Patient Services Specialist I - LCC/MDA Cancer Center

UTMB Health•League City, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Services Specialist I creates a positive patient experience by exceeding expectations in customer service and patient care. The role coordinates clerical and medical activities for a healthcare team, handles patient registration, and facilitates access to UTMB services for new and returning patients. The position provides professional, knowledgeable support to patients, physicians, referral sources, and treatment teams. It supports appointment scheduling, financial counseling coordination, patient arrival and registration, insurance and eligibility verification, and patient disposition. The specialist also maintains patient confidentiality, addresses concerns and escalates issues as needed, and follows departmental controls and procedures. The role is performed on-site in a standard hospital, clinical, and/or office environment, using standard office equipment. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Actual salary is commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Associate’s degree and no experience required; an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
For departments reporting under Health System Ambulatory Operations, obtain a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification within 90 days of hire and maintain it for the duration of employment.
Proficiency using a PC, including experience with Excel, Word, and database management packages.
Analytical ability and ability to collect and trend data.
Knowledge of patient care and patient problems.
Excellent human relations and written and oral communication skills.
Ability to problem-solve.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in a clinic or medical office front desk setting.
Basic knowledge of insurance processes.
EPIC experience.

Responsibilities

Provide high-level customer service to internal and external customers, including patients, physicians, referral sources, and treatment team members.
Answer calls accurately, identify and address callers’ needs, document and triage calls appropriately, and complete telephone encounter processes when appropriate.
Act as a patient advocate and liaise with departments to meet shared goals.
Maintain confidentiality of patient and clinical information across email, computer, fax, and mail.
Address patient concerns, provide service recovery, and escalate issues as needed.
Schedule appointments according to clinical entity policies and coordinate financial counseling for day surgery.
Make appointment reminder calls and obtain future appointments for clinic follow-up, referrals, and ancillary services.
Educate patients or responsible parties about billing processes, financial responsibilities, and third-party benefits; provide out-of-pocket cost estimates and counsel patients about unpaid bills.
Arrive patients and prepare paperwork and charts for visits.
Receipt collected monies, distribute tokens, and authorize deferments appropriately.
Verify patient eligibility and pre-register patients by obtaining demographics and third-party coverage information at each encounter.
Obtain and document information required for third-party reimbursement and ensure compliance with Medicare and third-party coverage.
Communicate access or authorization obstacles to patients, referral sources, UTMB physicians, and clinical staff.
Disposition each patient within the designated timeline and adhere to departmental internal controls.
Complete related duties, read relevant announcements and communications, and complete annual competency-based training and testing.
Prioritize and complete work accurately, effectively, and efficiently.
Secure the office and confidential or monetary materials when away from the workstation; properly dispose of printed patient information, log off the computer, and keep passwords confidential.
Participate in team meetings and activities and support team and departmental goals.