Patient Service Assistant (BMU-ES) (3 rotating shifts)

NHG Health; Singapore; On-site; SGD 27,900 - 40,176; Full time

Job summary

NHG Health is seeking a Patient Service Associate for the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore. This role supports the Bed Management Unit and Emergency Services with administrative, clerical and logistical duties, including registration, appointment scheduling, cash handling and financial counselling.

The PSA will handle bed assignments, report generation, and coordination with nursing teams to ensure timely admissions and transfers.

Qualifications

• Diploma or GCE O Level qualification.
• Minimum 1 year of working experience, preferably in healthcare.
• Fluent in English; Mandarin/Malay/dialect is a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Assist in counter services: registration, appointment making and cash handling.
• Coordinate bed assignments and admissions with BMU and ES.
• Handle patient inquiries, provide directions and information.
• Maintain accurate data entry and filing in MRMS and related systems.
• Support reporting and KPI data through timely data collection and documentation.
• Assist in rostering and secretariat duties for department coordination.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Customer service orientation

Education

Diploma or GCE O Level

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

The Patient Service Associate (PSA) is responsible for assisting the Bed Management Unit (BMU) and Emergency Services (ES) with administrative, clerical and logistical duties. This includes, but is not limited to, providing efficient counter services such as registration, appointment making, cash collection, financial counselling and admission etc., as well as backend operations such as bed assignment and allocation, and report generation.

Job Responsibilities

SPECIFIC (80%)

• Assure commitment to continuity of patient care through regular attendance, being reliable and reports to work on time and ready to work at the start of the shift
• Provide proper notification and advance notice for sick leave and absence from work
• Accept reassignment to another clinic when required
• Willing to adjust schedule and/or work different hours to help other colleagues in times of need
• Provide efficient counter services
• Ensure tidiness and cleanliness of the counter and be ready to serve
• Greet and attend to patients and visitors promptly and politely
• Attend phone calls promptly and politely, and take down messages/enquiries from callers and direct to relevant officers for necessary action
• Register patients promptly and accurately in the system
• Orientate patients on the services and facilities available in ES and provide clear instructions and directions, if necessary
• Handle difficult requests and undertake steps in service recovery
• Provide proactive financial counselling for all admissions, upgrading cases etc.
• Schedule patients’ appointments as ordered by the doctors and ensure that the appointments are evenly spread out according to the doctors’ calendars
• Check and ensure proper handling of daily cheques and cash collections. Hand over all monies collected to Supervisor at the end of the shift.
• Report to Supervisor and investigate any discrepancies over all monies/ cheques collected promptly.
• Perform bed assignment and bed allocation effectively
• Coordinate bed assignments and allocation based on patient needs, acuity levels and specialised care requirements. Work closely with inpatient nursing teams to facilitate timely admissions and transfers
• Foster strong relationships with nursing teams and other stakeholders to resolve bed assignment challenges effectively
• Increase knowledge through continuing education and keep pace with practices and Information Technology (IT)
• Demonstrate computer literacy and competencies in all IT applications within the scope of practice
• Ensure accurate keying of data, order entries and charge codes
• Assist with statistics collation and ensure department achieves Key Performance Indicators
• Assist with report generation for update to stakeholders
• Organise, sort and arrange medical records according to guidelines
• Request for medical records through the Medical Records Management System (MRMS)
• Retrieve and arrange medical records to allow smooth flow between the counter and the consultation rooms as and when necessary
• Accurately file laboratory and other reports into the patients’ medical records after these have been noted by the doctor, as and when necessary
• Ensure prompt check‑out of medical records in MRMS before dispatch to Medical Record Office for filing
• Arrange appointments or referrals to other department / hospitals / stepdown care for continuity of care
• Assist with the scheduling of patients’ appointments and communicate with patients and next of kin of the availability of appointments
• Ensure the necessary documentation or referral memos required are prepared for patients
• Communicate and highlight to the various hospitals / patients / next of kin for follow‑up care
• Assist in orientation and supervision of junior staff
• Assist in the orientation of new PSA and precept new PSA with counter duties
• Participate in performance improvement activities and career development through in‑service education and on‑the‑job training
• Participate in quality improvement projects
• Participate in workgroups and committees as assigned
• Attend and achieve 40 hours of approved training per year
• Perform general clerical duties
• Assist the Supervisor in preparing the PSA’s roster
• Perform secretariat duties such as managing and planning the weekly clinical advisor roster, and coordinating and arranging regular meetings with various stakeholders
• Provide operational and logistical support for the department, such as the purchasing and maintenance of office inventory

GENERAL (20%)

• Assist in the implementation and compliance to hospital policies by self and members of the team
• Assist staff nurses in defaulter management by tracking, scheduling appointments, contacting and informing patients of the appointment
• Assist in interpretation / chaperoning when the need arises and prepare patient physically and mentally for any procedure and treatment
• Exercise economy and care in the use of supplies to maximise utilisation of resources
• Demonstrate awareness of policies and procedures and ensure that actions are consistent to infection control standards
• Promote and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships within the team, with other staff and the public
• Be responsible for exercising maximum care, good judgement and attitude in preventing Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) practices
• Perform venepuncture and nursing procedures as required (only for trained staff)
• Carry out any other duties as assigned by Supervisor to ensure an efficient and effective service to the patients and public

Requirements

Competency

• Service-oriented, confident and have a passion for helping others
• Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
• Strong logical and problem‑solving skills, with effective decision‑making under pressure
• Exhibit positive service delivery and teamwork

Educational and Professional Requirements

• Diploma holder / GCE ‘O’ Level
• Minimum 1 year of working experience, preferably in healthcare
• Fluent in English and/or Mandarin, Malay, or common dialect
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications

Able to commit to 3 rotating shifts

7am to 2.45pm / 1.45pm to 9.30pm / 9pm to 7.30am (next day) Long shift (7am to 7pm / 9am to 9pm)

If there is no night shift scheduled for the week, one long shift will be assigned to fulfil the weekly working hours. Night shifts are approximately 10 hours.

About IMH

The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore, established in 1928, is a premier 2,000‑bed psychiatric hospital nestled in Buangkok Green Medical Park, providing comprehensive mental health services across 50 inpatient wards and 7 outpatient clinics, while also playing a pivotal role in training the next generation of mental health professionals through the NHG‑AHPL Residency Programme and collaborations with local academic institutions.