Patient Services Advocate

Northwest Extremity Specialists; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwest Extremity Specialists in Portland, ME is seeking a Patient Services Advocate to help resolve patient issues related to claims, benefits, referrals, and access. You will manage a high volume of inbound calls, enter patient information into the practice management system, and support smooth front desk operations with professionalism.

The role emphasizes exceptional customer service, clear communication, HIPAA compliance, and teamwork with clinicians and staff to ensure a positive patient

Qualifications

• Three (3) or more years of experience in a medical setting.
• Proficient computer skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with patients and physicians.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients and verify visit purpose to determine priority.
• Input patient information into the practice management system.
• Verify eligibility and perform financial screenings.
• Monitor patient wait times and update patients on status.
• Schedule appointments and review charts before visits.
• Manage telephone calls and resolve inquiries.
• Communicate with care team to ensure seamless hand-offs.
• Collect patient co-pays and reconcile daily.
• Maintain waiting areas and keep them clean.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Telephone etiquette

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Problem-solving

HIPAA compliance

Tools

Practice management system

Job description

As a Patient Services Advocate, you will be responsible for helping resolve patient issues pertaining to claims, benefits, referrals, physicians, and access. You will also be responsible for managing a high volume of inbound calls, entering patient information into information systems, and resolving caller’s issues with outstanding customer service skills.

The Patient Services Advocate will assist with coordinating center activities and advising patient flow throughout the center and supporting the medical providers in the delivery of patient care especially related to the patient intake and registration process. Functions as an ambassador is welcoming and attentive to the needs of all patients and creates a positive front office patient experience by managing expectations while demonstrating compassion and respect. Also functions as a member of the health care team by assisting in the delivery of patient-focused care by demonstrating excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Patient Service Responsibilities:

• Responsible for greeting and verifying the purpose for the patient’s visit to determine patient priority.
• Responsible for inputting all information into practice management system.
• Responsible for verifying eligibility as well as performing financial screenings.
• Responsible for monitoring patient wait times and proactively communicating with patients regarding their status during the visit.
• Responsible for scheduling appointments. Responsible for reviewing and preparing charts in advance of the visit.
• Responsible for telephone management and ensuring that all calls are answered and resolved as expected.
• Responsible for communicating with the patient care team, which can include but is not limited to the medical assistants, providers, and other team members to ensure that the patient experiences a seamless transition between hand-offs and to ensure all patient needs are met.
• Responsible for the collection of patient co-pays and payments, as well as the daily reconciliation of their collections.
• Responsible for monitoring waiting rooms and ensuring that waiting areas are kept clean.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Strong service mentality and a focus on achieving all aspects of defined service standards.
• Excellent telephone and personal etiquette.
• Warm, positive, energetic demeanor
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Tactful and diplomatic communication style
• Outstanding professional demeanor, respectful.
• The ability to properly handle sensitive and confidential information (including HIPAA and PHI) in accordance with federal and state laws and company policies.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks and work on multiple projects/tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment without direct supervision.
• Ability to identify areas of opportunity, develop a plan of action to improve, implement and evaluate plan effectively.
• Ability to resolve colleague, client, and patient issues in an effective and timely manner.

Experience:

• Three (3) or more years of experience in a medical setting preferred.
• Proficient computer skills preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills, especially in the areas of patient and physician relations.