Patient Service Representative (PSR) - Primary Care Clinic

American Addiction Centers•Gurnee, IL

1d•$20 - $30•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Service Representative (PSR) is responsible for creating the initial electronic health record, which serves as the foundation for patient medical records 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 must ensure patient safety by positively identifying patients prior to care delivery, adhering to the mandates of the organization’s accrediting bodies. Key duties include checking in and registering patients, obtaining and verifying demographic, guarantor, and insurance information, and collecting co-pays and other patient financial responsibilities. Accurate registration information is vital for timely payment and preventing billing issues. The PSR must maintain strict confidentiality of patient information in accordance with HIPAA. They need a solid understanding of insurance basics, including commercial and government plans, and knowledge of which plans Advocate Health contracts with. Financial discussions with patients, including when to refer them to Financial Advocates, are also part of the role. The PSR must be knowledgeable about various government regulations and forms, such as HIPAA, EMTALA, Consent for Treatment, Patient Rights and Responsibilities, Important Message from Medicare (IMM), Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON), Notice of Privacy Practices, Medicare Secondary Payer Questionnaire (MSPQ), and Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN), ensuring patient or guarantor signatures are obtained as required. The role may also involve scheduling patient appointments (including virtual and procedural), coordinating cancellations, reschedules, wait list requests, and recall requests. Additionally, the PSR may provide detailed information about test preparations, arrival times, medication/food/beverage guidelines, check-in procedures, and directions. They may also perform visit closure, including checking out patients, scheduling follow-up appointments, and providing after-visit summaries. Educating and supporting patients with the patient portal/app is another potential responsibility. The PSR is expected to create a welcoming and professional environment through exceptional customer service, greeting patients and visitors, responding to inquiries, answering and screening telephone calls, and taking messages. Maintaining excellent public relations and collaborating effectively with others for efficient information flow are essential. Proactive communication of customer service issues and process improvement opportunities to management is expected. Assistance to patients may include arranging transportation, providing directions, locating wheelchairs, and coordinating interpreter services. The role may also involve e-scanning documents to Health Information Management (HIM), managing faxes, addressing electronic health record in-basket messages, and following directions from the clinical team for emergent needs. Monitoring and working assigned electronic health record work queues according to department processes is required. The PSR may also assist department leadership 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.
Ability to work independently to set and meet deadlines.
Ability to 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.
Prevents the creation of duplicate medical records.
Ensures compliance with mandates to use identifiers to positively identify a patient prior to care delivery.
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 of patient personal/financial information and medical records in accordance with HIPAA.
Understands insurance basics, commercial and government plans, and Advocate Health contracts.
Understands and discusses financial information and obligations with patients, and knows when to refer patients to Financial Advocates.
Ensures compliance with government agencies and regulations (e.g., HIPAA, EMTALA, Consent for Treatment, Patient Rights and Responsibilities, IMM, MOON, Notice of Privacy Practices, MSPQ, ABN).
Obtains patient or guarantor signatures as required.
May schedule patient appointments, including virtual and procedural.
May 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, and directions.
May perform visit closure, including checking out patients, scheduling follow-up appointments, and providing after-visit summaries.
May educate and support patients with the patient portal/app.
Creates a welcoming and professional environment 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.
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 (e.g., arranging transportation, providing directions, locating a wheelchair, coordinating interpreter services).
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.