Patient Service Representative - Heartland River City

HeartlandHealth; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Heartland River City is seeking a Patient Services Representative to be the friendly first contact for patients at Heartland Community Health Center. You will manage check-in/out, answer calls, and guide patients through appointments with empathy and accuracy.

The role emphasizes HIPAA compliance, data privacy, and coordinating between patients and clinical staff to ensure smooth visits and minimal wait times. Prior healthcare experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; healthcare admin certification preferred.
• Experience in healthcare or patient service roles preferred.
• Completion of Mental Health First Aid Certificate within 90 days of hire.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in using EHR systems and basic computer applications.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients and visitors professionally.
• Assist patients with check-in and check-out processes.
• Answer phone calls and respond to patient inquiries regarding appointments, services, and general information.
• Address and resolve patient complaints or concerns promptly and professionally.
• Provide information about the healthcare facility’s services, policies, and procedures.
• Facilitate communication between patients and clinical staff to ensure a smooth experience.
• Ensure that services are accessible to all patients.
• Use de-escalation techniques to manage and resolve conflicts calmly and professionally.
• May respond to crisis calls and connect to crisis services.
• Handle patient inquiries and tasks promptly to minimize wait times.
• Ensure information provided to patients is accurate and complete.
• Appointment Scheduling: schedule/confirm appointments, coordinate with staff for urgent needs, and manage conflicts.
• Maintain/update patient records in the EHR upon arrival.
• Ensure confidentiality per HIPAA regulations.
• Verify insurance information and assist with pre-authorization; collect co-pays/deductibles.
• Assist patients with basic billing questions and liaise with billing to resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare and manage patient paperwork and general office duties.
• Keep waiting/reception areas clean and organized.
• Adhere to HIPAA and protect patient rights.

Skills

Excellent communication

Empathy

Customer service

HIPAA knowledge

EHR proficiency

Education

High school diploma

Healthcare administration training

Job description

Patient Services Representative (PSR) @ Heartland River City

Reports to

Front Desk Coordinator

Status

Non-Exempt (Hourly $19.00 - $25.00)

Job Purpose

A Patient Services Representative (PSR) at Heartland plays a vital role in the health center, ensuring that patients have a positive experience from their first point of contact to their final interaction. This position combines administrative and customer service duties, requiring excellent communication skills, empathy, and attention to detail.

At Heartland, we are a people-centered environment dedicated to providing exceptional care and service to our patients. This role requires the ability to manage stress and maintain composure in a fast-paced, sometimes high-pressure setting. This role will require the ability to handle difficult situations and calm distressed patients to ensure a safe and supportive atmosphere. A foundational understanding of medical or dental terms to effectively communicate with patients and healthcare professionals is highly preferred.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Greet patients and visitors in a friendly and professional manner.
• Assist patients with check-in and check-out processes.
• Answer phone calls and respond to patient inquiries regarding appointments, services, and general information.
• Address and resolve patient complaints or concerns promptly and professionally.
• Provide information about the healthcare facility’s services, policies, and procedures.
• Facilitate communication between patients and clinical staff to ensure a smooth experience.
• Ensure that services are accessible to all patients.
• Use de-escalation techniques to manage and resolve conflicts calmly and professionally.
• May respond to crisis phone calls or interactions and will need to connect to crisis services.
• Handle patient inquiries and tasks promptly and efficiently to minimize wait times.
• Ensure that information provided to patients is accurate and complete.
  
• Appointment Scheduling:
  • Schedule and confirm patient appointments, ensuring optimal utilization of the provider’s template.
  • Coordinate with clinical staff to accommodate urgent appointments, triage and walk-ins.
  • Coordinate with clinical staff to ensure appointment availability and manage scheduling conflicts.
• Maintain and update patient records in the electronic health record (EHR) system upon patients arrival.
• Ensure accuracy and confidentiality of patient information in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
  
• Insurance and Billing:
  • Verify patient insurance information and assist with pre-authorization processes.
  • Collect co-pays, deductibles, and other payments, providing receipts and handling financial transactions.
  • Assist patients with basic billing questions and connect with billing department to resolve any discrepancies.
• Administrative Duties:
  • Prepare and manage patient paperwork, including consent forms, medical histories, and insurance documentation.
  • Perform general office duties such as filing, faxing, scanning, and mail distribution.
  • Keep the waiting and reception areas clean and organized.
• Confidentiality & Patient Privacy:
  • Adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. By protecting patients’ rights by maintaining confidentiality of personal and financial information.
  • Limit access to patient information to authorized personnel only.
  • Shred or securely dispose of documents containing patient information when they are no longer needed.
  • Conduct conversations involving patient information in private areas where they cannot be overheard by unauthorized individuals.
  • Verify the identity of callers before discussing patient information over the phone.
  • Verify patient identity before sharing information or discussing their appointment information.
  • Use secure channels for electronic communication of patient information (e.g., encrypted emails, secure messaging systems).
  • When scheduling appointments, avoid sharing unnecessary details that could reveal sensitive information to bystanders.
  • Handle patient complaints and issues with empathy and professionalism.
  • Escalate complex issues to the supervisor or appropriate department for resolution.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; additional education or certification in healthcare administration or a related field preferred.
• Previous experience in a healthcare setting or patient service role preferred.
• Completion of Mental Health First Aid Certificate within 90 days of hire.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in using EHR systems and basic computer applications (e.g., MS Office, MS Teams).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure.
• Fast-paced medical office environment.
• Regular interaction with patients, medical staff, and insurance companies.
• This role may be exposed to infections and contagious diseases.
• This role is subject to interruptions.
• This role completes tasks that are performed in close physical proximity to other people.
• This role requires working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• This role requires de-escalation skills.

Physical Requirements

• Moves equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Moves throughout the building to meet with employees, patients, or visitors.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position during shift.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Frequent communication with patients about their experience at the health center. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as tablets, scanners, printers, and phones.
• Adhere to process protocol or procedures.

Details

• Schedule: Full-time non-exempt (hourly).
  • Hours Mon-Friday 8:00AM - 7:00PM (as needed) (average 40 hours/week)
  • Hours Saturday 8:00AM - 12:00PM (if applicable)
  • Shifts are typically 8 hours.
    
• Location: Heartland Community Health Center or Heartland at River City (1312 W. 6 th Street)
  • Schedule may be altered by supervisor(s) as needed to allow for completion of expected duties of the position.