Patient Access Associate

Primary Function

Responsible for obtaining Personal Health Information (PHI) for all Kent patients in a timely, professional and caring manner. This information, entered into the Hospital’s Information and Clinical Systems, includes demographic and financial information that will be used by all departments within the hospital. Assists in maintaining financial integrity of the hospital through the verification of patient insurance information through online communication with payers, appropriate collection of co-payments at time of registration and manages the daily operations relative to patient bed assignments.

Responsibilities

-Greet and receive patients and visitors, assist in comforting and interacting with patients and their families as well as communicating with police and rescue personnel where applicable.

-Obtain complete and accurate Personal Health Information (PHI) necessary to properly register patients into the Hospital Information and Clinical Systems (Patcom and Affinity) in a timely manner with little or no inconvenience or frustration to the patient. Explain financial requirements and other regulatory mandates to the patient in a professional and caring manner.

-Communicate with physicians’ offices to ensure accuracy of information needed to appropriately schedule and register a patient.

-Obtain signatures for consent to surgery/treatment, financial responsibility, and all other required authorizations.

-Collect insurance co-payments for Emergency Department visits and Out-Patient Services. When appropriate, collect co-payments, deposits, and deductibles during the registration process.

-Organize test results, registration and medical forms for inclusion in the patient’s permanent medical record.

-Create daily reports to identify daily registration schedules and distribute to appropriate areas.

-Assists in maintaining financial integrity of the hospital through verification of patient insurance information through online communication with payers using the SSI system.

-Scans insurance card, physician orders and important documents into SSI Optical Imaging System.

-Explains and issues regulatory required information such as: HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, Important Message to Medicare Patients, Medicare Advance Beneficiary Notice and Advance Directive Information.

-Manages the daily operation relative to patient bed assignments utilizing the Electronic Bedboard and Bed Tracking system. Coordinates the various components of patient bed assignment including solely determining appropriate nursing units for all post-operative, emergency department transfers, and direct admissions into the hospital. Must ensure the Operating Rooms are not stopped due to unavailability while ensuring the ED does not go on diversion due to bed unavailability. Serves as a liaison to physicians, Nursing ED and Outpatient Surgery to resolve bed assignment issues. Coordinates daily Bed Management meeting.

-Continually monitors transactions in the Patcom and Affinity Information Systems to insure an accurate daily Hospital census in both systems.

-Consistently maintains a courteous, helpful and professional manner with all other staff, patients and their families. Promotes customer service in daily dealing with anyone with whom contact is made.

-Performs all other related duties as assigned.

Job Qualifications and Specifications

A High School Diploma and a minimum of two year job-related experience or equivalent is required. Certificate of Medical Terminology and strong oral communications skills are preferred. Exceptional patient relation and customer service skills are critical. Minimum typing speed of 40 wpm with a working knowledge of personal computers with an ability to utilize multiple applications within an environment are required. Experience in a medical office or customer service preferred.

Care New England Health System (CNE) and its member institutions—Butler Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, Kent Hospital, VNA of Care New England, Integra, The Providence Center, and Care New England Medical Group, and our Wellness Center—are trusted organizations fueling the latest advances in medical research, attracting the nation’s top specialty-trained doctors, and honing renowned services and innovative programs to engage in the important discussions people need to have about their health.

Americans with Disability Act Statement: External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled must be able to perform the essential job-specific functions either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation, to be determined by the organization on a case-by-case basis.

EEOC Statement: Care New England is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status

Ethics Statement: Employee conducts himself/herself consistent with the ethical standards of the organization including, but not limited to hospital policy, mission, vision, and values.