Access Specialist 1-29240

Location: Chicago, Illinois – Rush University Medical Center, Access Center Primary Care

Work Type: Part Time (0.5 – 0.89 FTE) | Shift 1 | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

About the role

The RUSH Access Center Specialist I manages all clinical and non-clinical calls and performs clinic activities including routine and advanced scheduling, basic triage, message taking, and referral management. The Specialist collaborates with Access Center team members and practice staff to meet overall access, revenue cycle, and scheduling objectives while exceeding customers’ expectations.

Responsibilities

• Answer all telephone calls within your work assignment as designated by leadership, accurately scheduling patients according to departmental and Epic guidelines.
• Evaluate non-scheduling patient inquiries, including clinical calls; route and escalate following departmental and Epic clinical guidelines, including warm transfers to RN triage and clinics.
• Assess caller needs, respond with critical judgment, and ensure appropriate resolution; escalate calls to nurses or leadership when necessary.
• Leverage Salesforce and Genesys platforms to optimize patient interactions and workflow efficiency, ensuring accurate documentation, routing, and resolution.
• Proactively monitor and suggest resolutions for access-related Epic build issues.
• Exhibit strong understanding of specialized RUSH Access Center processes, including questionnaires, subgroups, auto search, pre-registration, message templates, radiology workflows, referral capture, and insurance plan networks.
• Adhere to service-specialized workflows for multiple specialty departments, following Epic and documented scheduling protocols.
• Accurately document appointment information and notify patients of critical visit details.
• Support the RUSH revenue cycle by minimizing financial risk through patient insurance registration, discussing financial responsibility, outstanding balances, and referral requirements.
• Complete point-of-service collections over the phone using secure payment processing systems (credit/debit cards, payment plans).
• Maintain a high level of understanding of physician and ancillary services, campus navigation, payment categories, and billing procedures to act as a patient resource.
• Protect patient health information and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Foster ownership and accountability to exceed patient service expectations, promoting a positive and productive team environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High School Diploma required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in patient care or related settings (e.g., clinic, ambulatory care, medical call center, physician office) strongly preferred.
• Bilingual skills a plus.
• Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) preferred.

Skills

• Excellent communication, customer service, and listening skills.
• Critical thinking, sound judgment, and strong problem-solving abilities.
• Team-oriented, open-minded, flexible, and willing to learn.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to type 40 WPM and basic proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Word.
• Ability to prioritize and function effectively in a fast-paced, multi-tasking call center environment.
• Ability to utilize Epic Cadence efficiently; must pass the Epic scheduling test.
• Ability to listen to patients and document needs simultaneously in Epic.

Pay

$18.87 – $29.73 per hour. Rush salaries are determined by factors including education, job-related experience, skills, and internal equity.

Benefits

Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits. Learn more at the Rush benefits page.