Patient Service Representative I

Advocate Health•Milwaukee, WI

3d•$20 - $30

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative I supports patient registration and service operations in a behavioral health department. The role creates accurate initial electronic health records, prevents duplicate records, verifies patient identity, and gathers complete demographic, guarantor, and insurance information. It discusses and collects copayments and other patient financial responsibilities while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA. The representative understands insurance plans and organizational contracting, explains financial obligations, and refers patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate. The position enforces required rules, forms, and notices for compliance with government agencies and regulations, and obtains patient or guarantor signatures as needed. Depending on department needs, the role may schedule and coordinate appointments, provide preparation and arrival instructions, check patients out, schedule follow-up visits, provide after-visit summaries, and support use of the patient portal or app. It also provides welcoming, professional customer service to patients and visitors, manages routine calls and messages, coordinates assistance such as transportation or interpreter services, and supports information flow with clinical staff. Additional duties may include handling documents and messages, working electronic health record queues, and assisting with orientation and training. The position is full time, 40 hours per week, with hours varying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The listed pay range is $19.80–$29.70 per hour.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Demonstrate the Advocate Health purpose, values, and behaviors.
Ability to work independently in a high-profile, high-stress, fast-paced environment; set and meet deadlines; multitask; prioritize; and manage high-volume work with interruptions and without direct supervision.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent customer service and service recovery skills.
Independent thinking and problem-solving skills, including judgment to triage issues and concerns.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with a pleasant, professional demeanor when communicating with patients, visitors, staff, and physicians.
Ability to educate patients about insurance coverage, including services that may not be paid by their health plan.
Ability to interact with physicians and their staff to resolve issues related to patient care.
Comfort with computer systems and proficient typing; technical proficiency with email, Microsoft Office, internet browsers, and phone technology.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information according to internal policies.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to serve as a resource to teammates.
Ability to transition frequently between sitting and standing, remain seated or standing for extended periods, and move throughout the workday.
Ability to lift frequently up to 10 pounds and occasionally 20 pounds or more, and push or pull up to 50 pounds with assistance.
Ability to use hands for fine motor keyboard data entry; sensory abilities include vision, hearing, and touch, and the ability to speak clearly.

Responsibilities

Create the initial electronic health record, help prevent duplicate medical records, and verify patient identity before care.
Check in and register patients; obtain and verify demographic, guarantor, and insurance information.
Discuss and collect copayments and other out-of-pocket responsibilities, and maintain confidentiality of patient information and records.
Explain insurance coverage and financial obligations, recognize applicable insurance plans, and refer patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate.
Enforce applicable compliance rules, forms, and notices, and obtain required patient or guarantor signatures.
As needed, schedule appointments and coordinate cancellations, rescheduling, wait lists, and recall requests.
As needed, provide preparation, arrival, medication, food and beverage, check-in, and facility direction information.
As needed, complete visit closure, schedule follow-up appointments, provide after-visit summaries, and educate or support patients with the patient portal or app.
Welcome and assist patients and visitors, answer and screen telephone calls, take messages, and provide routine information.
Maintain effective public relations and collaboration with patients, families, clinical staff, physicians, and their staff.
Communicate customer service issues and process improvement opportunities to management.
Coordinate patient assistance such as transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services.
As needed, scan documents to Health Information Management, address faxes and electronic health record inbox messages, and follow clinical-team direction for emergent needs.
Monitor and work assigned electronic health record queues according to departmental processes.
May assist department leadership with orientation and training.
Collect and manage payments, including cash when applicable, following cash-handling security procedures.

Benefits

Paid time off programs.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
Flexible spending accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
Educational Assistance Program.
Premium pay such as shift or on-call pay, based on teammate circumstances.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
Career development programs.