Sr Patient Access Associate

Houston Methodist•Deer Park, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Patient Access Associate obtains and enters accurate demographic and insurance information in the electronic health record for patients presenting at facility entry points. The role performs cashiering functions, secures hospital accounts by collecting required copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance, and checks medical necessity for compliance with Medicare guidelines. The associate regularly works across patient access areas and EHR work queues, including emergency department and main registration, bed management, and cashiering. The role provides effective, customer-focused communication and serves as a resource, trainer, and mentor to other team members. It must adhere to applicable departmental, hospital, governmental, and healthcare licensing agency requirements related to EMTALA and HIPAA. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 3:30 p.m. to midnight. The position is non-exempt and requires a uniform; business professional attire and other department-approved attire are also indicated. Employees may be required to be on call during emergencies, such as disasters or severe weather events. The posting indicates no regular on-call requirement and no required travel within or outside the Houston metropolitan area.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent education.
Four years of customer service experience, including two years of hospital registration experience.
Demonstrated skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, assessed through ongoing competency assessments and performance evaluations.
English speaking, reading, and writing proficiency sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job, particularly those affecting patient or employee safety or security.
Ability to communicate effectively with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers using a customer-service focus and positive language.
Ability to multitask and remain flexible to meet patient and departmental needs.
Knowledge of basic registration/access functions and insurance procedures.
Problem-solving ability.
Ability to remain calm, patient, and understanding in stressful situations.
Excellent customer service and professional communication skills.
Proficient computer skills and ability to learn and navigate multiple software programs.
Ability to handle detailed work accurately and rapidly.
Strong training, leadership, and mentoring skills.

Responsibilities

Obtain and record accurate patient demographic and insurance information by interviewing patients, family members, and physicians.
Ensure correct insurance plan codes are used for billing.
Explain consent forms, obtain signatures, and respond to questions professionally.
Work regularly in multiple patient access areas and/or patient-access-specific EHR work queues.
Provide customer service, proactively address patient issues, serve as a second-level resource for elevated registration issues, and alert management to unusual or difficult situations.
Protect confidential health information under HIPAA guidelines; consistently use patient identifiers and avoid issuing new medical record numbers to patients with existing accounts.
Meet departmental goals, including registration accuracy and productivity targets.
Check that ordered services meet medical necessity criteria when applicable.
Collect payments according to predetermined information and verify insurance to determine patient out-of-pocket expenses.
Offer payment options when applicable after receiving the minimum required payment.
Meet monthly cash collection goals, accurately post and receipt payments, and balance the cash drawer daily according to department policy.
Manage time effectively, minimize incidental overtime, prioritize work, and assist teammates during available time.
Contribute to a positive, collaborative work environment and communicate professionally with customers and coworkers.
Orient, guide, train, and mentor less experienced and new staff.
Show initiative, adapt to changing demands, suggest process improvements, and pursue continued learning.