Patient Access Associate (2026-0732)

Location: Renton, WA – Cascade Clinic

Full-time, 40 hours per week, day shift

About the role

The Patient Access Associate is responsible for scheduling services in hospital and clinic settings using inbound and outbound call handling and MyChart requests. This role includes scheduling, pre-registration, insurance verification, registration, check-in, estimates, payment collections, check-out, and in-person scheduling within their respective departments.

Responsibilities

• Schedule services for hospital and clinic services via phone and MyChart.
• Confirm referrals for accuracy and completeness.
• Use EPIC to gather scheduling information, including patient acuity, referral work queues, and ancillary orders.
• Coordinate complex scheduling requiring multiple external resources (e.g., labs, films, medical history).
• Request additional information from referring offices for accurate scheduling and reimbursement.
• Verify insurance coverage and inform patients of benefit limitations if out-of-network.
• Manage patient check-in, including financial clearance, updating patient information, and directing patients to appointments.
• Generate patient estimates and follow Point of Service (POS) Collections Guidelines to determine patient liability.
• Collect payments for patient financial responsibility and outstanding balances; document transactions in HIS.
• Complete MyChart scheduling for appointment requests and direct scheduled appointments.
• Monitor and prioritize patient and referral work queues to ensure timely and complete documentation.
• Adhere to department protocols and meet productivity and key performance indicators (e.g., POS collections, pre-registration).
• Provide excellent customer service, including first-call resolution and de-escalation of upset patients.
• Follow Valley Medical Center’s Patient Identification guidelines and registration standards.
• Verify and update insurance eligibility; resolve errors in patient and referral work queues prior to patient arrival.
• Scan and upload documentation such as photo IDs, insurance cards, and referrals/authorizations.
• Monitor and report office supplies and equipment needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High School Graduate or equivalent (G.E.D.).
• Minimum one year of front office experience in a physician office or hospital access department.
• Experience with scheduling, registering, multi-line phone systems, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, and multitasking across software programs.
• Basic keyboarding skills (35 wpm).
• Proficiency in a Windows-based environment.
• Excellent verbal, written, and listening communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and abbreviations.

Skills

• Ability to interact positively with patients, peers, and providers.
• Adherence to departmental protocols, policies, and compliance standards.
• Active listening and problem-solving to determine patient needs and appropriate actions.
• Professional demeanor and ability to de-escalate tense situations.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to navigate multiple monitors and software tools.
• Ability to meet or exceed performance standards for registration quality, productivity, and collections.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Ability to use third-party payer/insurance portals for eligibility and coverage verification.
• Experience with EPIC, scanning, electronic faxing, and telephone software systems.

Physical & Work Environment Demands

• Ability to stand or sit for extended periods.
• Repetitive motion of keyboarding for extended periods.
• Ability to lift supplies/documents up to 10 lbs.
• Ability to push patients in wheelchairs from admitting to patient care areas.

Pay

$22.17 – $37.05 per hour, based on experience.