Lead Patient Access Rep

Functions as a resource person for Patient Access Representatives. Orients new department employees to the Patient Access workflow. Provides a wide array of secretarial and administrative support services for department Manager and Director. Prepare monthly statistical reporting and coordinate various projects as needed. Acts as a resources in the absence of the Patient Access Manager and assume responsibility for the department on a rotating basis.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lifespan is actively committed to a diverse workforce that represents the patients and community that we serve.

Lifespan employees are expected to embrace Lifespan's mission of "Delivering health with care" and successfully role model Lifespan's values of Compassion Accountability Respect and Excellence as these guide our everyday actions with patients customers and one another.

In addition to our values all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Lifespan Competencies which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Lifespan Competencies include:

• Instill Trust and Value Differences
• Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

• Demonstrates understanding of Hospital*s Mission Vision and Values.
• Demonstrates understanding of job description performance expectations and competency assessment plan.
• Demonstrates a commitment toward meeting and exceeding the needs of our customers and consistently adheres to our Customer Service Standards.
• Complies with department and hospital policies and procedures.
• Reviews policies and procedures
• Reviews Employee Handbook.
• Completes mandatory safety management education.
• Hospital-wide
• Department-specific
• Job-specific
• Participates in departmental and/or interdepartmental quality improvement activities.
• Prepares staffing schedule and provides back up staff when needed for Patient Access. Schedules assigned staff to provide adequate coverage of department including all shifts. Reassigns personnel daily to cover for absences and other unexpected occurrences. Ensures appropriate coverage of all areas to ensure continuous workflow to support patient processing
• Assumes responsibility for the department in the Manager*s absence.
• Encourages and maintains open lines of communication amongst the staff
• Operates and maintains a variety of office equipment such as credit card and label machines. Monitors and inspects all Patient Access equipment regularly to ensure it is maintained in a clean condition and in good repair. Recommends equipment repair as needed.
• Submits all work repair issues in the Facilities Work Request system in a timely manner and follows up to completion.
• Assists staff with complex and or sensitive work-related issues in dealing with patients families physicians third party payers financial counselors and other department clinical staff.
• Communicates changes in regulations policies and procedures prior to implementation encouraging input and feedback.
• Resolves daily issues for department staff and ancillary departments. Informs manager of problems and potential problems related to staffing coordination of work or other issues within the departments.
• Responsible for ordering and inventorying expendable office supplies for the registration department. Orders office and other supplies at own discretion according to knowledge of usage patterns and budgeted allowances.
• Provides guidance to new employees regarding the department*s clerical operations policies and procedures. As well as hospital wide policies procedures and applicable computer systems.
• Helps maintain employee productivity reports absence reports and competencies assisting Patient Access Manager.
• Helps to maintain Department *B* files and ensure they are up to date.
• Assists and acts as backup to the Sr. QA Reviewers to ensure department workqueues are maintained.
• Responsible for maintaining and updating *B* files.
• Assists manager with input into the development of budget planning. Monitors division expense budget reviewing requests for purchases submitted by others against budget allowances; authorizes allowable requests and alerts Manager to questionable items.
• Maintains and ensures department manuals are kept up to date. Maintains the morgue and ensures documentation is correct in RIDOH system. Acts as liaison between funeral homes and physicians to resolve difficult problems.
• Patient/Physician Office Interviews:
• Professionally interviews patient/patient representative to obtain accurate current complete registration information
• Obtains all necessary signatures
• Receives orders from physicians or their office staff to admit patients and responds to their inquiries.
• Ensure orders are entered into the EMR correctly and in a timely manner
• Data Entry
• Demonstrates ability to utilize Microsoft Office Software EPIC Software and all other applications necessary to accurately and efficiently perform duties.
• Completes all necessary fields within the applicable registration process
• Ensures all necessary paperwork ID bracelet laboratory stickers are printed for each applicable patient.
• Updates information system with any patient information changes and produces output as needed
• Communication
• Provides timely notification to Nursing personnel of patient awaiting treatment/admission
• Applies ID bracelets to patients
• Delivers to Nursing as needed paperwork and ID bracelets not completed upon initial registration or updates
• Prepares completed cash drawer receipts for daily Billing pick up
• Distributes inpatient ED and ambulatory notification forms to appropriate departments upon completing registration
• Notifies appropriate staff of charts requiring additional information
• Notifies Financial Counselors of patients with inadequate insurance coverage
• Produces verifies and disseminates census information
• Reviews Emergency Department Information System for patients to be registered
• Documentation
• Maintains in an organized manner registration information manually obtained during *downtime* for future data entry
• Maintains an organized file of documentation of patients scheduled for future admissions and forwards to unit upon admission
• Maintains required documentation for all expired patients
• Prints log from Emergency Department Information System to verify patients registered
• Quality Assurance
• Verifies insurance coverage for all patients using computer system
• Verifies all inpatients ambulatory surgeries and observation patients with Blue Cross and Medicare
• Obtains telephone authorization from Third Party Payers and documents chart/system accordingly
• Reviews completed registrations for accuracy. Contacts patient to obtain missing information
• Monitors daily bed board to verify census
• Ensures death certificates are completed by physician and forwards copy to Health Information Services
• Cashiering/Collection
• Collects copayments and estimates as required. Uses reference tools to determine expected payment for self-pay patients. Refers patients to financial counselors if needed. Accurately logs cash received in the EPIC system
• Issues receipts for payments
• Reconciles cash drawer at the end of each shift as assigned
• Customer Relations
• Provides uncompensated care information and applications to those expressing an inability to pay for services
• Assists the Manager in maintaining the patient valuable safe disbursing the values when patient is being discharged as well as reviewing and reconciling any valuables left after patient discharges
• Maintains an organized work area free from clutter and ensures oncoming staff have fully stocked areas
• Answers both ED and outpatient phone within 3 rings identifies department and employee name and pleasantly greets the caller
• Assists incapacitated patients into wheelchair; transports or arranges escorts as appropriate
• Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION:

High School Diploma (or equivalent) and limited medical terminology

EXPERIENCE:

Minimum of Three years experience in patient registration. Excellent customer relations and organization skills knowledge of third party insurance requirements and experience with computer systems and cash collections.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

None