurate.
Immediately notify a supervisor about backlogs or obstacles that prevent completion of assigned duties.
Attend at least eight department staff meetings per year.
Complete status changes accurately and notify insurance companies when needed.
Spell information correctly, particularly diagnoses on documents.
Compile daily, weekly, and monthly data and statistics accurately, including the daily duty board.
Input and scan insurance authorizations accurately when paperwork is provided.
Recognize problems and contact the appropriate insurance company or physician office.