PRN Patient Services Associate

Patient Services Associate (PSA)

The Patient Services Associate (PSA) assists the practice/department in maintaining a patient/customer focus, supports the delivery of high quality care, shares a passion for patient and customer-centered care, and assists in meeting or exceeding patient satisfaction and financial/operational targets.

• 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. Resolves 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)

• Cohorts clinical and administrative aspects of the new patient scheduling encounter.
• Perform within the expected outcome of the Automated Call Distribution (ACD) environment.
• Solves telephone issues and timely reports problems related to volume to manager.
• Follow established downtime procedures for registration.

Education or Equivalent Experience

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• 2+ years' medical office experience, or 4 years of customer service experience (Required)
• Advanced degree (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's) may be considered in lieu of experience
• Associate of Arts or Science (Preferred)