PATIENT SERVICES ASSOCIATE - ORTHO SAXONBURG

Independence Health System•Butler Township, PA

10h•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Services Associate performs administrative and secretarial functions in direct support of a physician practice. The position has direct customer contact to collect accurate demographic and insurance information and help patients schedule appointments and procedures. The associate communicates with internal and external customers and facilitates referrals, authorizations, scheduling, and patient flow. The role supports patient access and the practice’s financial and operational objectives. It includes processing patient and billing information, coding visits based on diagnoses, collecting payments, coordinating referrals and authorizations, maintaining the care environment, and contributing to compliance and performance improvement initiatives. The associate has no direct supervisory responsibilities but serves as a coach and mentor to others in the department. Regular, consistent, on-site and timely attendance is expected. Scheduling is based on operational needs and may involve rotating shifts, standby, or on-call work. Local travel between Independence Health Services locations may be expected.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or higher education.
Strong leadership ability, organizational skills, independent and critical-thinking skills, and sound judgment.
Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Pennsylvania Act 34 Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History Clearance.
Ability to perform the essential functions listed for the position, including the stated physical and working-condition requirements.
Regular, consistent, on-site and timely attendance.

Nice To Haves

Previous outpatient office experience.
Two years of experience in a medical, billing, fiscal, or customer-service function is strongly preferred.
Medical terminology experience.
Experience with third-party health care coverage.

Responsibilities

Maintain a positive customer-service atmosphere in the reception area and interact professionally with coworkers and internal customers.
Process telephone calls and messages promptly, accurately, courteously, and efficiently.
Follow department guidelines for patient triage and scheduling.
Process patient information and interview and preregister patients at or before the visit.
Enter patient information, charges, and codes accurately in the billing system according to established policies and procedures.
Code visits based on diagnoses and identify coding discrepancies, seeking clarification to support reimbursement and minimize rejections.
Support financial objectives by making efforts to collect payment at the time of the visit, completing cash sheets accurately, and delivering cash and cash sheets daily to the appropriate location.
Help maintain or reduce organizational and departmental costs.
Facilitate patient access to care by scheduling patients with appropriate providers and at appropriate intervals according to protocols.
Help patients access specialty care and testing as ordered, and provide instructions and directions according to protocols and physician orders.
Help patients meet insurance requirements for continued care.
Process referrals promptly and coordinate and submit information needed to obtain timely authorizations.
Act as a patient advocate and demonstrate accountability for professional development.
Serve effectively as a preceptor or mentor to new hires and students.
Solve problems and seek assistance from the immediate supervisor when appropriate.
Support preparation for annual surveys and other regulatory agency reviews, and maintain continuous survey readiness.
Support performance-improvement initiatives, assist with data collection as directed by the manager or physician, and incorporate implemented improvements into practice.
Maintain the environment of care by replenishing supplies daily and keeping the environment clean and safe.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Promote a Lean work culture by using Lean principles and processes, seeking work-process improvements, and taking ownership of motivation, morale, performance, and professional development.