Radiology Access Specialist - Hours Can Vary - PRN

Erlanger•Chattanooga, TN

About The Position

The Radiology Access Specialist accurately and efficiently admits and registers patients, enters radiology orders, and performs financial analysis activities upon patients’ arrival. The role gathers information needed to meet regulatory and billing requirements, initiates processes to comply with managed care contracts and CMS regulations, verifies coverage and pre-certification, estimates and communicates patient financial responsibility, and collects payments, including outstanding balances. The specialist coordinates with financial counseling services and alerts Financial Advocates when accounts have inadequate coverage or other financial clearance issues. The position schedules radiology procedures and enters radiology orders in e-chart. It requires applying patient access policies and procedures, maintaining confidentiality, and communicating courteously and effectively with patients, families, visitors, physicians, payers, colleagues, and other departments. The specialist is expected to provide compassionate, professional service to people from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds and ages, maintain accurate work, and contribute to a high-quality care environment consistent with Erlanger’s standards and values. This PRN position has hours that can vary. It involves working in a clinical setting that may include stressful situations and requires moderate sitting, standing, stooping, bending, and work at portable computers.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Two years of experience in a healthcare-related field.
Strong computer skills.
Excellent customer service, interpersonal communication, and telephone etiquette skills.
Ability to multitask and manage high volumes in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, initiative, and strong math skills.
Ability to function efficiently and professionally with all customers and work closely in a clinical setting, including stressful situations.
Ability to communicate appropriately with patients of different ages and people from a broad socioeconomic mix.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and follow policies and procedures.
Ability to perform moderate sitting, standing, stooping, bending, and work at portable computers.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of basic registration and third-party payers.
Work experience in a physician front office or insurance/healthcare call center.
Knowledge of medical terminology and basic CPT and ICD-10 codes, insurance coding, and billing.
Certified Healthcare Access Associate certification from NAHAM.

Responsibilities

Register and activate scheduled patients, walk-in patients, add-on patients, and emergency room patients by collecting and entering demographic, financial, insurance, and other required information.
Validate patient identity and medical record numbers using the master patient index and required patient identifiers.
Ensure required forms, such as ABNs, financial assistance forms, and consents, are completed and in place; explain Patient Rights to patients.
Verify insurance eligibility and benefits using verification systems, payer websites, and telephone calls, and document results in the appropriate fields.
Validate pre-certification requirements and status, and document findings in registration systems.
Calculate patient liability using insurance information and pricing estimator tools; clearly communicate, document, and collect patient liabilities and payments.
Review prior bad debt and request payment of outstanding balances.
Alert Financial Advocates about financial clearance issues and document liability and clearance status for timely processing.
Schedule patients for radiology procedures and enter radiology orders in e-chart.
Provide professional customer service to patients, physicians, visitors, and employees, including answering assigned phone lines and assisting with directions and information.
Maintain current knowledge of insurance and patient access practices, implement procedural changes, and use organizational resources for updates.
Maintain accuracy and quality in patient access systems, respond to requests from management and support functions, complete special projects, and prepare reports as requested.
Report unresolved problems, patient needs, and equipment problems requiring maintenance or repair; perform other duties as assigned.
Protect confidential departmental and patient information and follow applicable confidentiality policies.
Maintain professional conduct, positive working relationships, and effective communication; resolve interpersonal conflicts appropriately and collaborate with internal departments and outside agencies.
Support a safe environment by identifying and reporting hazards.
Follow Erlanger’s Take Pride Standards, departmental dress code, Code of Conduct, compliance training requirements, Mission, Vision, and Core Values.