Denials Process Automation Associate

athenahealth; Belfast (ME); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition assistance

Commuter support

Employee resource groups

Dog-friendly offices

Job summary

athenahealth is seeking a Denials Process Automation Associate to join the Denials Process Automation team. You will own a portfolio of automation opportunities, guiding discovery, prioritization, stakeholder alignment, and launch readiness to reduce manual denial work and improve revenue cycle outcomes.

The role collaborates with Product/R&D and operations to translate business requirements into scalable automation, leveraging AI-enabled tools for analysis and documentation.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in healthcare operations, revenue cycle management, automation-adjacent roles, product operations, process improvement, or a related operational environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, surface insights, connect metrics to operational outcomes, and communicate findings clearly.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and drive initiatives forward while collaborating across cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and communication skills; mastery of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Manage a service-level portfolio of DPA automation opportunity areas, including prioritization, stakeholder alignment, Product/R&D coordination, capacity planning, readiness decisions, and early outcome review.
• Partner closely with the AHI-based DPA team to connect portfolio-level automation priorities with opportunity-level execution, providing strategic context, operational guidance, and decision support.
• Serve as key partner to Product/R&D, helping clarify business requirements, feasibility questions, dependencies, release readiness, post-launch ownership, and capability-enablement needs.
• Utilize insights derived from denial and service performance trends, manual workflows, escalations, automation performance, and strategic priorities to guide opportunity development, sequencing, and portfolio decisions.
• Apply AI-enabled tools to accelerate analysis, discovery, documentation, solution design, and other operational activities that improve automation implementation and team effectiveness.
• Develop business artifacts, readouts, performance insights, outcome criteria, and readiness expectations that align stakeholders to service goals.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing, operational readiness, controlled rollout, post-launch acceptance, and escalation or remediation paths from a Denials service perspective.

Skills

Healthcare operations

Automation

Stakeholder communication

Data analysis

MS Office

Job description

Join us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.

Denials Process Automation Associate

We are looking for a Denials Process Automation Associate to join the Denials Process Automation team. In this role, the Denials Process Automation Associate will support automation that reduces manual claim-denial work while improving service efficiency, quality, revenue cycle outcomes, and client experience. This individual will own a service-level portfolio of automation opportunity areas, guiding opportunity development, prioritization, stakeholder alignment, Product/R&D coordination, launch readiness, and outcome review.

The Team:

The Denials Process Automation (DPA) lane is part of the Denials Management service and operates at the intersection of operations, automation, and product partnership. We maintain and improve denials automation already in production, develop new opportunities to automate high-value manual denials work, and help advance the tools, insights, and AI-enabled capabilities needed to reduce manual effort at scale. Our operating model combines stateside portfolio ownership with AHI-based opportunity ownership, creating a close partnership that connects service-level priorities with detailed discovery, implementation support, and operational execution. Together with Product/R&D and other operational stakeholders, we balance new automation, existing automation health, client value, revenue recovery, quality, maintainability, and long-term service outcomes.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage a service-level portfolio of DPA automation opportunity areas, including prioritization, stakeholder alignment, Product/R&D coordination, capacity planning, readiness decisions, and early outcome review.
• Partner closely with the AHI-based DPA team to connect portfolio-level automation priorities with opportunity-level execution, providing strategic context, operational guidance, and decision support to move assigned opportunity areas through discovery, implementation and outcome monitoring.
• Serve as key partner to Product/R&D, helping clarify business requirements, feasibility questions, dependencies, release readiness, post-launch ownership, and capability-enablement needs.
• Utilize insights derived from denial and service performance trends, manual workflows, escalations, automation performance, and strategic priorities to guide opportunity development, sequencing, and automation portfolio decisions.
• Apply AI-enabled tools to accelerate analysis, discovery, documentation, solution design, and other operational activities that improve automation implementation and team effectiveness.
• Develop business artifacts, readouts, performance insights, outcome criteria, and readiness expectations that align stakeholders to service goals and provide consistent clarity across initiatives.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing, operational readiness, controlled rollout, post-launch acceptance, and escalation or remediation paths from a Denials service perspective.

Typical Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in healthcare operations, revenue cycle management, automation-adjacent roles, product operations, process improvement, or a related operational environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, surface insights, connect metrics to operational outcomes, and communicate findings clearly. Experience translating complex operational concepts into clear documentation, requirements, success measures, and stakeholder-facing artifacts.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and drive initiatives forward while collaborating across cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and communication skills; mastery of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.

Expected Compensation

$50,000 - $86,000

The base salary range shown reflects the full range for this role from minimum to maximum. At athenahealth, base pay depends on multiple factors, including job-related experience, relevant knowledge and skills, how your qualifications compare to others in similar roles, and geographical market rates. Base pay is only one part of our competitive Total Rewards package - depending on role eligibility, we offer both short and long-term incentives by way of an annual discretionary bonus plan, variable compensation plan, and equity plans.

About Athenahealth

Our vision: In an industry that becomes more complex by the day, we stand for simplicity. We offer IT solutions and expert services that eliminate the daily hurdles preventing healthcare providers from focusing entirely on their patients — powered by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.

Our company culture:

Our talented employees — or athenistas, as we call ourselves — spark the innovation and passion needed to accomplish our vision. We are a diverse group of dreamers and do-ers with unique knowledge, expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives. We unite as mission-driven problem-solvers with a deep desire to achieve our vision and make our time here count. Our award-winning culture is built around shared values of inclusiveness, accountability, and support.

Our DEI commitment:

Our vision of accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all requires addressing the inequities that stand in the way. That's one reason we prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of our business, from attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce to maintaining an inclusive environment for athenistas, our partners, customers and the communities where we work and serve.

What We Can Do For You

Along with health and financial benefits, athenistas enjoy perks specific to each location, including commuter support, employee assistance programs, tuition assistance, employee resource groups, and collaborative workspaces — some offices even welcome dogs.

We also encourage a better work‑life balance for athenistas with our flexibility. While we know in‑office collaboration is critical to our vision, we recognize that not all work needs to be done within an office environment, full‑time. With consistent communication and digital collaboration tools, athenahealth enables employees to find a balance that feels fulfilling and productive for each individual situation.

In addition to our traditional benefits and perks, we sponsor events throughout the year, including book clubs, external speakers, and hackathons. We provide athenistas with a company culture based on learning, the support of an engaged team, and an inclusive environment where all employees are valued.

Learn more about our culture and benefits here: athenahealth.com/careers

https://www.athenahealth.com/careers/equal-opportunity