Patient Access Liaison I - Access Center - Full Time 8 Hour Rotating Shift (Non-Exempt) (Union)

Keck Medicine of USC; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

USC Care Medical Group seeks a Patient Access Liaison I to serve as a primary contact for access to USC academic medical centers. You will answer and route calls and messages, verify insurance, and schedule appointments as needed, all while upholding HIPAA and customer service standards.

The role offers potential remote work as organizational needs shift, with a strong emphasis on teamwork in the Patient Access Center. Prior customer service and healthcare exposure are preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 2 years in a customer service environment or 1 year in healthcare.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Answers, screens and directs calls, messages, and emails using the organizational system.
• Maintains courteous, professional behavior following customer service standards.
• May schedule and confirm initial and follow-up medical appointments.
• Verifies insurance as needed.
• Transports calls to appropriate departments or personnel.
• Complies with HIPAA regulations in processing messages.

Skills

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Multi-tasking

Verbal communication

Written communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate's or Bachelor's in healthcare/business/operations (preferred)

Tools

Practice management scheduling systems

Appointment scheduling software

Job description

Serves as primary point of contact for access to USC academic medical centers and USC Health Sciences Campus. Answers, screens and directs incoming and outgoing telephone calls, electronic messages and other web-based communications using a call management system. Responds to basic inquires and refers other inquires to appropriate medical personnel. Contacts and distributes messages to medical personnel using a variety of electronic methods including text, voice and email systems. The Patient Access Liaison I may schedule and confirm initial and follow-up medical appointments as needed.

Essential Duties

• 1. Demonstrates competency in the quality of work and knowledge of a Patient Access Representative.
• 2. Strives for first call resolution and demonstrates high level of customer service.
• 3. Maintains warm, courteous and professional behavior in accordance with the USC/Keck customer service standards while interacting with contacts, both internal and external.
• 4. Maintains consistent accuracy in all tasks associated with job role and tasks and responsibilities daily.
• 5. Exhibits collegial and professional demeanor in all interactions.
• 6. Contributes effectively as a productive team member to the Patient Access Center and USC/Keck.
• 7. Follows USC/Keck Communications standard and policy.
• 8. Accepts alternate assignments to any area within the organization as assigned by Management.
• 9. Expected to work from home as/when organizationally deployed, following the departmentally established guidelines and expectations for remote work.
• 10. Other duties as assigned
• 11. May verify insurance as needed
• 12. May page physicians as dictated by internal procedures, correctly, professionally and in a timely manner.
• 13. May perform follow up check with all open pages while on shift and before leaving shift.
• 14. Assists with staff and patient concerns courteously and professionally.
• 15. Answers, screens and directs incoming and outgoing telephone calls, electronic messages, omnichannel contacts and other web-based communications using the organizational communications management system. Transfers telephone calls to the appropriate department or medical personnel.
• 16. Processes messages following departmental procedure and ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations.
• 17. Assists with staff and patient concerns courteously and professionally.
• 18. Utilizes organizationally defined systems to perform patient communication.
• 19. May perform scheduling functions, to include scheduling, rescheduling appointments, cancelations and confirmations.
• 20. Using USC/Keck defined guidelines, and at their discretion, may carry out Service Recovery activity, and/or elevate to any Level 3/Lead or Supervisor within the Patient Access Center.

Required Qualifications

• Req High school or equivalent
• Req 2 years Minimum 2 years of experience working in a customer service department/ environment or 1 year in healthcare or some combination thereof.
• Req Demonstrated interpersonal skills.
• Req Ability to multi-task.
• Req Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pref Associate's degree Associates’ or Bachelors’ degree in healthcare, business or operations field strongly preferred.
• Pref Specialized/technical training Vocational certificates in healthcare preferred: appoint scheduling, registration, insurance verification, medical assistant.
• Pref Knowledge of HIPPA compliance and various health insurance types.
• Pref Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Pref Demonstrated knowledge of high-level computer literacy with practice management scheduling systems preferred.
• Pref Bilingual: Spanish, Chinese and other languages preferred.

Required Licenses/Certifications

• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

USC Care Medical Group serves as the sole physician entity reporting to the USC Health System, uniting faculty clinical practice under Keck Medicine of USC. This entity oversees clinical governance, physician and ambulatory services, and core enterprise functions including billing, contracting, and financial operations. The organization encompasses 17 clinical departments, with approximately 1,500 physicians and 2,000 staff delivering care across more than 80 locations from Kern County to Orange County and into Las Vegas. USC Care Medical Group is the engine for patient-centered growth—advancing quality, safety, access, and financial strength through integrated, system-level thinking that transcends silos and traditional models. By building bridges across the enterprise, embracing innovation, and leveraging technology, we deliver seamless, 5-Star access and service while expanding clinical reach and diversified models of care. Our work fuels a sustainable cycle of good health—organizationally, financially, and within the communities we serve—driving continued growth from within and beyond the system’s boundaries.
The hourly rate range for this position is $21.84 - $34.48. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.