Patient Access Representative

Rhode Island Hospital; Newport; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhode Island Hospital is seeking a patient registration specialist to interview patients, gather demographic and insurance information, and ensure accurate data entry into the hospital system. The role supports financial clearance and billing processes, coordinating with Pre-Registration and Patient Financial Advocates as needed.

You'll verify coverage, collect co-pays, and update records while guiding patients through consent and documentation requirements.

Qualifications

• Interviews patient or patient's representative to obtain third party health insurance and related personal/financial information.
• Verifies demographic and insurance information and obtains referrals as required.
• Uses hospital systems to determine self-pay balances and requests authorizations as needed.

Responsibilities

• Greets and directs patients, families and visitors.
• Interviews patients to collect complete insurance and financial information.
• Completes registration and enters data into hospital system.
• Verifies and updates all demographic and insurance information.
• Notifies Pre-Registration Office of changes in coverage.
• Uses system to verify coverage and determine levels of benefits.
• Collects co-payments per policy and logs payments.

Skills

Interviews patients

Data entry

Insurance verification

Billing knowledge

Customer service

Tools

Hospital information system

Job description

SUMMARY:

Under the general supervision of the Supervisor, and according to established policies and procedures, interviews and registers all patients (Inpatient and Observation, Emergency, and Outpatients) to obtain demographic, third party insurance and related financial information, and enters to on-line computer system. Initiates, reviews and follows-up on patient accounts to ensure proper data collection for billing. Verifies all demographic and insurance information and obtains referrals as required. Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another.

In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Success Factors include:

Instill Trust and Value Differences Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Greets and directs all patients, families and visitors in a prompt and courteous manner. Interviews patient or patient's representative in order to obtain complete and accurate third party health insurance and related personal/financial information. Follows-up on missing data by interviewing patients, families or calling employers, nursing homes and other facilities. Completes registration and enters all data obtained into hospital computer system. Prepares or completes records as follows: Ensures patient is properly identified in system per department policy. Verifies demographic and insurance information by asking open-ended questions. Registers all patients (Outpatient, ED, Inpatient and Observation) by entering and/or verifying demographic insurance information into hospital information system. Upgrades account to an active account status. Completes documentation required on financial clearance reports as indicated by Patient Advocate or Pre-Registration Office. Utilizes on line tools and/or telephone to verify coverage, determine level of benefits, and confirm that the primary care physician (PCP) matches the PCP that is recorded in hospital system. Contacts insurance carrier or company for missing information when necessary. Notifies Pre-Registration Office if coverage changes from pre-admit/pre-registration information. Identifies primary and secondary insurer. Properly records insurance information in system. Completes lien forms upon determination that a liability exists. Enter financial notes into system. Gathers paper referrals from patients, when required by the payer. Updates with the appropriate documentation. Contacts Financial Counselor/Pre-Registration Office if the insurance does not verify or if the patient does not have a referral when required by the payer. Utilizes system to determine self-pay balances for all patients. Uses reference tools to determine the expected payment due at time of service. Contacts Patient Financial Advocate to estimate expected payment on complex cases. Refers patients to Patient Financial Advocates if patients cannot meet the expected payment according to defined criteria. Collects co-payments as required per financial clearance or as required by third party payor or department policy. This includes cash; check, credit card payments for ambulatory and Emergency services or as indicated by Patient Advocates. Documents collections in system, logs payments, provides receipts per department policy. Completes financial clearance screens in system. Explains consent, financial and insurance forms to patients or designee and provides general hospital information regarding policy and procedure. Obtains patient signatures on all required forms to meet established hospital requirements. i.e. Privacy notice, Patient Agreement, Important Message from Medicare/Tricare, the Medicare Observation Notice/Moon. Verifies and updates all information. Makes bracelets, places bracelet on patients per department policies in accordance with patient identification policy. Utilizes hospital department scheduling and workflow reports to complete daily work. Communicates with service departments to obtain order information as required. Communicates with Financial Counselor/Pre-Registration Office to obtain authorizations not obtained at, or prior to, time of service. Asks patient for Advance Directive and includes with admission paperwork to go to nursing unit, provides patients with information on Advance Directives if one is not prepared. Explains and has patient sign Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) as required. Completes medical necessity checks utilizing order entry system per hospital policy if not done during pre-registration process. Distributes financial aid applications when patient lacks evidence of adequate health insurance coverage, according to established criteria. Refers patients to Patient Financial Advocate to assist patient with applications for