https://app.gusto.com/payroll_admin/recruiting/jobs/53756

Job Date: November 2025

FLSA: Exempt

FTE: Full-time

Job Title: Front Desk & Patient Care Specialist

Location: Rockville, MD

Hours: Typically onsite 9am–5pm, Mon–Fri, with occasional adjustments based on clinic needs.

Department: Operations 

Reports To: Clinical Systems Manager

Supervises: n/a

Context: Sunstone Therapies is the leader in the delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapy in the medical setting, focusing on supporting both our research programs and our standard-of-care therapy patients. Right now, we have two sites with roughly 30 employees -- looking to build our team and expand to 2 more sites in the next 2 years. At Sunstone, our culture centers on love and rigor, prioritizing whole-person healing for all.

To be successful in this role in this growth stage start-up, the candidate must be a detail-oriented self-starter and problem solver. They should be able to quickly shift projects and priorities to meet emerging needs, collaborate across departments, and align their approach with Sunstone’s values. Join us in making a profound impact in the realm of therapeutic research!

Scope: The Front Desk & Patient Care Specialist plays a vital role in day-to-day clinic operations: front-of-house (FOH) reception, patient access, scheduling/rescheduling, and support for billing touchpoints across Standard of Care (SOC) therapy and our Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) clinic. The role will also expand into templated scheduling as our Health Cloud workflows mature. You’ll work primarily in eClinicalWorks (ECW) and Salesforce Health Cloud, keeping calendars, documentation, and statuses accurate across systems while providing warm, reliable patient service.

What you’ll do: 

Patient Scheduling & Access

• Answer phones/portal messages; triage to clinical, billing, or scheduling queues.
• Complete new-patient intake (demographics, insurance, referral, PCP).
• Verify eligibility/benefits (ops-level) and document coverage/limits.
• Create/reschedule/cancel appointments; manage waitlists and reminders.
• Send prep instructions, forms, and consents; follow up on missing items.
• Manage provider/room calendars; apply overbook/double-book rules per policy.
• Coordinate telehealth links, test visits, and tech checks as needed.

Check-In / Front Desk Operations (Day-Of)

• Greet patients; verify ID/insurance; confirm consents and required forms.
• Collect copays/self-pay; issue receipts; update payment method on file.
• Confirm questionnaires/scales completion (if patient-entered).
• Time-stamp arrival/rooming; alert clinical staff; monitor lobby flow.
• Notify Practice Admin if ADA/accommodation support is needed (interpreters, mobility, low-stim room).
• Manage visitors/vendor sign-in; maintain a calm, private waiting area.

Check-Out / After-Visit

• Schedule follow-ups; confirm next steps and outstanding paperwork.
• Collect remaining balances or set payment plans per policy.
• Route post-visit tasks (labs/imaging scheduling, records, referrals).
• Forms, Records & Documentation
• Send/receive SOC intake packets, ROIs, consents; ensure version control.
• Scan/index documents accurately to chart tabs; name files consistently.
• Process KAT medical-records requests per HIPAA timelines.

Billing & Insurance

• Collect insurance information, confirm financial responsibility/authorization needs at scheduling.
• Capture/refund copays and deposits; reconcile daily batches.
• Maintain a “billing holds/issues” list (eligibility, auth, card declined).
• Communicate front-end issues to billing; update front-end workflows from feedback.

Communication & Service

• Handle late arrivals, cancellations, and balance conversations with empathy and with adherence to policy.
• Translate clinical instructions into clear patient next steps; escalate clinical questions appropriately.
• Monitor shared inboxes/voicemail.

SOPs & Continuous Improvement

• Follow SOPs/checklists (open/close, check-in/out).
• Draft micro-SOPs/checklists (reminders, reschedules, day-of flow).
• Log recurring defects and propose fixes; help keep templates current. 

Who You Are:

Experience

• 2 years of experience in a healthcare setting required (e.g., front desk, patient access, medical office).
• Behavioral health experience preferred.

Knowledge & Skills (Required)

• Proficient in multiple-provider scheduling in a healthcare setting.
• Proficient in insurance verifications and prior authorizations.
• Proficient in medical billing (front-end focus such as copays, balances, basic billing workflows).
• Basic knowledge of bookkeeping (e.g., filling out spreadsheets, balancing a simple ledger or daily batch).
• Proficient with EHR/EMR systems.
• Proficient with Google Workspace or Microsoft Office (email, calendars, spreadsheets, documents).

Core Competencies

• Detail-oriented – you catch inconsistencies in spreadsheets, proofread documents for accuracy, and spot errors in data entry.
• Process-minded and proactive – you enjoy figuring out how things work and how to make them better, whether that’s organizing folders, improving a workflow, or creating a checklist.
• Strong communicator – you write clearly and concisely, ask great follow-up questions, and are thoughtful in your written documentation.
• Compassionate – you bring a baseline of empathy and care; trauma-informed care experience is preferred.
• Organized and self-directed – able to work independently and manage multiple small tasks at once, asking for support when needed.
• Technically curious – you like working with software and systems, learning new tools, and aren’t afraid to figure things out.

Physical Requirements 

A large percentage of time performing computer work is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation and Benefits

Sunstone Therapies offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

Salary range: $55,000 - $70,000 per year