Patient Service Representative I

Advocate Health•Elgin, IL

1d•$21 - $31

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative I creates accurate initial electronic health records, registers and checks in patients, verifies demographic, guarantor, and insurance information, and discusses and collects patient financial responsibilities. The role helps prevent duplicate medical records, follows patient identification requirements, protects confidential information, and supports compliance with applicable organizational, government, and accrediting-body requirements. It also explains insurance coverage and financial obligations, recognizes when to refer patients to Financial Advocates, and obtains required patient or guarantor signatures. The representative may schedule appointments and coordinate cancellations, rescheduling, wait lists, and recall requests. They provide patients with clear information about preparations, arrival times, check-in procedures, directions, and other relevant instructions. The role also provides welcoming customer service to patients and visitors, responds to routine inquiries, answers and screens calls, and helps coordinate assistance such as transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services. The representative monitors and works assigned electronic health record work queues using approved departmental processes. This position is part-time, with 7.5 hours per week. The schedule consists of alternating Saturday, Sunday, and Monday shifts, with listed shifts from 9:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. The position works in an office environment with significant patient and public contact and may involve exposure to ill or contagious patients. Travel may be required. Pay range: $20.80–$31.20.

Requirements

High school graduate.
No prior experience required.
Demonstrate Advocate Health’s purpose, values, and behaviors.
Ability to work independently in a high-profile, high-stress, fast-paced area; manage deadlines, multitask, prioritize, and handle interruptions and large workloads without direct supervision.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent customer service and service-recovery skills.
Independent thinking, problem-solving, and judgment to triage issues and concerns.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate professionally with patients, visitors, staff, and physicians.
Ability to educate patients about insurance coverage, including services that may not be paid by their health plan.
Comfort with computer systems and technical proficiency with relevant electronic and office tools.
Understanding of basic medical and insurance terminology and abbreviations used in scheduling and registration.
Knowledge of HIPAA and applicable state and federal rules and regulations; ability to handle sensitive information according to internal policies.
General understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and commercial insurance; ability to explain Medicare, HIPAA, and EMTALA rules and comply with insurance pre-certification updates.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to act as a resource to other staff.
Ability to transition frequently between sitting and standing, remain mobile, and stand or sit for extended periods.
Ability to lift up to 10 pounds frequently and 20 pounds or more occasionally, and to push or pull up to 50 pounds with assistance.
Ability to use fine motor skills for keyboard data entry and to meet sensory requirements involving vision, hearing, touch, and clear speech.

Nice To Haves

Experience with insurance verification and eligibility tools, EPIC electronic medical records, patient liability estimation tools, email, Microsoft Office, internet, and phone technology.
CPR certification may be required depending on service location.
Notary training or licensure may be required depending on service line or facility.

Responsibilities

Create accurate initial electronic health records and help prevent duplicate medical records.
Positively identify patients before care is delivered, following organizational requirements.
Check in and register patients; obtain and verify demographic, guarantor, and insurance information.
Discuss and collect copayments and other patient financial responsibilities while maintaining confidentiality of personal, financial, and medical information.
Explain insurance coverage, financial obligations, and applicable requirements; refer patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate.
Apply relevant organizational, government, and accrediting-body rules and obtain required patient or guarantor signatures.
Schedule appointments when needed and coordinate cancellations, rescheduling, wait-list requests, and recall requests.
Provide accurate patient instructions concerning test preparation, arrival times, medication and food or beverage guidelines, check-in procedures, and directions.
Greet patients and visitors, respond to routine information requests, answer and screen calls, and take messages.
Help patients with needs such as transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services.
Monitor and work assigned electronic health record work queues according to approved departmental processes.
Interact with physicians and their staff to resolve issues related to patient care.
Collect and manage payments, including cash, and follow cash-handling security procedures.
Respond quickly to patient medical status changes and emergencies occurring in clerical areas.
Escort patients to nursing units or outpatient departments when necessary.

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.
Potential premium pay, including shift and on-call pay, based on role and circumstances.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
Eligibility for programs may depend on FTE or employment status.