Patient Access Representative 1

At Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, we honor all members of our community and acknowledge the dignity of each person we serve. Our purpose is to provide high quality, comprehensive primary health care to the communities of Washington and Yamhill counties with a special emphasis on migrant and seasonal farm workers and a view to removing barriers to health care. We strive to provide an environment that welcomes and values the people we employ and serve.

If you are unsure whether you meet all the required qualifications for this role but are interested and passionate about this potential position, we encourage you to apply.

Job Summary: The Patient Access Representative 1 communicates with patients and other community members and provides exemplary customer service to Virginia Garcia’s standards. This position provides support to the patients and clinical staff of Virginia Garcia.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Answer patient phone calls, schedule appointments. Create and route telephone encounters as appropriate following all Virginia Garcia workflows and procedures.
• Schedule appointments for new and established patients.
• Add or remove patients from waitlists.
• Use ‘gaps in care’ reports provided by the data team to outreach to patients to schedule appointments for things like diabetes checks, paps, WCC, etc.
• Manage the email inbox for interpreter services, making the appropriate appointment notes and communicating with the care team as needed.
• Monitor the call queue and return phone calls from patients who have used the call back option or have left messages in an efficient and timely manner.
• Schedule, as available, all chronic or non-acute problems, or routine care appointments.
• Schedule COVID and Flu vaccines and testing appointments.
• Verify insurances on portals.
• Page the clinics as needed using the contact RN immediately sheet.
• Accurately document incoming and outgoing information in the patient’s chart.
• Route all incoming calls to appropriate staff or take messages as needed.
• Follow all policies, procedures, protocols and workflows.
• Assist other Call Center staff as time permits and need is established.
• Participate in all staff meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Handle protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

HIPAA Requirements:
The Patient Access Representative 1 will have access to PHI during the course of their work activities. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated record sets to which this employee may have access include: patient demographic information in the practice management system, and chart notes, incoming records, reports, results, consultations, etc. The Patient Access Representative is required to read the content of these records only the extent needed to accomplish the assigned task.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and demanding environment with changing priorities and competing deadlines.
• Excellent customer service skills with patients, other Virginia Garcia staff members and community members.
• Proficient with Microsoft office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in English, both spoken and written required.
• Bilingual Spanish/English, both written and spoken language preferred.

Education and Experience:
• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Previous clinical experience in ambulatory health care setting with knowledge regarding medical terminology preferred.
• Multi-line telephone experience preferred.

Behavioral Competencies:
Accountability: Role model VG’s mission, vision, and shared values
Customer-Focus: Listen to the voice of the customer and strive to delight them by exceeding their expectations
Teamwork: If someone needs help, help them
Initiative: Be innovative, apply fresh ideas, and continuously improve how you do your work
Confidentiality: Maintain strict confidentiality and respect the privacy of others
Ethical: Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and stewardship in all encounters at work
Respect: Demonstrate consideration and appreciation for co-workers and patients
Communication: Demonstrate the ability to convey thoughts and ideas as well as understand perspective of others

Physical Requirements:
Percentage of time spent
• Standing: 10%
• Walking: 10%
• Sitting: up to 85%
• Reaching/stooping/bending: Occasional
• Must be able to lift/carry up to 20 lbs. on occasion
• Computer usage: up to 85%

Equipment Used:
• Computer, Telephone, Fax, Copier, Scanner, Printer

Immunization:
Staff members must meet immunization requirements as stated in VGMHC’s immunization policy and state and federal guidelines.

Job descriptions represent a general outline of the essential and major job duties, functions and qualifications required. They cannot be all-inclusive and comprehensive due to the dynamic nature of work performed to accomplish VGMHC’s Mission.

VGMHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from consideration for employment because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, marital status, or physical challenges. The policy applies not only to recruitment and hiring practices, but also includes fairness in placement, promotion, transfer, rate of pay, and termination.