The Patient Administrator will improve operational efficiency, optimise financial performance, and enhance patient experiences. The administrator will be responsible for all aspects of patient administration–admission, medical aid communication, authorisation, billing, and general administrative tasks.
The team member will have an obligation to clearly communicate with patients, assist the practice in identifying financial and reputational risks at the frontline (Admissions), and ensure quality admissions by safeguarding correct, accurate, complete, and relevant patient data. They will also ensure data integrity for use throughout the admission to receipt value chain and improve patient experience.
The team member will further be responsible for admissions and pre-admissions of patients, handling payments of private patients; co-payments, admit and discharge patients in a professional, friendly, and efficient manner, whilst creating and maintaining goodwill with all Doctors and their Reception team.
The Patient Administrator will have a strong focus on the billing and stock control departments, ultimately being responsible for billing, revenue transactions, revenue processes, and applying policies within the billing team. Tasks will be both financial and non-financial within the finance and billing team. The team member will be required to work with integrated systems and software across functions.
Key Responsibilities
- Compiling, quality checking, and processing of daily billing.
- Find resolutions to billing queries proactively
- Ensure invoices are generated as close to real-time processing as possible, with the applicable supporting documentation.
- Ensure billing ties in with accurate stock control.
- Prepare and submit billing reports and perform revenue assurance checks to avoid revenue leakage.
- Liaise with all departments to ensure accurate and complete billing.
- Perform month-end processing and financial administration.
- Check if the patient has any outstanding previous accounts.
- Assist private patients by preparing the pre-payment estimate according to hospital guidelines, using the approved documentation. All estimates to be signed off by the Hospital Manager or her designate.
- Identify financial risks proactively and communicate these to the Credit Controller.
- Collect payments according to protocols and prepare financial registers daily, being accountable for receipting functions as per policy.
- Conduct weekly banking on prescribed documentation according to protocol.
- Maintain a well-run, professional, and patient-focused admission environment.
- Manage the accuracy of the admission process and the prevention of potential risk factors.
- Work closely with credit controllers, nursing teams, stock controllers, and doctors to ensure synergy and teamwork.
- Assist patients in accurately completing appropriate forms and documents for the required information.
- Capture and record patient medical and personal information on the hospital system professionally, friendly, and timely, focusing on patient and visitor needs.
- Manage hospital risk by adhering to all related protocols.
- Handle money and receipting according to protocol
- Collect co-payments, private fees when applicable, and related documentation.
- Perform general administration duties involved in preadmission of patients.
- Bill and release accounts daily within 24 hours.
- Ensure submission of correct accounts to funders via provided platforms.
- Manage and correct all rejected claims daily
- Drive pre-admissions, admissions, and confirmations to achieve quality admissions that minimize risk and maximize revenue collections.
- Assist the Credit Controller in ensuring that medical aid tariff and option changes are implemented through messages and alerts to minimize confusion during the change-over period at year-end.
- Assist in resolving patient complaints according to best practices and monitor patient satisfaction to drive improvement action plans.
- Communicate effectively with key role players to enhance quality management.
- Identify and rectify non-compliance with business policies and procedures.
- Share patient and procedure information with theatre and wards for planning, including gender, age, and diagnosis details.
- Coordinate authorizations for patients, with hospitals providing assistance when requested.
- Update procedures and coding with funders as required.
- Capture notes on the system regarding actions taken, approvals, or arrangements for transparency among involved parties.
- Provide efficient and professional telephone services
- Assist patients in completing forms accurately and document all information per internal policies.
- Direct patients to appropriate locations, services, and medical professionals.
- Maintain patient confidentiality at all times in line with protocols and the POPPI Act.
- Ensure the reception area remains neat and tidy.
- Refer emergency cases to the nurse’s station according to protocol.
- Assist with basic account queries and escalate as necessary.
- Collect co-payments and private account balances per health policies and procedures.