Secretary/Scheduler

Cape Cod Healthcare • Orleans, MA

92d

About The Position

The position involves answering phone calls in a timely, polite, and professional manner, preferably within three rings. The individual will respond to telephone inquiries for information or appointments and take necessary messages. Responsibilities include receiving telephone and in-person referrals for therapy services, recording necessary demographic information, and greeting patients in the waiting room. The role also requires checking in new patients, providing appropriate paperwork, photocopying insurance cards, and ensuring physician orders and insurance authorizations are valid. The individual will explain financial responsibilities to patients and obtain prior approvals and pre-certifications from third-party payors for therapy services, documenting approval numbers in medical records. Scheduling initial and ongoing treatment appointments, printing necessary forms, sorting mail, processing medical record requests, collecting co-payments, and maintaining medical records are also key responsibilities. The position requires regular updates on third-party payor regulations, daily registration of patient accounts, processing cancellations, confirming provider information, and managing patient schedules efficiently. The individual will also maintain adequate office supplies, assist in processing purchase orders, communicate clearly with patients and families, attend departmental meetings, and perform other related duties as assigned. The role emphasizes providing service excellence to all patients, family members, visitors, volunteers, and co-workers, reflecting the hospital's commitment to compassion, accountability, respect, excellence, and service.

Requirements

• Ability to read, write and communicate in English.
• High school graduate or GED.
• Two years recent experience (within the past 3 years) in a medical or rehab office, clinic, or comparable hospital experience.
• One year recent experience (within the past 3 years) working with third party payors including referrals.
• Successful passage of basic medical terminology course OR successful passage of the CCH Medical Terminology exam.
• Demonstrated computer keyboarding skills.

Responsibilities

• Answers the phone in a timely, polite, and professional manner, preferably in three rings or less.
• Responds to telephone inquiries for information or appointments, and takes necessary messages.
• Receives telephone and in-person referrals for therapy services; records necessary demographic information.
• Greets and promptly acknowledges patients’ presence in the waiting room.
• Checks in new patients, giving patients the appropriate paperwork to complete, photocopies patient's insurance cards, and ensures physician order and insurance authorization is present and valid.
• Explains to patients any financial responsibility and has patient sign financial liability waiver if insurance authorization has not been confirmed.
• Obtains prior approvals and pre-certifications from third party payors for therapy services; documents approval numbers in medical record.
• Schedules initial appointment and ongoing series of treatment appointments for therapy services; pre-registers patient and inputs data into database.
• Prints necessary forms and labels for medical chart, assembles chart and places labels on each page.
• Sorts and opens mail, and distributes to appropriate staff mailboxes, including delivery of correspondence and recertification forms to physicians.
• Copies and processes all medical record requests from insurance companies and attorney’s offices.
• Collects patient co-payments and prepares deposit for courier to pick up.
• Maintains and files medical records and/or reports in proper format and makes available patient records and other materials for treatment, audit, study, or billing procedures.
• Regularly updates knowledge of third party payor regulations.
• Registers patient accounts daily.
• Processes cancellations and no show appointments, and notifies therapist of change in schedule.
• Re-schedules patient appointments and extends patient schedules as necessary.
• Confirms Out Of Area Provider information; including full name, address, phone, fax, and NPI number and enters information into database upon registration as well as files medical record.
• Re-registers all ongoing patients on the first of the month after auto-discharge for all patients occurs at the end of the month.
• Discharges patients in registration upon patient's completion of services.
• Edit therapists' schedules as needed to include time off, sick time, vacation, in-service and meeting time.
• Calls patients to reschedule appointments when therapist is out, and makes edits in computerized schedule.
• Maintains efficient flow of daily patient schedule and front office operations.
• Maintains adequate levels of office and break room supply materials as needed.
• Assists in the processing of purchase orders.
• Communicates clearly and tactfully with patients and their families, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Attends departmental meetings as required.
• Performs other work related duties as assigned or requested.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees