Senior Patient Access Specialist - St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital

Mercy Health BSMH • Youngstown, OH

7d

About The Position

The Senior Patient Access Specialist performs admitting duties for patients receiving services at Mercy Health and may also provide training and scheduling support. The role follows Mercy Health policies and processes, supports the ministry’s mission and goals, and meets regulatory compliance requirements. The specialist performs patient registration and access functions, provides customer service, supports revenue-cycle operations, and may handle telephone switchboard duties. The position includes on-call responsibilities, after-hours support, and coverage at unscheduled times for staffing needs.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two to three years of experience in patient access or a leadership role.
• English language skills.
• Typing speed of 45 words per minute.
• Understanding of revenue cycle processes, including admission, billing, payments, and denials.
• Comprehensive knowledge of patient insurance processes for authorizations and benefits verification.
• Knowledge of health insurance requirements.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, CPT codes, or procedure codes.
• Ability to analyze data or information and perform scheduling.
• Attention to detail, acceptance of authority, critical thinking, communication with family members, teamwork, conflict resolution, active listening, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and on-call.

Nice To Haves

• CRCR (Certified Revenue Cycle Representative) certification from the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
• Associate degree in healthcare administration, business administration, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Assign accurate medical record numbers (MRNs), complete medical necessity and compliance checks, provide patient instructions, collect insurance information, and receive and process physician orders using an overlay tool.
• Serve as the department’s SMART and provide compassionate customer service in accordance with Mercy Health policies.
• Operate the telephone switchboard to relay incoming, outgoing, and inter-office calls, as applicable.
• Use quality auditing and reporting systems to identify and ensure correction of accounts, including accounts associated with other employees, departments, and facilities.
• Develop training materials and programs for new departmental hires and provide continuing education to associates in revenue-cycle areas.
• Develop patient access staff schedules and submit them to leadership for final approval.
• Provide on-call and after-hours departmental support and report to work at unscheduled times to cover staffing needs.
• Collect point-of-service payments in emergency, outpatient, and inpatient settings, including past-due balances; offer payment plan options and meet assigned point-of-service goals.
• Audit accounts, ensure forms are completed accurately and on time to meet audit standards, and provide statistical data to Patient Access leadership.
• Explain general consent forms to patients, guarantors, or legal guardians; obtain required signatures and witness names; and explain and distribute patient education documents and required forms.
• Review insurance eligibility responses, select the appropriate insurance plan code, and enter benefit data to support point-of-service collections and billing processes.
• Support clean claims through patient account preregistration, including inbound and outbound calls to obtain demographic, insurance, and other patient information.
• Screen Medicare medical necessity using Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) software, inform patients of possible nonpayment, distribute ABNs when appropriate, and distribute and document other designated forms and pamphlets.
• Perform other job-related duties as required by a supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation.
• Use universal precautions and personal protective equipment and learn and follow infection-control policies.

Benefits

• Competitive pay, incentives, referral bonuses, and 403(b) with employer contributions when eligible.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage; HSA/FSA options; life insurance; mental health resources; and discounts.
• Paid time off, parental and FMLA leave, short- and long-term disability, and backup care for children and elders.
• Tuition assistance, professional development, and continuing education support. Benefits may vary based on market and employment status.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED