Sr. Patient Access Associate - Breast Care Center

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Patient Access Associate position is responsible for obtaining and entering accurate demographic and insurance information in the electronic health record (EHR) on patients presenting at the various entry points of the facility. This position performs cashiering functions, ensuring that all hospital accounts are secure, through the collection of the required co-pay, deductibles and co-insurance. This position also performs the medical necessity check, to ensure compliance with Medicare guidelines, and regularly works in multiple areas and/or EHR work queues specific to patient access.

Responsibilities

Obtaining and entering accurate demographic and insurance information in the electronic health record (EHR) for patients at various entry points; Performing cashiering functions, including collection of co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance; Performing the medical necessity check to ensure compliance with Medicare guidelines; Working in multiple areas (e.g., emergency department registration, main registration, bed management, cashier) and/or EHR work queues specific to patient access; Employing effective communication and promoting excellent customer service; Serving as a resource, trainer and mentor to other team members; Adhering to EMTALA and HIPAA requirements; Obtaining and recording accurate patient demographic and insurance information by interviewing patients, family members and physicians; Explaining consent forms, obtaining signatures and responding to questions; Ensuring protected health information remains private and confidential; Performing insurance verification to determine patient out-of-pocket expenses; Accurately posting and receipting patient payments; Balancing cash drawer daily according to department policy; Alerting management to unusual or difficult situations impacting service level

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent education (e.g., GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education); Four years of customer service experience, including two years of experience in hospital registration; Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English; Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers; Ability to multi-task and be flexible to meet patient and department requirements; Knowledge of basic registration/access functions and insurance procedures; Ability to problem solve; Ability to remain calm in stressful situations with patience and understanding; Excellent customer service and professional communication skills; Proficient computer skills and ability to learn and navigate multiple software programs; Ability to handle detail work accurately and rapidly; Strong training, leadership and mentoring skills