Patient Engagement Associate

The Access Services Associate (ASA) is a call center-based customer service position supporting Penn Medicine ambulatory practices. This phone-based, high-volume role supports several types of patient interactions including registration, appointment scheduling, referrals, and pre-authorizations. The position requires superior and compassionate customer service skills with a focus on productivity to satisfy financial and operational targets of the Health System. This is primarily a work-from-home position for residents of PA, DE, or NJ.

Responsibilities

• Strive to understand and anticipate patient needs to improve the patient encounter and overall Penn Medicine experience; manage service recovery efforts when needed, enlisting management assistance as appropriate.
• Answer phones supporting Access Center service-level goals and follow department protocols to manage patient requests.
• Communicate patient needs by thoroughly completing encounter documentation, taking detailed notes, and routing appropriately through the EMR.
• Complete call processing in an efficient manner; remain aware of call volumes and service-level performance; work as part of the team to handle call volumes.
• Schedule patient appointments by determining the reason for the visit, following established schedules and protocols, using appropriate billing area/appointment location, communicating changes, and confirming appointments. Offer alternatives and handle canceling/rescheduling as needed.
• Communicate with patients using the AIDET model (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank You) and keep the manager aware of potential issues as they arise.
• Issue referrals for patients as required and per protocol.
• Maintain knowledge of basic medical terminology, computer, and EMR skills.
• Ensure patients are well-prepared for their visit by accurately scheduling with the appropriate physician and specialty. Communicate and set patient expectations clearly and empathetically to ensure they arrive with all pertinent information and care coordination (medical records, test results, referrals, copays). Provide information on directions, parking, and building navigation.
• Coordinate clinical and administrative aspects of the new patient scheduling encounter.
• Assist with computer and system setup for telemedicine patients as needed.
• Explain the functionality of the MyPennMedicine App.
• Perform within the expected outcome of the Automated Call Distribution (ACD) environment.
• Solve telephone issues and report problems related to volume to the manager in a timely manner.
• Follow established downtime procedures for registration.
• Assist with coverage of POS and pre-processing areas, create/mail new patient packets, appointment ‘bumping’, waitlist scheduling, resource scheduling, and team scheduling as needed.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of insurance requirements pertinent to patient service and billing procedures, including basic knowledge of all managed care plans and which insurers require a copayment or referral.
• Validate patient demographic/insurance information and/or register new patients into the EMR using established protocols.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory standards (e.g., TJC, DOH, FDA, HIPAA, HCFA, DPW, LCGME, SCGME).
• Be flexible and readily adopt new processes; engage in practice operation changes.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED (Required).
• Associate's Degree (Preferred).
• 1+ year of customer service, clerical, or healthcare-related experience (Preferred).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region.