Patient Service Representative

Advocate Health

20d • $21 - $31

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative creates the initial electronic health record used by the healthcare team, helping prevent duplicate records and supporting patient safety. The role checks in and registers patients, verifies demographic, guarantor, and insurance details, discusses and collects patient payments, and protects confidential information in accordance with HIPAA.

The representative understands insurance plans and financial responsibility, explains coverage and payment obligations, and refers patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate. The role also applies relevant organizational and regulatory requirements, obtains required signatures, and may schedule appointments and manage cancellations, rescheduling, wait lists, and recalls. It provides patients with accurate preparation and arrival information, delivers welcoming customer service, responds to routine requests, answers and routes calls, and helps coordinate services such as transportation, directions, wheelchairs, and interpreter support. The representative monitors assigned electronic health record work queues and follows departmental processes.

This position is part-time, 24 hours per week, with a rotating schedule that includes every other weekend and rotating holidays. Work is in an office environment with significant patient and public contact and may involve exposure to ill or contagious patients. The position may require travel and flexibility in scheduling to meet department needs.

Requirements

• High school graduate.
• Demonstrate Advocate Health’s purpose, values, and behaviors.
• Able to work independently, set and meet deadlines, multitask, and prioritize in a high-stress, fast-paced environment 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, customer service, and interpersonal skills; able to communicate professionally with patients, visitors, staff, and physicians.
• Able to educate patients about insurance coverage, including services that may not be paid by their health plan.
• Able to collect and manage payments, including cash, and follow cash-handling security procedures.
• Strong computer skills and technical proficiency; familiarity with insurance verification and eligibility tools, EPIC, patient liability estimation tools, email, Microsoft Office, internet browsers, and phone technology.
• Understanding of basic medical and insurance terms and abbreviations used in scheduling and registration.
• Knowledge of HIPAA and applicable state and federal regulations; able to handle sensitive and confidential information according to internal policies.
• General understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and commercial insurance; able to explain relevant Medicare, HIPAA, and EMTALA requirements and comply with updates to insurance pre-certification requirements.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to act effectively as a resource to other staff.
• Able to transition frequently between sitting and standing, remain mobile during the workday, and stand and sit for extended periods.
• Able to lift frequently up to 10 pounds and occasionally 20 pounds or more, and push or pull up to 50 pounds with assistance.
• Able to meet sensory requirements involving vision, hearing, and touch, speak clearly, and use fine motor skills for keyboard data entry.
• Able to respond to emergencies and perform the physical and mobility demands of the role.
• CPR certification may be required depending on service location; notary training or licensure may be required depending on service line or facility.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with insurance verification or eligibility tools, EPIC, patient liability estimation tools, email, Microsoft Office, internet, and phone technology.

Responsibilities

• Create initial electronic health records and help prevent duplicate medical records.
• Check in and register patients; obtain and verify demographic, guarantor, and insurance information.
• Discuss and collect copayments and other patient financial responsibilities.
• Maintain confidentiality of patient personal, financial, and medical information in accordance with HIPAA and internal policies.
• Understand insurance plans and organizational contracts, explain financial obligations, and refer patients to Financial Advocates when appropriate.
• Apply applicable organizational, government, and regulatory rules and forms, and obtain patient or guarantor signatures as required.
• May schedule appointments and coordinate cancellations, reschedules, wait-list requests, and recall requests.
• Provide accurate information about test preparation, arrival times, medication and food or beverage guidelines, check-in procedures, and facility directions.
• Create a welcoming and professional environment and provide excellent customer service to patients and visitors.
• Answer telephone calls, screen calls, take messages, and respond to routine information requests.
• Assist patients with transportation arrangements, directions, wheelchairs, interpreter services, and other needs.
• 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.
• Manage payments, including cash, and follow cash-handling security procedures.
• Respond quickly to patient medical-status changes and emergency situations in clerical areas.
• Escort patients to nursing units or outpatient departments as necessary.
• Operate equipment needed to perform the job.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible healthcare 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.
• Competitive compensation, premium pay for eligible shifts or on-call work, incentive pay for select positions, and opportunity for annual performance-based increases.
• Career development programs and well-being programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED