Schegistrar CAC

Wellstar Health System•1800 Parkway Place, GA

About The Position

The Schegistrar CAC (Comprehensive Access Center) schedules appointments and procedures, collects patient, guarantor, and insurance information, and enters that information into the health information system. The role manages scheduling requests from patients and physician offices through phone, fax, paper requisition, and other acceptable communication channels. It also provides visit-specific preparation information, answers and triages patient questions and requests, verifies insurance benefits when directed, and generates patient estimates where required. Work responsibilities may change in response to business needs. The position performs patient access, registration, financial, and customer service functions. It may include precepting and mentoring new team members, supporting other scheduling locations, coordinating medical record requests, and assisting with order transcription and report uploads. The role is expected to follow department workflows, regulatory requirements, Wellstar policies, and service standards.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; an associate degree or other related field is preferred.
At least one year of healthcare experience in Patient Access Services, Practice Operations, or Patient Financial Services; a bachelor's degree or higher may substitute for the experience requirement.
One of the following certifications is required: CHAA, CPAR, CRCR, or CRCR-P. The provisional CRCR-P certification must be obtained within 120 days; certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.
Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate with members of the healthcare team.
High attention to detail, self-direction, and a positive attitude.
Effective problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Typing or data-entry competency of at least 40 words per minute.
Cash-handling and balancing skills.
Professionalism, effective communication, and active listening skills.
Complete Patient Access Services Operations onboarding training and achieve the required passing score on the final exam within 45 days of hire.
For preceptor duties, maintain the stated registration accuracy and productivity requirements, meet call center performance targets, have no corrective disciplinary action in the prior 12 months, be willing and able to precept, and maintain required certifications and continuing education.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of patient registration systems.
Intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills.
Epic experience.
Associate degree or other related field.

Responsibilities

Schedule services for assigned departments, use Epic Decision Tree guidance, confirm linked orders or referrals, and verify new-versus-established patient status for new Epic acquisitions.
Gather and enter demographic, guarantor, and insurance information; obtain required signatures and identify payer-specific forms.
Reschedule or cancel appointments in response to written and verbal requests, and use medical terminology to check appointment requests against orders.
Notify patients and providers when authorization is missing or a procedure is flagged as not medically necessary, including when a non-covered services waiver may be needed.
Provide or route price estimate requests and triage appointment requests in accordance with department standards.
Identify, report, and help prevent duplicate patient records, billing accounts, and medical records; use required information systems and complete WorkQueue issues appropriately.
Answer basic financial questions and refer inquiries to management or PFS Customer Service when needed.
Review and follow applicable regulations, policies, and procedures, and report safety or customer concerns to management.
Monitor order transcriptions and scanning; help upload missing diagnostic and pathology reports; assist with coordination of care medical record requests; and support other scheduling locations as needed.
Assist with onboarding and serve as a preceptor and mentor for new patient access personnel and students while meeting accuracy, productivity, call center, disciplinary, and certification standards.
Generate patient estimates and attempt to collect estimated self-pay balances when directed; offer payment options when patients cannot pay.
Complete financial evaluation forms when directed; identify patients with inadequate insurance, assess potential ability to pay and eligibility for assistance, and refer patients to funding resources as appropriate.
Contact scheduled patients to obtain pre-admission information, explain financial policies, estimate self-pay balances, and obtain a promise to pay by the date of service.
Document patient and guarantor interactions, collection efforts, self-pay activities, and Medicaid referrals; coordinate financial counseling with relevant teams when directed.
Verify insurance coverage and benefits, work toward point-of-service collection targets, provide management feedback on self-pay and data integrity concerns, and resolve payer denials as indicated.
Greet guests professionally, answer incoming calls and follow through on requests, and maintain courteous working relationships with patients, colleagues, providers, and others.
Observe work hours, provide appropriate notice of absences or schedule changes, attend requested meetings, complete mandatory training, and comply with Wellstar policies and code of conduct.
Perform other duties as assigned.