Patient Access Coordinator

South Shore Health System; Weymouth (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

South Shore Health System in Weymouth, MA seeks a Patient Access Clerk to be the first contact for patients, ensuring accurate identification, registration, and scheduling with focus on exceptional service and cultural sensitivity.

The role supports bed placement, flow monitoring, and regulatory compliance, including death processes, while leveraging EHR and downtime procedures to keep operations smooth.

Qualifications

• 92%+ accuracy in patient identification, scheduling and registration.
• Ability to collect copayments when applicable.
• Proficient with hospital EHR and patient data workflows.
• Strong customer service, communication, and cultural sensitivity.
• Knowledge of medical insurance and billing basics.

Responsibilities

• Function as initial contact for patients entering the health system.
• Coordinate bed placement and notify physicians and nursing staff.
• Support patient flow and scheduling in the department.
• Ensure death process forms and regulatory documents are handled.
• Maintain accurate registration, insurance eligibility and demographic data.
• Handle downtimes and manual processes when systems fail.
• Assist with floor management and emergency department support.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Telephone skills

Attention to detail

Cultural sensitivity

Education

High school diploma

Some college courses

Tools

EHR system

Insurance eligibility system

Timecard API

Job description

Job Description Summary

Under the guidance and direction of the Patient Access Supervisors, employees in this position are the initial point of contact for patients entering the Health System for care. This role requires exceptional customer service skills, the ability to maintain the highest level for professionalism with each interaction, and ability to support those with diverse cultural needs . This role supports multiple technical tasks needed to ensure patients are appropriately identified, registered ,and scheduled for their care needs.

Job Description

1. Can function with ease in all areas of Patient Access Department.

• Meets department standard of 98% accuracy rate rate when identifying, scheduling, and registering patients.
• Able to collect 30% of eligible copayments.
• Monitors and manages workflow as directed in the health system's EHR.
• Displays an understanding /sensitivity to each patients unique cultural needs. Demonstrates independence, proficiency, and accuracy with all scheduling and registration processes ensuring all regulatory and compliance requirements are maintained.

2. Coordinates Bed Placement Activities.

• Collaborates with Patient Flow Facilitators and Nursing Leadership to prioritize appropriate location of care. Has knowledge of patient precautions and infections before a patient can be placed on a nursing unit.
• Monitors bed occupancy within the hospital and maintains appropriate bed numbers based on nursing staff.
• Acts as a point of contact for attending physicians on all Pedi, Elective Pre-operative and Chemotheraphy patients needing admission to the hospital and collaborates placement with appropriate nursing units.
• Reviews elective surgical procedure schedule to assure appropriate utilization of patients and placement to speciality Nursing floors.
• Coordinates and collaborates with Patient Flow Facilitator, ACC, Case Managers and ED Nursing Leadership to monitor patient flow barriers,patients level of care and accuity, inorder for patient to be placed on appropriate nursing unit.
• Acts as a key contact for Physicians and Nursing staff on patient information and placement.

3. Floor Manager/Emergency Department.

• Monitors bed request.
• Assembles necessary paperwork to include federal and state regulated documents.
• Enforces physician suspension list.
• Supports patient arrival for care ensuring patient are identified, registered, and regulatory needs are met and maintained.
• and support patient flow during system downtimes that require using manual processes.

4. Manage Death Process

• Completes accurate Death Certificate Worksheet.
• Upon notification of death, places call to State Medical Examiner for Emergency Department deaths.
• Monitors and communicates with New England Organ Bank for release or donation following Federal Law and Regulations.
• Assures death certificate is completed accurately 100% of the time.
• Chart review of all deaths for match of date and time of death and medical legal status Under M.G.L. C 38, 3.
• Releases to Funeral Directors per Mass General Laws.

5. Embraces technological solutions to work processes and practices.

• Able to function using department computer programs, including Internal/External websites.
• Able to function and have a complete understanding of computer downtime process.
• Able to review, analyze, and act upon insurance eligibility system responses.
• Manage own API (timecard) system.

6. Fosters a “Culture of Safety” through personal ownership and commitment to a safe environment.

• Adheres to patient identification policies/procedures.
• Understands individual roles/responsibilities during hospital codes (e.g. Code Disaster, Code Red).
• Adheres to universal precautions and respiratory etiquette guidelines.
• Demonstrates completion of NIMS 100 training.

7. Scheduling and registration role.

• Effectively manages scheduling requests. Ensuring patients are properly identified in the health systems EHR and scheduled to appropriate appointment type.
• Able to accurately and independently schedule required appointment types
• Accurately schedules, cancels, reschedules, and manages waitlist for designated areas
• Works independently to complete daily assignments
• Completes with 98% accuracy all required registration items included but not limited to, all demographic requirements, patient identification practices, scanning and photographing of required patient information, interpreting and leveraging insurance eligibility systems to ensure appropriate insurance coverage for patient care, leverage financial counseling teams as needed
• Able to accurately check patients in for elective, emergent, and urgent care

Minimum Education - Preferred

High school diploma preferred, two (2) years of college preferred.

Minimum Work Experience

Minimum one (1) year admitting experience to become proficient.

Computer experience required. Strong telephone and interpersonal communication skills. Demonstrated skills in customer service. Knowledge of medical insurance. Able to demonstate problem solving and critical thinking skills.