Appointment Clerk

Kaiser Permanente; Lancaster (CA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in healthcare seeks a dedicated member assistance representative to provide high-quality service in a fast-paced call center environment. This role involves scheduling appointments, responding to member inquiries, and utilizing superior customer service skills to ensure member satisfaction. You'll be a vital part of a team that prioritizes member needs and enhances service quality. If you thrive in a structured environment and enjoy helping others, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in a call center environment handling high volume calls.
• Ability to prioritize member needs and manage scheduling effectively.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and manage appointments for members while providing excellent customer service.
• Respond to incoming calls and determine appointment needs promptly.

Skills

Customer Service Skills

Communication Skills

Tact and Diplomacy

Problem-Solving

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

Online Databases

Job description

This position provides high level member assistance by scheduling various appointments requested, transferring calls appropriately, composing messages, and providing general information.

• Upholds Kaiser Permanente's Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities, and applicable state, federal, and local laws.
• Operates in a high volume, highly structured call center environment by responding to incoming calls.
• Determines the type of appointment requested or needed, reviews scheduling options for various physicians/providers, and schedules appointments using appropriate guidelines.
• Prioritizes member needs and offers alternatives when appropriate.
• Utilizes superior customer service skills to assist members, especially when diffusing difficult encounters.
• Uses tact and diplomacy in handling challenging interactions with members.
• Assesses if calls are urgent or emergent by listening to the member, following guidelines, and transferring to a Registered Nurse when necessary.
• Composes messages for physicians/providers, Registered Nurses, or other medical staff based on member requests.
• Responds courteously and professionally to general questions, using online databases to provide information to members or personnel.
• Identifies ways to improve service quality and suggests steps for implementation.
• Performs clerical duties such as assigning primary care physicians to new members, processing self-referral requests, scheduling specialty appointments, and managing appointment cancellations or rescheduling.
• Answers incoming calls, determines appointment needs, and schedules or reschedules appointments accordingly.
• Prioritizes member needs, offers alternatives, and refers urgent calls to RNs following guidelines.
• Composes messages for providers based on member requests and utilizes databases for information dissemination.
• Refers members to the eligibility department as needed and notifies members of scheduling changes.
• Contacts departments to obtain medical record numbers, resolves related issues, and initiates change requests for physicians and medical records.
• Verifies and updates member demographics, performs online inquiries, retrieves data, and maintains activity logs.
• Performs routine maintenance of office equipment and recommends procedural improvements.
• Trains and orients new personnel, serves as a resource to colleagues, and assists in problem-solving.
• Performs other duties as assigned, including contacting medical staff to assist members.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as directed.

About the company

Providing high-quality, affordable health care services and improving the health of our members and the communities we serve.