Patient Service Representative (PSR) I

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation•Waukesha, WI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative (PSR) I is responsible for creating the initial electronic health record, which serves as the foundation for the patient medical record used by the entire healthcare team. This role is crucial for preventing duplicate medical records, which can lead to treatment safety issues and billing problems. The PSR ensures patient safety by following and complying with the organization’s mandate to use identifiers for positive patient identification before care delivery. They also check in and register patients, collect and verify demographic, guarantor, and insurance information, and discuss and collect co-pays and other patient out-of-pocket responsibilities. Accurate information at registration ensures timely payment and prevents billing issues and patient complaints. Maintaining patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA is paramount. The PSR must understand insurance basics, recognize commercial and government plans, know which plans Advocate Health contracts with, and when a statement of financial responsibility is needed. They also need to understand and discuss financial information with patients and know when to refer them to Financial Advocates. Additionally, the PSR must be knowledgeable about compliance regulations such as HIPAA, EMTALA, Consent for Treatment, Patient Rights and Responsibilities, and various Medicare notices, obtaining necessary signatures. This role may involve scheduling appointments (including virtual and procedural), coordinating cancellations and reschedules, managing waitlists and recalls, providing detailed information about test preparations and facility directions, and performing visit closure tasks like checking out patients and providing after-visit summaries. Educating and supporting patients with the patient portal/app is also a potential responsibility. The PSR creates a welcoming and professional environment by demonstrating exceptional customer service, greeting patients and visitors, answering telephones, screening calls, and taking messages. They maintain excellent public relations and collaborate effectively with others for efficient information flow, proactively communicating customer service issues and process improvement opportunities to management. Assistance may be offered for transportation needs, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter services. Responsibilities may also include e-scanning documents, managing faxes, addressing in-basket messages, and following clinical team directions for emergent needs. The PSR monitors assigned electronic health record work queues and may assist with orientation and training.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED.
Demonstrate the Advocate Health purpose, values and behaviors.
Ability to work in a high profile and high stress area, working independently to set and meet deadlines, multitask and prioritize work.
Must be able to manage high-volume workloads with many interruptions in a fast-paced environment without direct supervision.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent customer service skills in a variety of situations.
Must have excellent service recovery skills.
Demonstrated independent thinking and problem-solving skills, ability to exercise judgment to triage issues and concerns.
Excellent communication (written & verbal), customer service and interpersonal skills, ability to effectively communicate with a variety of patients, visitors, staff and physicians in a pleasant professional demeanor.
Educate patients on the insurance coverage aspect of their care including managing the discussion for services that will not or may not be paid by their health plan.
Interact with physicians and their staff to resolve issues related to the patient care.
Collect and manage payments including cash payments, if applicable, and follow security related to cash handling.
Strong understanding and comfort level with computer systems and proficient typing skills.
Demonstrated technical proficiency including experience with electronic email, Microsoft Office, internet browser and phone technology.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information according to internal policies.
Excellent organizational skills.
Demonstrated ability to effectively act as a resource to other teammates.

Nice To Haves

May be cross-trained across various specialties and provide staffing support as needed.

Responsibilities

Creates the initial electronic health record that serves as the foundation of the patient medical record that is utilized by all members of the healthcare team.
Prevents creation of duplicate medical records that can cause treatment safety issues and billing problems.
Follows and ensures compliance with the mandate of the organization’s accrediting bodies to use identifiers to positively identify a patient prior to the delivery of patient care to ensure patient safety.
Checks in and registers patients; obtains and verifies complete demographic, guarantor, and insurance information; discusses and collects co-pays and other out-of-pocket patient responsibilities.
Maintains complete confidentiality regarding patient personal/financial information and medical records in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Knows insurance basics and recognizes commercial and government plans.
Understands which plans AAH contracts with and when a statement of financial responsibility is needed.
Understands and discusses financial information and obligations with patients.
Knows how and when to refer patients to Financial Advocates.
Has knowledge of which rules, forms and questions must be enforced to make sure AAH remains compliant with government agencies and regulations.
Obtains patient or guarantor signatures as required.
May schedule patient appointments, including virtual and procedural; may also coordinate cancellations, reschedules, wait list requests, and recall requests.
May provide accurate, detailed information regarding test preparations, patient arrival time, medication/food/beverage consumption guidelines, check-in procedures, directions to facility, etc.
May perform visit closure, including checking out patients after their visit, scheduling follow-up appointment(s), and providing patients with the after-visit summary.
May educate and support patients with the patient portal/app.
Creates a welcoming and professional environment for our patients and visitors by demonstrating extraordinary customer service.
Greets patients and visitors and responds to routine requests for information.
Answers telephone, screens calls, and takes messages.
Maintains excellent public relations with patients, families, and clinical staff as well as demonstrates a willingness and ability to work collaboratively with others for concise and timely flow of information.
Proactively communicates issues involving customer service and process improvement opportunities to management.
Offers various assistance to patients to include: arranging transportation needs, providing directions, locating a wheelchair, coordinating interpreter services, etc.
May be responsible for e-scanning documents to Health Information Management (HIM), addressing incoming/outgoing fax, addressing in-basket messages via the electronic health record, and following direction from the clinical team for emergent needs.
Monitors and works assigned electronic health record work queues, following the department’s approved process.
May assist department leadership with orientation and training.

Benefits

Comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs
Competitive compensation
Generous retirement offerings
Programs that invest in your career development
Paid Time Off programs
Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
Educational Assistance Program