Patient Access Associate

About the Role

The Patient Access Associate (PAA) is a hospital-based, non-clinical healthcare professional who serves as the first point of contact for patients. In this pivotal role, the PAA ensures a positive patient experience during the registration and admission processes by accurately collecting essential demographic and financial information.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients and visitors courteously and professionally.
• Accurately identify patients in the Master Patient Index to reduce erroneous duplicate medical records, maintaining a 98% accuracy rate in medical record creation.
• Update demographics per legal identification.
• Verify the information on armbands before placing them on patients.
• Explain all required documents verbally, obtain signatures appropriately, and document any inability to obtain signatures correctly, including immediate scanning into EMR.
• Process all ‘unable to sign’ consents per process, including following legal algorithms to research and communicate with patient contacts to obtain appropriate surrogate; escalate to next steps (Care Management) when unable to find surrogate.
• Conduct face-to-face interviews to accurately obtain and process patient demographic and financial information, maintaining a minimum accuracy rate of 97% for error-free registrations.
• Process and act on Real-Time Eligibility (RTE) messages, including adding, terminating, and correcting coverages.
• Identify all true self-pay patients accurately and forward to Medicaid eligibility and application staff, ensuring only true self-pay patients are screened.
• Scan all required documents into patient records and place HAR notes on accounts when necessary.
• Identify and resolve insurance verification issues, informing patients of available options, including financial assistance.
• Ensure all patients receive necessary regulatory information and enter appropriate documentation in the EMR (e.g., HIPAA, Patient Rights Brochure, IMM, NOOS, ABN, etc.).
• Explain hospital policies, procedures, and financial responsibilities to patients and their families, providing excellent customer service.
• Schedule appointments, surgeries, and other medical procedures according to patient and provider preferences.
• Verify insurance coverage and obtain pre-authorizations as needed.
• Communicate financial responsibilities to patients and collect funds in accordance with established protocols.
• Make referrals to Charity Care and Medical Assistance when needed.
• Answer and direct incoming and external calls promptly.
• Independently prioritize work, including work queue management, patient registrations, insurance verification, and other assigned tasks to meet performance and productivity standards within department deadlines.
• Identify and correct errors in accounts using appropriate tools (e.g., NextBar, OneSource).
• Attend departmental staff meetings or watch videos when absent.
• Attend all required in-person training/in-services and complete all educational assignments within the required timeframe.
• Read and respond to emails during each shift.
• Adhere to hospital policies and procedures, including timely arrival, minimal absences, appropriate attire, readiness for work, and minimal personal electronic usage.
• Adhere to the RISE values and contribute to a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director, Manager, or Supervisor.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 0–11 months of direct Patient Access or healthcare registration experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to interact with patients, families, and clinical teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a high-paced healthcare environment.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and documentation.
• Compassionate, patient-centered approach to service delivery.
• Must obtain Certified Patient Access Specialist (CPAS) certification within 8 months of hire.

Physical Demands

Light Work – Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens.

Pay

Pay Range: $17.50—$24 USD

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan (with employer match for employees who work more than 1000 hours in a calendar year)
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Assistance
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Paid Holidays, Disability, and Life/AD&D for full-time employees
• Wellness Programs
• Employee Assistance Programs

Benefit offerings based on employment status.