Medical Office Specialist - Plastic Surgery - Reception (U) (4962)

About the role

The person in this position performs functions related to the daily operation of the reception area for the Department of Surgery. The individual works in a variety of patient service reception areas, but also functions as a lead worker in the absence of the coordinator.

Responsibilities

• Patient Services: 35%
• Greets all patients and visitors in a courteous and friendly manner.
• Verifies demographic and insurance information making appropriate changes as needed in Centricity Business.
• Registers new patients by entering demographic information and appropriate insurance code(s) into Centricity Business.
• Verifies guarantor responsibility and establishes special guarantors when appropriate.
• Arrives patients in Centricity Business, assembles encounter and other pertinent documents, and forwards to the appropriate provider station.
• Enters referral information per Centricity Business guidelines and then forwards authorization forms to medical records.
• Responsible for generating provider schedules from Centricity Business.
• Responsible for working alerts and insurance referral needs at minimum two days prior to appointment.
• Appointments: 35%
• Creates and maintains daily templates per provider.
• Creates, accesses and maintains session comments for provider templates.
• Proficiently schedules new and established patient appointments with provider according to urgency of individual needs based on prescribed guidelines by the Division.
• Assists with directions and other concerns pertaining to appointment.
• Responsible for verifying and/or updating patient demographics or collecting demographic information for new patients, along with current referring physician data.
• Informs patients of pertinent records and /or x-rays needed for appointment.
• Provides accurate directions when needed.
• Responsible for notifying patients by phone and/or written correspondence of clinic schedule changes.
• Accommodates patients not regularly scheduled to be seen upon arrival in clinic.
• Notifies appropriate nurse of patient to be added to their clinic schedule.
• Determines if patient is new or established by predetermined guidelines.
• Adds patient data to the schedule, assembles encounter and pertinent documents, and forwards to the appropriate provider station.
• Responsible for compiling and mailing new patient appointment brochures with information pertaining to facility location and provider.
• Responsible for accurate and timely distribution of filing for all new patient computer printouts for each resource.
• Captures and coordinates translators/language interpreters for special needs patients during appointment scheduling.
• Captures and coordinates transportation through First Transit for special needs patients.
• Maintains appointment status by entering no shows and cancelled appointments into Centricity Business.
• Forwards notification to nurse and Medical Office Coordinator of appointment status and possible chronic abuse related to the Patient Termination Policy.
• Composes and mails warning and termination letters according to patient termination policy.
• Billing and Collections: 15%
• Responsible for the collection of copayments and payment at time of service.
• Accepts payment on account and prepays posting correctly in Centricity Business.
• Knowledge of balancing and exiting batches in Centricity Business for daily reconciliation and deposit.
• Responsible for visit insurance of accident/workers compensation related services by contacting the patient and/or insurance company.
• Obtains all necessary information including insurance carrier, address, telephone number, claim number and insurance adjuster.
• Enters data into Centricity Business as an alternate insurance allowing Patient Business Services to verify benefit status.
• Affords assistance to clinic and nursing staff with billing questions and concerns.
• Administrative: 10%
• Affords assistance in training of personnel, monitors work completed and alerts Medical Office Coordinator of problems which occur.
• Suggests and aids in implementing efficient procedures in the reception and clinic area.
• Identifies and forwards duplicate accounts and pertinent information to the System Support Unit for proper adjustments.
• Maintains inventory of equipment and/or supplies.
• Other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties described above.

Qualifications

• Any one or any combination totaling two (2) years (24 months), from the categories below:
• College education with coursework in a medical or para-medical field such as nursing assistant, medical assistant, or medical secretary and/or business fields such as business, finance, computer science, public administration, or social science, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
• Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
• 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
• Work experience comparable to that performed at the Medical Office Associate level or in other positions of comparable responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Knowledge of medical records and operating procedures.
• Knowledge of medical laboratory and x-ray, billing, and admissions procedures.
• Knowledge of computer systems and clinic forms.
• Knowledge of automated admissions and/or billing systems.
• Skill in maintaining detailed records.
• Skill in communicating effectively with patients and families from a wide variety of persons from different economic and cultural backgrounds.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Data entry ability with great attention to detail.
• Ability to use a medical dictionary.
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with medical staff.
• Ability to keep patient data confidential.
• Ability to use independent judgment and resolve problems quickly.
• Ability to identify work priorities and follow them to complete daily tasks.
• Ability to be stable and maintain cooperative working relationships with clerical and professional staff.

Condition of Employment

Pursuant to the State Universities Civil Service System, an out-of-state resident who is hired into this position must establish Illinois residency within 180 calendar days of their start date.