Patient Service Representative

Beth Israel Lahey Health • Boston, MA

14d • $20 - $26

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative supports physicians with the administrative aspects of patient care and helps coordinate patient appointments, diagnostic testing, specialist consultations, and follow-up. The role handles insurance authorizations and forms, medical information requests, patient and agency communications, prescription transmissions authorized by physicians, correspondence, and tracking of tests and outstanding evaluations. It also maintains physician files and ensures patient charts are complete and current before clinical sessions.

The position supports records-related requests while following HIPAA guidelines, assists patients with billing and insurance questions, maintains essential supplies and equipment, and reports facility or equipment problems. The representative works cooperatively with colleagues, fills in when requested, and provides professional, courteous, service-oriented support to patients and external agencies. This role requires basic computer familiarity, effective English communication, customer-service and problem-solving skills, the ability to multitask and remain calm under stress, and respect for cultural and socioeconomic differences.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 0–1 years of work-related experience required.
• Basic familiarity with computers and ability to navigate web-based applications at a basic level.
• Ability to read and write English to understand safety instructions, follow supervisors’ directions, communicate with patients and staff, and respond to basic questions.
• Ability to comprehend and communicate complex verbal information in English to staff, patients, families, and external customers.
• Ability to apply standard concepts, practices, procedures, and policies in varied situations.
• Ability to interact respectfully with employees, professional staff, and external contacts to offer ideas, identify issues, obtain information, or deliver services.
• Ability to provide professional, respectful, service-oriented customer service using active listening and problem-solving skills, and to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Ability to multitask.
• Respect for cultural and socioeconomic differences.
• Comfort asking for help and accepting constructive criticism.

Responsibilities

• Assist physicians with administrative aspects of patient care, including scheduling specialist, radiology, and other appointments and completing requisitions.
• Obtain prior authorizations for radiology procedures and prescriptions when required by insurers; prepare insurance forms and respond to medical information requests.
• Complete non-clinical portions of forms and send completed forms to the appropriate person or agency.
• Obtain laboratory results and other relevant medical data from internal and external sources.
• Communicate physician information and orders to other physicians, pharmacies, and medical agencies.
• Arrange urgent diagnostic testing and specialist consultations and coordinate timely follow-up with the primary care physician.
• Take complete telephone messages, identify potential medical emergencies, triage callers as indicated, and communicate actions to the physician.
• Call patients back with physician-provided answers or instructions when requested.
• Refer patients as directed and transmit appropriate clinical information from medical records.
• Call or fax prescriptions to pharmacies after physician authorization.
• Assist with secretarial and computer equipment and supplies; create documents and type correspondence from handwritten material or Dictaphone transcription.
• Track ordered diagnostic tests and outstanding evaluations, and communicate with or reschedule patients who cancel or miss appointments.
• Maintain physician administrative and clinical files and respond to routine inquiries with letters.
• Ensure patient charts are complete and up to date before each clinical session and obtain requested reports or outside evaluations.
• Direct patients with billing or insurance questions to appropriate departments or offices.
• Instruct callers on how to request and obtain medical information in compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
• Prepare and process billing statements for copying medical records for outside agencies.
• Maintain inventory of essential supplies and equipment and report equipment or facility malfunctions.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships, cooperate with colleagues to resolve problems, and fill in for coworkers when requested or needed.
• Maintain professionalism, courtesy, and a service-oriented approach toward patients and outside agencies.

Benefits

• Base hourly pay range of $19.52–$26.28; additional compensation may be available through applicable shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, or overtime.
• Influenza vaccination is a condition of employment.

What This Job Offers

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