Bilingual Patient Engagement Specialist I

Covenant Community Care; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation, sick, and personal time (VSP

Paid holidays

401(k)

Life insurance, long-term and short‑m?

Job summary

Covenant Community Care in Detroit is seeking a Patient Engagement Specialist I to provide professional, patient-centered service through the Contact Center. You will handle appointment scheduling, calls, and outreach under supervision, while documenting interactions in the EHR and verifying patient details.

The role requires strong communication, accuracy, and adherence to HIPAA. Bilingual English/Spanish candidates are preferred; employees undergo standard background checks and TB testing as

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of customer service experience preferred.
• Prior healthcare or contact center experience preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Respond to incoming calls; schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments; route messages and refill requests.
• Document interactions in the EHR and verify contact details.
• Provide information on insurance, payment options, and financial assistance.
• Conduct outbound outreach and appointment reminders; support population health initiatives.
• Communicate professionally with patients and staff; maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA.
• Collaborate with providers and departments; escalate issues as needed.

Skills

Customer service

Bilingual English/Spanish

Communication skills

HIPAA compliance

EHR navigation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

EHR system

Microsoft Office

Job description

Patient Engagement Specialist I

General Description: The Patient Engagement Specialist I provides professional, friendly, and patient-centered service to Covenant Community Care patients through the Contact Center. Under the direction of the Patient Engagement Supervisor, the specialist serves as the primary point of contact for incoming and outgoing patient communications, appointment scheduling, medication refill requests, patient outreach activities, and message routing.

The specialist utilizes established workflows, available resources, and organizational knowledge to assist patients and resolve concerns whenever possible while supporting Covenant Community Care’s commitment to quality care, patient access, and exceptional customer service.

Specific Duties

• Registration and Scheduling: Respond to incoming patient calls, schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments according to established protocols, route messages and refill requests to appropriate staff, document interactions in the EHR, collect and update patient demographic and insurance information, verify contact details, and provide general information about insurance, payment options, financial assistance programs, services, locations, hours of operation, and organizational procedures.
• Assess patient needs and utilize available resources, workflows, and departmental reference materials to resolve concerns whenever possible, forward calls to nursing staff, providers, or other departments when appropriate, route emergency calls, and elevate unresolved patient concerns or operational questions to the Patient Engagement Specialist II.
• Patient Access & Engagement: Conduct outbound patient communications and outreach activities, complete appointment reminder activities, participate in care gap outreach and population health initiatives, support patient portal enrollment, and relay healthcare information to patients accurately and professionally.
• Customer Service: Communicate professionally and courteously with patients, staff, and external partners, remain aware of potential emergency situations, act as a representative of Covenant Community Care by treating all employees and patients with dignity and respect.
• Inter-Departmental Collaboration: Communicate effectively with providers, nursing staff, site teams, and administrative departments, participate in departmental meetings, training activities, workflow updates, and technology enhancements, and notify leadership of recurring patient concerns and operational barriers.
• Policy & Compliance: Maintain compliance with HIPAA, patient confidentiality standards, documentation requirements, and organizational policies; adhere to established contact center workflows and service standards; perform other administrative duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Competencies

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of customer service experience preferred.
• Prior healthcare or contact center experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within an electronic health record.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Required Competencies:

• Interpret and comply with insurance requirements.
• Basic understanding of insurance information and eligibility requirements.
• Basic understanding of the Sliding Fee Discount Program.
• Exercise good judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions.
• Basic understanding of Federally Qualified Health Center operations and patient access requirements.
• Listen, write, and speak effectively with patients, staff, and leadership.
• Maintain professionalism, empathy, and culturally responsive communication.
• Follow established workflows, protect patient confidentiality, and use EHR, contact center, and Microsoft Office systems accurately and efficiently.
• Work in a fast‑paced environment while maintaining accuracy and customer service standards.
• Resolve complex patient concerns using sound judgment and established workflows.
• Recognize issues requiring escalation and follow established escalation processes.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Job Information

Job Type: Full‑time, 40 hours per week.

Candidates must successfully complete an office skills assessment, a criminal background check, and a TB test as part of the hiring process.

Benefits

At Covenant we offer our employees a comprehensive benefit program, including:

• Vacation, sick, and personal time (VSP).
• Paid holidays.
• 401(k).
• Life insurance, long‑term and short‑term disability.