Patient Access Team Lead

St. Luke's Hospital - Sugar Land; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 31,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke's Health–Sugar Land Hospital is seeking an experienced leader to manage day-to-day patient access operations across assigned areas, including registration and payer processes. The role acts as SME for access workflows and supports real-time guidance to staff for accurate, timely processing.

You will work with clinical partners to reduce delays, ensure EMTALA/privacy compliance, and promote a positive patient experience while modeling professional behavior and accountability.

Qualifications

• Senior or lead capacity in patient access or registration experience.
• Experience in hospital-based access areas (ED, main registration, admitting).
• Familiarity with EMTALA and privacy standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership and workflow coordination for patient access operations.
• Escalate complex registration, insurance verification, and financial issues.
• Coach and support Patient Access Representatives and Financial Counselors to maintain service standards.

Skills

Leadership experience

Communication

Problem solving

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration

Tools

Epic EMR

Meditech EMR

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

• Provides day‑to‑day operational leadership and workflow coordination for hospital‑based patient access operations across assigned access areas, which may include Emergency Department, main registration, admitting, and payer notification workflows. Serves as a subject‑matter expert in patient access functions and acts as the first point of escalation for complex registration, insurance, authorization, and patient account issues. Supports patient access staff by providing real‑time guidance, workflow coordination, and issue resolution to ensure timely, accurate completion of access activities and a positive patient experience. Collaborates closely with supervisors and managers to support operational continuity, service quality, and adherence to established policies and procedures. Demonstrates accountability for relationship‑based care, organizational mission, and core values.
• Provide real‑time operational oversight and workflow coordination for patient access activities across assigned hospital access areas.
• Coordinate daily work assignments, task distribution, and area coverage to support patient flow, service standards, and operational continuity.
• Serve as the first point of escalation for complex registration, insurance verification, authorization, and patient financial issues, ensuring timely and appropriate resolution.
• Perform complex patient registration, insurance verification, authorization, and financial clearance activities as needed to support operations.
• Communicate patient financial responsibility, payment options, and available financial assistance resources, as appropriate, to support patient understanding.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and real‑time support to Patient Access Representatives, Financial Counselors, and Eligibility staff to reinforce accuracy, service standards, and best practices.
• Support onboarding and training reinforcement activities by assisting with knowledge transfer, workflow clarification, and peer support.
• Collaborate with clinical teams, revenue cycle partners, and ancillary departments to resolve access‑related issues and reduce delays in care or account processing.
• Monitor workflows to identify operational risks, delays, or recurring issues and elevate systemic concerns to leadership as appropriate.
• Support quality and compliance by reinforcing adherence to organizational policies, regulatory requirements (including EMTALA and privacy standards), and patient access procedures.
• Assist with resolution of patient complaints or concerns related to access and registration processes in accordance with established procedures. Participate in team meetings, shift handoffs, and operational communications to support continuity and effective information flow. Promote a professional, respectful, and service‑oriented environment that supports patient experience and team effectiveness. Demonstrate personal accountability for relationship‑based care, organizational mission, and core values.

Job Requirements

• High School Graduate, General Studies upon hire Required
• or
• High School GED, General Studies upon hire Required
• or
• Bachelors Other, Bachelor's degree in business management, healthcare administration or similar, preferred upon hire Preferred
• and
• 3–5 years of experience in patient access, healthcare registration, admitting, or a related hospital‑based access role. Required
• and
• Prior experience functioning in a senior, advanced, or lead capacity within patient access or registration.
• Required
• and
• Demonstrated experience supporting hospital‑based access areas, including Emergency Department, main registration, admitting, or related workflows.
• Required
• and
• Experience using electronic health record systems such as Epic and/or Meditech
• Preferred

Where You'll Work

St. Luke's Health–Sugar Land Hospital is a 100 bed facility serving residents of Fort Bend County and Southwest Houston. Our Family Birthing Center provides exceptional care in a spa‑like setting, creating a VIP (Very Important Pregnancy) experience for growing families. Since opening in 2008, our dedicated team of physicians, nurses and support staff has proudly delivered expert, compassionate care to our community. Our services range from heart care and neuroscience to robotic surgery.

Pay Range

$22.51 - $31.79 /hour