Patient Services Specialist I - LCC/MDA Cancer Center

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)•League City, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Services Specialist I supports a positive patient experience by coordinating clerical and medical activities for a healthcare team, completing patient registration activities, and facilitating access to UTMB services for new and returning patients. The role provides customer service to patients, physicians, referral sources, and treatment teams; manages calls and patient concerns; and supports appointment scheduling, financial counseling, patient arrival, registration, and disposition. The position verifies patient demographics and third-party coverage, obtains information needed for reimbursement, and helps ensure compliance with Medicare and other coverage requirements. It also maintains patient confidentiality, follows departmental internal controls and security practices, completes required training, and participates in team activities. The work is performed onsite in standard hospital, clinical, and/or office environments using standard office equipment. The 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; an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
Proficiency using a PC, including experience with Excel, Word, and database management packages.
Ability to collect and trend data and apply analytical skills.
Knowledge of patient care and patient problems.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
Ability to problem-solve.
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 in this position.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience working at the front desk of a clinic or medical office, with 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 teams.
Answer calls accurately, obtain needed information, document and triage calls appropriately, and complete telephone encounter processes when appropriate.
Advocate for patients and liaise with other departments to meet shared goals; address patient concerns, provide service recovery, and escalate issues as needed.
Maintain confidentiality of patient and clinical information accessed through email, computer, fax, and mail.
Schedule appointments according to clinical entity policies, make appointment reminder calls, and obtain future appointments for follow-ups, referrals, and ancillary services.
Coordinate financial counseling for day surgery; educate patients or responsible parties about billing, financial responsibilities, and third-party benefits; provide out-of-pocket cost estimates; and counsel patients about unpaid bills.
Arrive patients and prepare paperwork or charts for visits.
Receipt collected monies, distribute tokens, and authorize deferments appropriately.
Verify eligibility, pre-register patients, and obtain patient demographics and third-party coverage at every encounter.
Obtain and document information required for third-party reimbursement and ensure compliance with Medicare and third-party coverage.
Communicate obstacles to access or authorization to patients, referral sources, UTMB physicians, and clinical staff.
Fully disposition each patient within the designated timeline and adhere to departmental internal controls.
Complete competency-based training and testing annually, read relevant announcements and communications, and prioritize work accurately and efficiently.
Secure files containing money or confidential information, properly dispose of printed patient information, log off computers when leaving the workstation, and keep passwords confidential.
Participate in team meetings and activities and support the philosophy and goals of the team or department.
Perform related duties as required.