Patient Access Specialist

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Illinois.

📋 Description

• Uphold the Patients First philosophy while providing exemplary customer service.

• Address patient inquiries and escalate exceptional issues as necessary.

• Ensure patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

• Gather and document patient demographic information accurately.

• Schedule appointments and guide patients through Northwestern Medicine systems.

• Reach out to patients to arrange appointments.

• Conduct medical necessity evaluations and communicate options if appointments are missed.

• Inform patients regarding financial-account matters and offer out-of-pocket estimates.

• Provide necessary training and education as required.

• Manage schedules effectively and complete tasks punctually.

• Engage in cross-training across departments to guarantee coverage.

• Participate in quality assurance evaluations of patient data.

• Address service breakdowns utilizing service recovery techniques.

• Relay physician referral, insurance referral, and consultation details.

• Collect authorization numbers and facilitate communication between departments.

• Verify or print patient orders through online retrieval systems.

• Confirm insurance eligibility and benefits using online resources or by phone.

• Complete handoff instructions and Epic notes for scheduling personnel.

• Perform real-time eligibility checks and adhere to out-of-network policies.

• Dispatch accurate Epic messages and telephone encounters.

• Prevent visit-related issues by validating tests, preparation, timing, location, and avoiding duplicate records.

• Complete and refresh patient registration information.

• Analyze account activities and initiate resolutions.

• Recommend process enhancements and take part in quality improvement initiatives.

• Monitor registration, scheduling, and insurance verification against established quality standards.

• Assist with onboarding and provide coworkers with process and workflow guidance.

• Perform other tasks as assigned by management.

⛳️ Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent qualification.

• 2-3 years of experience in customer service or a medical office environment.

• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication abilities.

• Proficiency in data entry and typing on computers.

• Capability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.

• Basic computer literacy.

• Ability to type at a speed of 40 words per minute.

• Capacity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

• Customer service-focused mentality.

• Exceptional organizational, time management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Additional education is preferred.

• Proficiency in additional languages is preferred.

• Experience in healthcare finance and/or healthcare insurance is preferred.

• Familiarity and experience in a healthcare setting, particularly in patient scheduling and/or registration, is preferred.

• Must pass a criminal history background check upon hiring.

• Must complete an authorization and disclosure form for the background check.

🏝️ Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement opportunities.

• Loan forgiveness programs.

• 401(k) matching contributions.

• Lifecycle benefits.

• Competitive benefits package supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being.

• Protection against unexpected life events.