Patient Registrar, Patient Registration

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

About The Position

Responsible for the accurate and timely registration and scheduling of patients. The role works in a variety of settings, including the Emergency Department, Admitting, and the Scheduling Office, and provides coverage for switchboard operators and scheduling office staff. Responsibilities include registering patient accounts and insurance information and ensuring authorizations are valid. The position requires accurate patient and insurance registration, coordination with insurers and medical offices, and support for patient flow across inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and surgical services. The registrar may also cover receptionist, scheduling, and switchboard duties and assist with training new employees as directed.

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, given its importance to patient care and financial purposes.
Required behavioral attributes include achievement motivation, concern for order, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence, customer service orientation, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, analytical thinking, and information seeking.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Conduct thorough patient interviews to obtain accurate demographic and insurance information, and complete non-patient registrations accurately.
Obtain the required patient or representative signatures for Medical Records.
Verify insurance eligibility, benefits, and mailing addresses with insurance companies for inpatient, observation, same-day care, and outpatient accounts, within the specified timeframes.
Collaborate with patient care staff to determine bed assignments, notify the Emergency Department and physicians about bed availability, and deliver charts to the floor promptly.
Obtain surgery information from surgeons’ offices and generate pre-operation and surgical account numbers.
Facilitate the admitting portion of pre-operative testing to support smooth patient flow to Surgical Day Care with correct account information.
Prioritize and reprioritize work according to changing customer needs.
Perform assigned scheduling office, receptionist desk, and switchboard duties when providing coverage.
File outpatient orders accurately and understand standing orders and the process for notifying physicians of expiration dates.
Assist the manager, as directed, in training new employees on patient access processes.
Maintain knowledge of registration policies and procedures; cover Emergency Department Registration staff for breaks and days off and assist during high volume or trauma situations.
Maintain knowledge of Admitting, Outpatient, and Emergency Department Registration computer downtime procedures.
Contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of systems that improve departmental efficiency.
Meet performance standards for telephone etiquette, providing directions, first impressions, and patient wait times.
Access 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 Endoscopy authorizations are complete and accurate.
Notify the supervisor promptly of 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.
Enter information accurately, including spelling diagnoses correctly on documents.
Compile daily, weekly, and monthly data and statistics accurately as requested, including the daily duty board.
Input and scan insurance authorizations accurately when paperwork is provided.
Recognize problems and contact the insurance company or physician’s office to address them.
Perform other job-related duties as requested.