Patient Access & Scheduling Specialist

01 ETCH East Tennessee Children's Hospital Association, Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

East Tennessee Children's Hospital Association, Inc. is seeking a patient access specialist to serve as the primary point of contact for patient registration, insurance verification, appointment scheduling, and resolving billing issues.

The role reports to the Manager and focuses on accurate data entry, efficient communication with patients and families, and adherence to privacy and hospital policies. Prior call center or healthcare experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED preferred; no specific education requirement.
• Prior experience in a call center and healthcare setting preferred.
• No supervisory responsibilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in computer data entry, calendar applications, and databases.
• Knowledge of customer service practices and principles.
• Strong research and problem‑solving abilities.
• License or certification not required.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming telephone calls in a courteous and helpful manner, handle inquiries, refer calls appropriately, and relay detailed messages while maintaining confidentiality.
• Field outbound calls such as insurance referrals, medical records requests, and waitlist management.
• Register new patients and update patient information in the scheduling system.
• Verify and create subscriber information in the computer system.
• Copy, file, and retrieve medical records as requested.
• Schedule follow‑up appointments and provide necessary forms for parents.
• Interview and identify legal guardians to obtain necessary information.
• Help identify problems to ensure first submission claims are clean.
• Review procedure and diagnosis codes; work with RBO to appeal denials.
• Maintain professionalism, privacy, confidentiality, and compliance with hospital policies.
• Handle patient/family complaints confidentially and within 24 hours.
• Support effective department‑wide relationships and teamwork.
• Complete all required training and practice education.
• Mentor new staff and provide leadership as needed.
• Accept other assignments as requested.
• Utilize hospital resources efficiently and maintain a safe work area.
• Balance credit card machines and provide financial information to ETCH Financial Services team.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Computer data entry

Calendar applications

Databases

Customer service knowledge

Problem solving

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Scheduling system

Job description

East Tennessee Children's Hospital Association, Inc. is seeking a patient access specialist to serve as the primary point of contact for patient registration, insurance verification, appointment scheduling, and resolving billing issues.

The role reports to the Manager and focuses on accurate data entry, efficient communication with patients and families, and adherence to privacy and hospital policies. Prior call center or healthcare experience is preferred.