Patient Access Representative

Patient Access Representative

UNION HEALTH CENTER (UHC) is seeking Full-Time PATIENT ACCESS REPRESENTATIVE (Bilingual Spanish / English) to join our Team

The Union Health Center (UHC) is an innovative primary and multi-specialty center focused on providing well-coordinated and accessible healthcare. UHC has been providing care to New Yorkers for over one hundred years, founded by the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA). UHC was established to provide affordable and comprehensive healthcare to union members and their families and has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient Centered Medical Home since 2009. The center was built around a team-based model that integrates health coaches and serves a patient population that experiences a heavy burden of chronic disease and varying levels of health literacy. UHC maintains Primary Care PCMH recognition and is certified as an Article 28 facility.

We welcome and care for our patients and each other, by providing the finest medical home for union workers and their families.

Job Title: Patient Access Representative (PAR)

Department: Patient Access Center, Member Services

Reports To: Supervisor, Patient Access Center

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Bilingual: ENGLISH / SPANISH

Under the direction of the Supervisor of the Patient Access Center, the Patient Access Representative (PAR) interacts with patients and other outside callers, as well as UHC Staff and Providers to answer inquiries, schedule and cancel appointments, create referrals, troubleshoot problems, provide information, and evaluate caller's needs over the phone while keeping patient satisfaction at the core of every decision and behavior. This means having exceptional active listening and verbal communication skills to respond appropriately to a variety of callers with different issues and queries. The working hours are Monday – Friday with rotating shifts between 8am-6pm, subject to change.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following. Other duties may be assigned:

• Follows all UHC policies and procedures including appointment scheduling, cancelling appointments, prescription refill requests, referral requests, and documenting and routing phone notes.
• Has a working knowledge of, and is able to explain, all aspects of the scheduling and phone note workflows, policies and procedures (i.e. sick calls, prescription refill requests, referral requests).
• Identifies patients' / callers' needs, clarifies information, and researches every issue, finding possible solutions.
• Accurately documents patient inquiries and requests including medication refills and referral requests by accessing patient's Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and using the phone note template.
• Routes patient inquiries and requests to appropriate staff member as per UHC policy and procedure.
• Provides "warm" transfers (ensures transferred call recipient is notified of caller's name, reason for call, etc.).
• Follows up patient calls when necessary.
• Creates chart for all new patients including insurance carrier and insured ID number.
• Verifies and updates existing patient information in the (EMR) including demographics such as address, phone number, e-mail, and insurance information.
• Verifies insurance eligibility in EMR or insurance website portal prior to scheduling appointments or routing phone notes.
• Schedules appointments with Providers using 360eMedScheduler.
• Checks and responds to patient portal boxes daily as assigned and accurately responds in a timely fashion.
• Accesses external portals to retrieve reports and/or schedule appointments, as required.
• Communicates with patients' pharmacy to inquire / resolve discrepancies regarding medication refills.
• Opens UHC email and Microsoft Teams daily and responds to emails and messages in a timely fashion.
• Works closely with all teams and departments in providing services.
• Protects and maintains patient confidentiality during all management of patient information (verbal and written) at all times in accordance with HIPPA regulations.
• Contacts and communicates with Supervisor or Associate Director of Member Services for assistance as needed.
• Meets performance expectations such as: Average Daily Calls Answered, Average Talk Time, Average Time to Answer Calls, Abandonment Rate, and any other phone metric requirements.
• Notifies Supervisor or Associate Director of Member Services of any issues, technical or otherwise, that prevents the fulfillment of duties.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings and training in accordance with department and UHC standards and schedule.
• Assists in referral coordination, as required.
• Assists in patient outreach, as required.
• Performs other duties, as required.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:

• High school graduate/ GED with a minimum of one-year experience in Customer Service.
• Practices active listening skills.
• Ability to problem solve and work under pressure due to high volume and urgent nature of calls while maintaining a professional and courteous demeanor.
• Possesses strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate and work well with people at all levels: excellent team and "people" skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to multi-task, set priorities and manage time effectively, including being punctual for beginning of shift.
• Ability to accept and adapt to changes in procedures, policies, workflows, and/or role functions based on the needs of the Center.
• Basic computer skills including, but not limited to:
• Minimizing, maximizing, moving, resizing and closing windows
• Toggling between multiple screens and programs
• Typing text and numbers
• Creating, editing, and saving documents
• Composing and sending e-mails
• Accessing the internet; bookmarking website
• Works towards UHC's common purpose by practicing and displaying core principles and standards of Excellence, Safety, Compassion, and Teamwork.
• Appearance and presentation according to UHC policy.
• Ability to speak, read, and write in English; speaking Spanish is required.

METRICS/BENCHMARKS: These benchmarks set standards, capture effectiveness, productivity, and give insight into customer satisfaction.

• Answers approximately 65 Calls Daily
• Maintains abandonment rate of less than 4%
• Average talk time of 4 minutes
• Average Answer time of 50 seconds

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to sit for long periods of time.
• Must have manual dexterity to work computer systems and keyboard.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Hybrid position: PARs will work remotely and come on site as needed and as determined by Patient Access Supervisor, Associate Director of Member Services, or the Center.
• Must have reliable, high-speed internet connection (Minimum Download Speed and Upload Speed of 100 Mbps) and adequate privacy to work within HIPPA guidelines.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription drug coverage
• Flex Spending, Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Retirement and Savings Plans
• Paid time Off (PTO): Vacation, Sick, Personal and Holidays
• Professional Development - Tuition Reimbursement, License Reimbursement
• Other misc. reimbursement