Laboratory Support Tech

Responsibilities

• Provides specimen processing for reference laboratory outreach patient testing, and initiates inpatient processing, requiring handling of patient specimens.
• Aids lab outpatients in the collection process of specimens for testing.
• Maintains oversight of patients during more complex lab test procedures and patients being held for provider notification of test results.
• Utilizes the Lab and Mayo On-line test catalogs to ensure that the correct tests are ordered for providers and patients.
• Aids patients in completing authorizations prior to releasing test information.
• Initiates and resolves the problem patient specimen resolution process for the laboratory.
• Communicates and interacts with patients and their families, with compassion and empathy, both on the phone and at the lab department.
• Informs patients of potential denial by insurance, estimates appropriate costs, and obtains appropriate ABN or Insurance Waiver according to insurance.
• Adds modifiers and account notes as appropriate per regulations.
• Completes daily quality audits of the patient lab record.

Technical and Operational Expertise

• Performs complex reference laboratory patient registrations as well as registrations for hospital laboratory outpatients, in both the Hospital Information System as well as in the Laboratory Information System, with a high degree of focus and minimal registration errors.
• Investigates and confirms insurance eligibility with minimal information available by phone or computer to prevent error and delay of payment.
• Registers, tests ordering, and processing outside facility pre-specimen collections to include lab test label generation.
• Obtains, investigates, and verifies both written and add-on orders from physicians and other care providers, both for reference lab clients and lab outpatients.
• Scans all order documentation, etc. into the appropriate patient’s medical record.
• Obtains diagnoses for lab testing performed, and determines appropriate medical necessity and coding documentation in compliance with CMS and Health System Guidelines.
• Researches National and Local Coverage Determinations to assist with diagnosis and medical necessity with lab clients.
• Investigates denials, to include insurance and medical necessity issues for resolution.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of lab test order codes in the Lab Information System.
• Receives and completes electronic interfaced test orders from lab clients appropriately.
• Determines whether reference client billing or insurance billing is required dependent on pre-set client and insurance requirements.
• Interface number entry requirement dependent on type of lab interface with each client.
• Samples processing to include verification of the integrity of specimen shipments through patient identification processes and specimen receipt verification.
• Handles and distributes specimens to work areas by manual delivery to lab hospital departments.
• Centrifugation, handling, and separating specimens with specific knowledge of which tests are performed in each lab department.
• Performs various lab business office functions within regulatory guidelines that include but are not limited to registration operations, insurance verification, confidential fax verifications, and other functions as required.
• Knowledge of lab CPT codes as well as diagnosis codes and enters them in the patient’s record for appropriate billing to insurance.
• Supports functions for pathologists to include medical examiner requests, consult processing, pathology registrations, billing functions, etc.
• Manual lab charge entry into patient accounts.
• Calculation of Medicare Travel Charges and charge entry to include appropriate documentation.
• Orders and maintains office supply inventory for all lab departments, including pathology.
• Collects and processes specimens by performing phlebotomy collection, labeling, centrifuging, organizing by Laboratory section(s), aliquoting, and storing.
• Prepares specimens for transport according to Department of Transportation (DOT) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations.

Communication and Promotion of Educational Skills

• Recognizes and communicates critical information, special requests, unusual orders, etc. by including special comments during the registration and order entry process or by contacting key laboratory individuals.
• Provides the clerical component of result reporting, which includes but is not limited to the production and filing of computer reports, and the distribution of reports by mail, FAX, personal distribution or telephone.
• Communicates test results to providers, patients, hospitals, and facilities with compliance to HIPAA laws and regulations.
• Serves the needs of lab customers by providing information to reference lab and hospital customers or routing calls to others.
• Communicates timely information and requests with lab couriers, including delivery, requests, and specimen pickups.
• Trains new lab registration staff and technical staff in lab business office functions as appropriate.
• Participates in taking call to support staff on weekends and holidays.