Patient Access Advocate

About the Role

The patient access advocate will be extremely customer service-oriented, with a patient first attitude. This role requires strong administrative and organizational skills to help manage responsibilities effectively, with the ability to multitask and maintain a strong attention to detail. The position involves registration, referral coordination, and scheduling of visits for the department.

Responsibilities

• Registers patients and performs all registration-related functions, including explaining and obtaining all necessary patient consents and authorizations in a complete and timely manner, collecting financial paperwork (e.g., patient responsibility statement, etc.), and co-payment as required
• Successfully completes and actively participates in ongoing, required Meditech and customer service training
• Has the attitude and mindset of "This patient or challenge is mine to own until I successfully satisfy or solve in a timely manner or pass it off to someone committed to doing the same."
• May float to other areas throughout the department
• Abides by organizational and HIPAA guidelines, privacy practices, patient confidentiality, and patient rights
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Answers phone calls promptly and courteously with a smile to provide a positive impression. Directs calls appropriately for patient assistance.
• Effectively communicates in a timely and professional manner
• Answer high-volume inbound customer calls via an automated phone system
• Make outbound calls to patients, referrals, and sales as needed
• Utilize resources to troubleshoot and resolve patient issues
• Educate and inform patients on use of Meditech portal
• Communicates effectively with patient to assist in access to care by: answering telephone and other incoming communications in a timely and customer-service oriented manner; replying to inquiries, patient needs for information, and other parties clearly and in a timely manner; and, if information is not readily available, follows up with inquiries to responsible party
• Resolves all non-clinical questions within scope of knowledge while providing excellent customer service on the phone and/or in person
• Schedules any necessary follow up appointments for patients, including any specialty or ancillary services as possible
• Assists with referrals and pre-certifications, at the time of encounter
• Properly utilizes and maintains patient recall and reschedule lists
• Maintains a high regard for confidentiality and abides by organizational and HIPAA guidelines, privacy practices, patient confidentiality, and patient rights
• Schedule patient appointments, evaluations, or tests/procedures by interpreting physician orders, by patient need, or by established protocols. Provide patient with instructions or preparation for the test/procedure
• Establishes files, maintains information, and scans medical records in a timely and organized manner
• Processes multi-channel messages related to patient and/or physician requests regarding: appointments, evaluations, referrals, prescriptions, and complaints
• Accurately performs medical record maintenance
• Scan necessary documents into electronic health record
• Electronically validates medical, demographic, insurance, and financial data in a timely and courteous manner

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED
• 1 - 2 years' experience working in a hospital clerical, call center and/or customer service-related position strongly preferred
• Experience in healthcare and knowledge of medical terminology are preferred but not required
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) preferred
• Must be able to type 40 words per minute and be comfortable with learning new computer skills
• Mastery of standard office equipment and comfortable learning new skills (e.g., telephone, pager, copier, fax, and projector)
• Comprehension of department-specific associate duties and processes
• Meditech experience preferred but not required. After training, will need to be proficient in technology tools.
• Ability to function independently and as a team player in a fast-paced environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and excellent spelling

Competencies

• Focus on the needs of the patient with each interaction
• Answers phone calls promptly and courteously with a smile to provide a positive impression. Directs calls appropriately for patient assistance.
• Effectively communicates in a timely and professional manner
• Answer high-volume inbound customer calls via an automated phone system
• Make outbound calls to patients, referrals, and sales as needed
• Utilize resources to troubleshoot and resolve patient issues
• Educate and inform patients on use of Meditech portal
• Communicates effectively with patient to assist in access to care by: answering telephone and other incoming communications in a timely and customer-service oriented manner; replying to inquiries, patient needs for information, and other parties clearly and in a timely manner; and, if information is not readily available, follows up with inquiries to responsible party
• Resolves all non-clinical questions within scope of knowledge while providing excellent customer service on the phone and/or in person
• Schedules any necessary follow up appointments for patients, including any specialty or ancillary services as possible
• Assists with referrals and pre-certifications, at the time of encounter
• Properly utilizes and maintains patient recall and reschedule lists
• Maintains a high regard for confidentiality and abides by organizational and HIPAA guidelines, privacy practices, patient confidentiality, and patient rights
• Schedule patient appointments, evaluations, or tests/procedures by interpreting physician orders, by patient need, or by established protocols. Provide patient with instructions or preparation for the test/procedure
• Establishes files, maintains information, and scans medical records in a timely and organized manner
• Processes multi-channel messages related to patient and/or physician requests regarding: appointments, evaluations, referrals, prescriptions, and complaints
• Accurately performs medical record maintenance
• Scan necessary documents into electronic health record
• Electronically validates medical, demographic, insurance, and financial data in a timely and courteous manner