Patient Access Rep

Baystate Health; Springfield (MA); On-site; USD 27,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Baystate Health is seeking an Administrative Support role to assist the patient experience across reception, registration, demographic and insurance verification tasks. The role operates under supervision by the Practice Supervisor or Manager, handling a broad range of duties from greeting patients to scheduling and documentation.

The position emphasizes strong customer service, confidentiality, and accurate data entry, with responsibilities spanning telephone handling, appointment management,

Qualifications

• Experience or education equivalent to HS graduation.
• 18 months of experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients promptly in a warm, friendly manner and protect patient confidentiality.
• Verify demographics and insurance; initiate contact for financial counseling as needed.
• Process co-payments and payments; balance cash drawer and prepare deposits.
• Answer phones promptly and route to the appropriate person; manage administrative messages.
• Schedule new, follow-up, and walk-in appointments per practice guidelines; manage wait lists.
• Process incoming mail and faxes daily according to guidelines.
• Prepare documents for scanning and ensure releases or approvals are in place.

Skills

Medical terminology

Keyboard

Microsoft Office

Scheduling systems

Medical records

Billing

Basic math

Language

Reading and writing

Customer service

Education

HS graduation

Job description

Summary:

In collaboration with the multi-disciplinary care team performs the administrative tasks necessary to support exceptional patient-centered care; such as, reception, registration, demographic and insurance verification, answer telephone calls and direct to the appropriate individual, strong customer service skills among patients and multidisciplinary team. As a level II works independently under the supervision of the Practice Supervisor or Manager.

Job Responsibilities:

• Managing the Patient Experience:
  Greets patients promptly in warm, friendly manner demonstrating appropriate amount of interest or concern. Smile, make eye contact, use welcoming language (hello, welcome, how can I help you today). To maintain patient confidentiality use the system to verify reason for visit. Gather and/or verify patient demographics. Confirm that we have referrals or pre-authorizations if necessary. Give the patient a provider update (on time or running late, etc.).
  Hospitality:
  Maintain waiting area, check reading materials, play areas, etc. Direct patient and family members to restrooms and other amenities. Check to see if there is any other way you can assist. Employees at this level are comfortable with a wide diversity of patients their families and caregivers and can address concerns and make recommendations for improving their experience.
• Insurance Verification:
  Request proof of insurance; verify using appropriate systems, initiates contact for financial counseling. Assist patients or customers fill out and complete medical release of information accurately.
  Understands insurance coverage and understands billing for part A (hospital) and part B (provider).
• Payments:
  Co-payments- Requests, accepts and documents co-payments and payments on account balances and releases change. Secures cash drawer according to departmental procedures. Prepares daily deposit. Prepares deposit slips and submits with payments. Reconciles collections and billing information. Provides a receipt.
• Communication:
  Develops and maintains working relationships with coworkers and providers, other agencies and ancillaries. Receives and provides information as necessary while complying with policies and regulations (e.g. HIPPA). Addresses public in a cheerful customer service focused manner. Demonstrates awareness of cultural differences and adjusts to accommodate differences. Manages difficult conversations.
• Check out:
  Following departmental protocol reviews patient information to ensure patient has necessary information, schedule follow-up/next visits, and provide referrals. Time stamp patient out in appropriate system(s). Depart summary is offered to every patient.
• Telephone:
  Answers telephones in prompt courteous manner within practice time frames. Routes phone call to appropriate person and/or creates message in system. Works administrative messages and responds or directs calls as appropriate.
• Appointments:
  Schedules/creates new, follow-up or walk-in appointments according to practice guidelines. Ensures a duplicate medical record number is not created. Makes reminder calls to patients. Cancels appointments managing wait lists and no shows.
• Mail Processing/Faxes:
  Opens, sorts and distributes all incoming mail and faxes daily according to practice guidelines.
• Documentation:
  Prints orders, letters, or one or two pages medical records (directs or assists in contacting HIM for larter records), obtaining appropriate releases or approvals in compliance with practice policy and regulations (e.g. HIPPA). Prepares documents for scanning.
• Schedules:
  Works physician schedules ensuring patients are seen in accordance with practice guidelines. Works with physicians and practice manager or supervisor to schedule or reschedule appointments to meet patient or practice needs.
• Leadership:
  Understands and complies with office procedures and policies. Makes recommendation for changes to improve quality, efficiency or patient experience.
• Interpreter Services:
  If approved, provides interpreter services for nurses, providers and social services staff as needed. Accurately interprets questions, information and instructions for patients and providers much of which includes medical terminology. Explain cultural differences to patients and providers to promote understanding and facilitate quality patient care. Translate brief provider instructions for patient/family into target language. Spot translate written documents as necessary to or from target language. Completes one evaluation translation annually.
• Other Duties-Practice Specific:
  Responsibilities may be more specialized than as detailed above in larger practices or may include additional duties in smaller practices (e.g. may Prep Roster, schedule surgery, etc.).
• May be required to float to or cross-train in other practices or departments based on organization and patient needs.

Required Work Experience:

• Experience or education equivalent to that generally received by obtaining HS graduation

Preferred Work Experience:

• 18 months

Skills and Competencies:

• Medical terminology, keyboard, Microsoft office products, schedule systems, medical records (electronic and paper), billing, basic math, language, reading and writing, customer service
• If applicable validates interpretation and translation and attends Interpreter in-service meetings as required

Note: The compensation range(s) in the table below represent the base salaries for all positions at a given grade across the health system. Typically, a new hire can expect a starting salary somewhere in the lower part of the range. Actual salaries may vary by position and will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience. No employee will be paid below the minimum of the range. Pay ranges are listed as hourly for non-exempt employees and based on assumed full time commitment for exempt employees.

Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum

$19.29 - $22.16 - $25.87

Baystate Health is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.