Senior Patient Access Specialist

About the role

Ensemble Health Partners is seeking a Senior Patient Access Specialist to perform admitting duties for all patients receiving services. The role includes training, scheduling, and other senior‑level responsibilities while adhering to Ensemble policies, regulatory compliance, and delivering exceptional customer service.

Responsibilities

• Assign accurate MRNs, complete medical necessity or compliance checks, provide proper patient instructions, collect insurance information, receive and process physician orders using an overlay tool, and deliver excellent customer service measured by Press Ganey.
• Operate the telephone switchboard to relay incoming, outgoing, and inter‑office calls.
• Utilize quality‑auditing and reporting systems to ensure accounts are corrected, including accounts for other employees, departments, and facilities.
• Develop training materials and programs for new hires and provide continuing education to associates across the revenue cycle.
• Create and maintain staff schedules within the patient access department.
• Assume on‑call responsibilities, providing after‑hours support, guidance, and covering staffing issues as needed.
• Collect point‑of‑service payments in emergency, outpatient, and inpatient settings, handling past‑due balances and offering payment‑plan options.
• Conduct audits of accounts, ensure forms are completed accurately and timely, and provide statistical data to Patient Access leadership.
• Be accountable for assigned point‑of‑service goals.
• Explain general consent for treatment forms to patients/guarantors/legal guardians, obtain necessary signatures and witness names.
• Distribute patient education documents such as “Important Message from Medicare,” observation forms, consent forms, and other future‑service materials.
• Review eligibility responses in the insurance verification system, select appropriate insurance plan codes, enter benefit data to support POS and billing, and pre‑register patient accounts, including inbound and outbound calls for demographic and insurance information.
• Screen medical necessity using Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) software, inform Medicare patients of possible non‑payment, and distribute the ABN as appropriate.
• Distribute and document other designated forms and pamphlets.

Requirements

• 1–3 years of experience in a similar patient access or revenue cycle role.
• Associate degree or equivalent experience.
• Inquisitive mindset with openness to innovation, including AI, to improve processes and patient experiences.
• Understanding of the revenue cycle, including admission, billing, payments, and denials.
• Comprehensive knowledge of patient insurance processes for authorizations and benefits verification.
• Knowledge of health‑insurance requirements.
• Familiarity with medical terminology, CPT, or procedure codes.

Benefits

• Bonus incentives.
• Paid certifications.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Comprehensive benefits package covering healthcare, time off, retirement, and well‑being programs.
• Career advancement opportunities.
• Quarterly and annual incentive programs recognizing exceptional performance.
• Professional development support, including certification and tuition assistance.

Pay

This position pays between $18.65 and $19.90 per hour, based on experience.

Schedule

The role is onsite at Bon Secours – St Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA, with on‑call responsibilities that may require after‑hours support and unscheduled coverage of staffing issues.