Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.
Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

Summary:

The Patient Services Associate (PSA) assists the practice/department in maintaining a patient/customer focus, supports the delivery of high quality care, shares a passion for patient and customer-centered care, and assists in meeting or exceeding patient satisfaction and financial/operational targets, who is also responsible for the intake/patient registration and or scheduling process.

The PSA is responsible for the arrival and/or departure activities of patients in the practice, managing and handling patient calls and inquiries, coordinating patient appointments, updating patient insurance/billing information, and performing point of service activities.

The PSA may function in any Patient Access location or department. Rotation between PSA functions and/or departments may be required.

Responsibilities:

Strives to understand and anticipate patient needs, manages service recovery efforts when needed, enlisting management assistance as appropriate, identifies opportunities to improve the patient experience.

• As per practice/department protocols and/or measurements: answer phones in a timely manner, manage/handle patient requests and route appropriately, retrieve voicemails in a timely manner, take accurate and thorough messages and route appropriately through EMR.
• Schedule patient appointments (on phone or in person) by determining reason for visit, following established schedules and protocols, using appropriate billing area/appointment location, communicating changes and confirming appointments, and, as needed, offering alternative and canceling/rescheduling appointments.
• Responsible for arriving/departing activities of patient at any Patient Access location or department and performs point of service activities: collects copays and records accurately, obtains necessary signatures/forms, obtains insurance cards and referrals/authorizations, updates appointment status in EMR, and finalizes all check-out procedures.
• Communicates with patients regarding patient flow and wait times – keeps manager aware of potential issues as they arise.
• Issues referrals and obtains pre-authorizations for patients as required and as per protocol.

Financial:

• Maintains up to date knowledge of insurance requirements pertinent to patient service and billing procedures: including basic knowledge of all managed care plans and which insurers require a copayment (including how to collect a copay) or referral.
• Validates patient demographic/insurance information and/or registers new patients into EMR using established protocols
• Records receipts accurately to ensure end of day reconciliation; participates in cash reconciliation delineations.
• Resolves work queues and/or issues from front-end reports; proactively prioritizes recovery of missing charges.

Other / Regulatory:

• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory standards (ex TJC, DOH, FDA, HIPAA, HCFA, DPW, LCGME, SCGME, etc.)
• Staying current with communications from the Patient Access Management Team while remaining flexible and readily adopts new processes and engages in practice operation changes.

Access Center Responsibilities (if appropriate):

• Coordinates clinical and administrative aspects of the new patient scheduling encounter.
• Perform within the expected outcome of the Automated Call Distribution (ACD) environment.
• Solves telephone issues and timely reports problems related to volume to manager.
• Follow established downtime procedures for registration
• Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures

• Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization

Certifications:

Must successfully complete/pass EPIC schedgistration training/tests.

Education or Equivalent Experience:

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• H.S. Diploma/GED required. Two years of college preferred. 0-1 years Prior experience in a healthcare environment; cash collections; insurance knowledge; or related experience preferred.

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.
Live Your Life's Work

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.