Patient Access Advocate, Part-time Overnights

About the role

The Patient Access Advocate greets patients, handles phone inquiries, registers and verifies insurance, collects payments, maintains patient files, performs clerical duties, and ensures a clean, welcoming front‑desk environment while following HIPAA and company policies.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients with a smile, answer the phone, enter information into the electronic health record, database, and perform general clerical duties.
• Maintain a pleasant, professional demeanor and make patients feel welcome.
• Ability to multi‑task.
• Perform registration functions: update demographics, verify insurance, collect point‑of‑service payments, document registration information.
• Confirm account information is accurate to ensure clean billing.
• Perform visit closure activities: collect payment and any needed follow‑up.
• Provide the highest level of customer service to patients/family during registration and offer wayfinding.
• Greet patients in a friendly, courteous, professional manner in person and over the phone.
• Check patients in and out.
• Perform visit closure activities including collecting payment and any necessary follow‑up for patient care.
• Verify insurance eligibility and benefits via online electronic verification or by contacting the payer directly.
• Collect copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
• Assist staff and patients with clerical duties as needed: copying, scanning, faxing documents.
• Create and maintain patient files.
• Answer and screen phone calls, direct to the appropriate individual, take and direct messages.
• Provide callers with company address, directions, fax numbers, website, and related information.
• Confirm all paperwork is filled out correctly.
• Ensure front desk, waiting room, and children’s play area are clean and presentable.
• Assure a clean work environment, which may include housekeeping‑type duties such as emptying trash, vacuuming, mopping floors, and cleaning counters.
• Encourage a friendly and respectful work environment.
• Provide patients and families with a customer‑focused, friendly, reassuring open environment that encourages return.
• Follow all HIPAA policies and procedures.
• Follow all company policies.

Qualifications

• Minimum typing speed of 50 wpm.
• Flexibility.
• Effective communication skills.
• Collaboration skills.
• Patient/client focus.
• Technical capacity.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum of 6 months work experience in a healthcare setting OR one year customer service background.
• Basic understanding of insurance preferred.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology and billing codes (DRG, ICD‑10, CPT, HCPCS) preferred.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to write simple correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information to patients and other employees.
• Basic math skills: add, subtract, multiply, divide.
• Ability to apply common sense to carry out detailed written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems in standardized situations.
• Ability to work independently, self‑directed, and work with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to manage conflict and appropriately request help from a supervisor when needed.
• Daily focus on attaining productivity standards.
• Attend staff meetings and huddles as required.
• Minimum of 1 year experience in a medical office setting desired.
• Familiar with health insurance and insurance verification.
• Knowledge and skills regarding all general office equipment: telephones, photocopiers, scanners, credit‑card machine, fax.
• Must be computer literate (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize multiple demands effectively.
• Solid work history.
• This position includes standing, walking, use of hands, reaching, sitting, talking, and listening; may require lifting up to 10 pounds; no special vision requirements.
• Job operates in a healthcare setting; may routinely contact patients with contagious illnesses; uses standard office equipment (telephones, laptops, smartphones, photocopiers, calculators