Patient Services Representative - General Surgery

EvergreenHealth•Kirkland, WA

About The Position

The Patient Services Representative (PSR) is the first point of contact for patients in a fast-paced clinical environment. The role uses strong customer service skills to coordinate care and provide an excellent patient experience. Responsibilities span scheduling and registration, message and queue management, medical-record and referral coordination, and billing and payment processing. The representative also supports clinic operations, patient outreach, and staff training while maintaining clean, safe patient and work areas.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of experience in a customer service role.
Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with diverse individuals and dispositions.
Ability to problem-solve, remain calm under pressure, and respond to staff and patient inquiries pleasantly and professionally, including service recovery.
Strong written communication skills, including accurate spelling and legible writing.
Ability to work independently, show initiative, and work productively within a team.
Ability to actively listen to and validate patient conversations and use de-escalation techniques as appropriate.
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and access, analyze, and apply concepts associated with protocols, policies, and guidelines.
Keyboarding skills and working knowledge of Windows-based software systems.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in medical reception or a similar administrative role.
Knowledge of basic medical terminology and common medications.
Knowledge of and experience accessing or verifying insurance coverage.
Experience with Real Time Eligibility (RTE) payer or insurance portals.
Electronic Medical Record (EMR) experience, preferably Epic.
Familiarity with HIPAA and other health-industry compliance standards.

Responsibilities

Coordinate patient scheduling, including initial and follow-up in-person or virtual appointments, rescheduling, cancellations, and self-scheduled appointments.
Manage a multi-line telephone system and direct calls involving emergent or urgent symptoms to appropriate clinical staff for screening.
Set up and verify insurance coverage, and explain coverage and payment options to patients.
Enroll patients in the patient portal and explain its features, benefits, and recommended use.
Request, confirm, and validate interpreter services.
Greet patients, complete check-in, and assist with required paperwork.
Monitor message pools and respond to patient requests, questions, and concerns within organizational timelines.
Take accurate messages and coordinate communication among appropriate interdisciplinary staff.
Coordinate emergent or add-on care requests with the clinical team and provider.
Manage appointment queues, including future appointment orders, cancellation lists, and wait lists.
Prepare, document, and send patient outreach communications.
Request outside medical records from authorized sources to support provider visits and close health-maintenance care gaps.
Prepare and scan documents for Health Information Management processing.
Manage incoming referrals using clinic documentation and established tracking protocols.
Facilitate communication among the clinic, patients, and insurance companies as needed.
Identify and collect copayments in accordance with organizational goals.
Support the EvergreenHealth community culture by helping train new staff.
Maintain tidy patient waiting and staff work areas according to infection-control standards and safety protocols.
Order and restock patient forms and non-medical supplies.
File, fax, scan, photocopy, and distribute mail.
Perform clinic-specific opening and closing duties and other duties as assigned.