Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading healthcare organization as a Patient Access Specialist, where you'll provide exceptional customer service, manage patient information, and support scheduling and registration processes. This role requires strong communication skills and a commitment to patient confidentiality. You'll work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with various departments to ensure a seamless patient experience. If you have a background in customer service or medical office settings, we encourage you to apply and be part of our mission to deliver high-quality healthcare.

Benefits

Wide range of benefits

Qualifications

• 2-3 years customer service or medical office experience required.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional customer service and maintain patient confidentiality.
• Schedule appointments and collect patient demographic information.
• Communicate information about physician referrals and insurance.

Skills

Customer service orientation

Communication

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

Epic

Job description

Join to apply for the Patient Access Specialist role at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.

Description

The Patient Access Specialist reflects the mission, vision, and values of NMHC, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Responsibilities

1. Practice Patients First philosophy and adhere to high standards of customer service, setting an example for peers and fostering a team atmosphere.
2. Respond to questions and concerns.
3. Notify Team Lead or Operations Coordinator of extraordinary issues.
4. Maintain patient confidentiality per HIPAA regulations.
5. Provide exceptional customer service to establish a positive first impression.
6. Exceed consumer requests and escalate issues as needed.
7. Identify and collect patient demographic information according to standards.
8. Interact with hospital departments and physician offices to schedule and direct patients effectively.
9. Schedule appointments with patients.
10. Perform medical necessity checks for scheduled services and communicate options if appointments fail.
11. Inform patients of issues with securing financial accounts.
12. Complete out-of-pocket estimations upon request.
13. Provide training and education as needed.
14. Manage work schedule efficiently, completing tasks on time.
15. Perform other duties as assigned by manager.
16. Participate in cross-training to ensure coverage across departments.
17. Participate in Quality Assurance reviews to ensure data integrity.
18. Use effective service recovery skills to resolve problems.
19. Follow department and hospital policies and procedures.
20. Avoid putting patients at financial or safety risk.
21. Perform other duties as assigned.

Communication and Collaboration

1. Communicate information about physician referrals, insurance, and consultations.
2. Collect authorization numbers in appropriate systems.
3. Create a professional environment for communication and resolve operational issues.
4. Attend meetings within the hospital campus as needed.
5. Report customer satisfaction issues.
6. Demonstrate teamwork and respect diverse opinions.
7. Support internal staff providing direct patient care.
8. Accommodate all communication levels.

Technology

1. Use online systems to verify or print patient orders.
2. Verify insurance eligibility and benefits using online tools or by phone.
3. Write clear handoff instructions in Epic.
4. Use computer applications efficiently.
5. Perform real-time insurance eligibility checks.
6. Send descriptive and grammatically correct Epic messages and telephone encounters.

Efficiency, Process Improvement, and Business Growth

1. Proactively prevent visit issues by double-checking test types, preparations, and scheduling details.
2. Ensure complete and accurate registration data.
3. Understand and meet quality metrics.
4. Analyze account activity and initiate resolutions.
5. Suggest and participate in process improvements.
6. Monitor registration and scheduling quality standards.
7. Adjust processes to meet standards.
8. Utilize resources efficiently.
9. Serve as a training resource for new staff and coworkers.
10. Adapt to schedule changes and evolving healthcare policies.

EOE including Disabled and Veterans.

Qualifications

Required:

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• 2-3 years customer service or medical office experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in data-entry and typing.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English.
• Basic computer skills.
• Type 40 wpm.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Customer service orientation.
• Strong organizational, time management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred:

• Additional education.
• Additional language skills.
• Experience in healthcare finance or insurance.
• Experience in patient scheduling or registration.

Equal Opportunity

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, respecting diversity and prohibiting discrimination based on protected statuses.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to support employees' well-being. Visit our Benefits section for more information.