Patient Services Associate

Patient Service

Strives to understand and anticipate patient needs, manages service recovery efforts when needed, enlists management assistance as appropriate, identifies opportunities to improve the patient experience.

Answer phones in a timely manner, manage/handle patient requests and route appropriately, retrieve voicemails in a timely manner, take accurate and thorough messages and route appropriately through EMR.

Schedule patient appointments (on phone or in person) by determining reason for visit, following established schedules and protocols, using appropriate billing area/appointment location, communicating changes and confirming appointments, and, as needed, offering alternative and canceling/rescheduling appointments.

Responsible for arriving/departing activities of patient at practice and performs point of service activities: collects copays and records accurately, obtains necessary signatures/forms, obtains insurance cards and referrals/authorizations, updates appointment status in EMR, and finalizes all check-out procedures.

Communicates with patients regarding patient flow and wait times – keeps manager aware of potential issues as they arise. Issues referrals and obtains pre-authorizations for patients as required and as per protocol.

Financial

Maintains 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.

Validates patient demographic/insurance information and/or registers new patients into EMR using established protocols.

Records receipts accurately to ensure end of day reconciliation; participates in cash reconciliation delineations.

Solves work queues and/or issues from front-end reports; proactively prioritizes recovery of missing charges.

Orders supplies for the office and generates front-end process reports as requested.

Other / Regulatory

Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory standards (ex TJC, DOH, FDA, HIPAA, HCFA, DPW, LCGME, SCGME, etc)

Flexible and readily adopts new processes and engages in practice operation changes.

Access Center Responsibilities (if appropriate)

Captures clinical and administrative aspects of the new patient scheduling encounter.

Solves telephone issues and timely reports problems related to volume to manager.

Follow established downtime procedures for registration.

Other

As needed: assist with coverage of POS and Pre-Processing Areas, create/mail new patient packets, appointment ‘bumping’, wait list scheduling, resource scheduling, and team scheduling.

Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures

Qualifications

• HS Diploma/GED (Required)
• 2+ years of Medical office experience, or relevant customer service experience (Required)
• Advanced degree (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's) may be considered in lieu of experience.