SECRETARY

Covenant Health; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Covenant Health seeks an organized Secretary for Admitting & Registration at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. The role supports patient intake, front-desk operations, and accurate data entry to ensure smooth registration and billing processes.

Responsibilities include greeting patients, scheduling, collecting payments, and maintaining records while adhering to payor regulations and downtime procedures. Hospital experience preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or its equivalent required; typing, filing and general office procedures experience preferred.
• Must read with comprehension, write legibly, perform simple arithmetic, and use proper grammar.
• Medical terminology training or on-the-job experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Greets and assists patients, identifies self, and explains the registration process.
• Accurately schedules and enters orders and charges in the computer system.
• Photocopies forms and returns originals to customers.
• Follows department downtime procedures.
• Maintains working knowledge of hospital departments and locations of services.
• Collects payments, balances cash, and completes receipts.

Skills

Typing 45 wpm

Medical terminology

Cash handling

Communication

Basic computer skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Secretary, Admitting & Registration

Full Time, 80 Hours Per Pay Period, Variable Shifts

Methodist Overview

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge , part of Covenant Health, is a trusted regional hospital serving East Tennessee with advanced care and a personal touch. With more than 30 specialties, including cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and vascular care, the facility offers innovative treatments for complex conditions like aneurysms, joint damage, heart failure, and chronic wounds. Backed by a team of over 1,000 healthcare professionals and 250 physicians, Methodist Medical Center combines state-of-the-art technology with compassionate care, earning national recognition for patient safety and excellence in stroke and heart care. Our facilities offer patients all the benefits of medical expertise and innovation while still embodying the convenience of a hometown medical center that is close to the support of family and friends.

Position Summary

To accept assignment to any work station where patients are received and registered.

Responsibilities

• Greets and assists patients, identifies self, and briefly explains registration process.
• Accurately schedules and enters orders and/or charges through the computer system.
• Photocopies any necessary forms, returning originals to customer.
• Follows department “downtime” procedures.
• Possesses a working knowledge of hospital department services and the location of same.
• Collects payments and/or deposits, balances cash collected and correctly completes receipts.
• Obtains written orders from physicians; maintains a good working relationship with physicians, their staffs, and all hospital departments.
• Obtains and verifies pre-certification patient eligibility and/or referrals when required by payor.
• Obtains complete and accurate demographic and financial information from patients; obtains necessary signatures for release of information and assignment of benefits.
• Completes pre-registration process and accepts reservations.
• Effects assignment or transfer of patients to appropriate beds within the hospital, and prepares patient identification armbands.
• Files department documents in a timely and accurate manner.
• Demonstrates understanding of payor regulations including, bot not limited to: Medicare; 72-hour rule; and secondary payor rules.
• Compiles statistical reports including: census; ER log; room reservations; and requests for patient rooms.
• Courteously answers telephone calls, rotates calls, takes messages, or completes caller’s request.
• NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Other duties as assigned.
• HEALTH/SAFETY/COMPETENCE: Cannot pose a direct threat to health or safety of self or others. Must provide safe, efficient, competent care to customer or patient population assigned. Must demonstrate competency of the unit specific functions described in the performance continuum, skill lists and/or standards.

Qualifications

Minimum Education

A high school diploma or its equivalent is required. Course work or on-the-job experience in typing, filing and general office procedures is required. Must be able to read with comprehension, write legibly, and perform simple arithmetic calculations and be proficient in the use of proper grammar. Additional training or on-the-job experience with medical terminology is preferred. Word processing skills are required, and must be able to type a minimum of forty-five net words per minute.

Minimum Experience

Previous secretarial experience in a hospital setting is preferred.

Licensure Requirements

None is required.