Patient Access Specialist I (Pediatric Allergy and Immunology)

UPMC Department of Pediatrics is hiring a full-time Patient Access Specialist I to join their Allergy and Immunology team out of Children's Hospital. This is a Monday through Friday daylight position with no evening or weekend hours. This role will be responsible for answering patient calls, cheduling patient appointments, and patient communication for appointment coordination in conjunction with other multidisciplinary teams across CHP and the Call Center via EMR systems. Editing provider EMR templates across multiple locations and closing out billing errors from work queues. 

The Division of Allergy & Immunology is a highly specialized, procedure-driven practice providing complex diagnostic testing, oral food and medication challenges, biologic therapies, and immunodeficiency care. Our team is committed to evidence-based practice, patient safety, innovation, and exceptional patient-family experiences. 

Purpose:
Typically, function under the direction of the Supervisor/Manager responsible for patient access. Schedule appointments for a similar group or specialty of physicians generally at one location or multiple session timeshares. Serve as front line resource for PSD Departments to coordinate access of external public to our care providers and ensure goal of 72 hours patient access are met.

Responsibilities:
 

• Review, verify and enter the patient's demographic information to ensure data integrity.
• Schedule appointments according to the physician templates for similar types of physicians, generally at one office or multiple session timeshares (single specialty phone room or front desk environment).
• Schedule appointments according to the templates/departmental scripts while meeting business unit scheduling accuracy requirements.
• Obtain chief complaints in order to schedule appropriately.
• Take incoming calls demonstrating the essential skills documented in the Telephone Courtesy Standards.
• Understand UPMC 72-hour appointment requirement and work to ensure guidelines are met.
• Appropriately distribute/triage phone calls to other areas and/or clinical providers (billing, nurse, operations lead, etc.).
• Treat all patients with respect and demonstrates the behaviors learned in the Patient Ambassador Program.
• Routinely attend department meetings and on-going in-service and training programs, to present and exchange pertinent information.
• Work the overflow call list and Audiocare report.
• Review and verify the patient's insurance information.
• Coordinate access to care for patients within own department or location.
• Monitor patient wait list report.
• Compile and send new patient packets or flags patient if needs to be completed upon arrival.
• Knowledgeable about various reasons for patient calls such as prescription refills, how to triage clinical issues, participating insurances, questions about physicians, etc.
• Take responsibility to escalate to appropriate clinical or supervisory personnel when needed, including thorough and accurate documentation of telephone encounter for messaging.
• Function at multiple sites as requested by supervisor.
• Answer multi-line telephone system. The number of calls taken must be within 90% of the daily average calls per day per agent.
• Give basic information to patients (directions, parking information, and required preparation for appointment).