Receptionist/Administrative assistant

Job Description

Job Description

LEADING EDGE PHYSICAL THERAPY

Receptionist / Administrative Assistant

Outpatient Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Location: Lakeland, FL     |     Type: Full-Time, On-Site     |     Reports To: Practice Manager

About Us

We are a patient-centered outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic dedicated to delivering high-quality, individualized care. Our team is small, close-knit, and committed to making every patient's experience exceptional — from the first phone call to discharge.

We operate with integrity, treat people with dignity, and believe the way we work matters as much as the work itself. Faith and values are at the heart of how we run this practice, and we are looking for someone who will feel at home in that environment.

Position Overview

We are looking for a warm, organized, and dependable Receptionist / Administrative Assistant to be the first person our patients meet and the steady hands behind the front desk. You will own the front-of-house experience — greeting patients, managing the schedule and phones, handling check-in and check-out, collecting payments, and keeping the administrative side of the clinic running cleanly day to day.

This is a people-first, detail-heavy role. Much of what makes a physical therapy practice work well happens before the patient ever reaches the treatment table: the appointment that got scheduled correctly, the insurance that was verified in advance, the copay that was collected, the phone call that was returned the same day. You will own those details so our clinicians can stay focused on patient care.

You will work closely with the Practice Manager, taking direction on priorities and then carrying them through without needing to be checked on.

Who We're Looking For

More than skills or experience, we're looking for the right person. The best fit for our team tends to share three qualities:

Humble. You put the team and the patient ahead of yourself. No job here is beneath you — you'll answer the phone, wipe down a table, cover the desk over lunch, and pitch in wherever you're needed without keeping score.

Hungry. You take ownership of what's in front of you and follow through. You notice the callback that hasn't been returned or the schedule gap that could be filled, and you handle it before anyone asks.

People-Smart. You read the room. Patients arrive in pain, frustrated, or worried about a bill — you meet them with warmth and patience, stay calm when someone is upset, and leave people feeling looked after.

We are a values-driven practice, and candidates who share a faith-based or values-centered approach to life and work will find a natural home here. If that description fits you — and you want your work to mean something — we'd love to meet you.

Key Responsibilities

Front-of-House Patient Experience

•      Greet every patient warmly, in person and by phone, and set the tone for their visit.

•      Manage patient check-in and check-out, including intake paperwork and updating patient information.

•      Answer, screen, and route incoming calls; return voicemails and patient messages the same business day.

•      Handle routine patient questions and concerns with professionalism and urgency, escalating anything clinical to a therapist and anything sensitive to the Practice Manager.

•      Keep the reception area, waiting room, and front desk clean, organized, and welcoming.

Scheduling & Patient Access

•      Schedule, confirm, reschedule, and cancel appointments in Strata PT, keeping the clinic calendar accurate at all times.

•      Confirm upcoming appointments and follow up on no-shows and cancellations to keep the schedule full.

•      Protect clinician productivity by filling openings, managing waitlists, and flagging scheduling conflicts early.

•      Track plan-of-care visit counts and authorization limits so patients don't run out of approved visits unexpectedly.

Front-End Insurance & Payment Support

•      Verify insurance eligibility and benefits before the first visit, and document coverage, copays, deductibles, and visit limits accurately.

•      Collect copays, coinsurance, and outstanding patient balances at the time of service, and reconcile the daily payment log.

•      Obtain and track referrals and prior authorizations, and alert the Practice Manager before any expire.

•      Ensure the front-end information billing depends on — demographics, insurance, referral, and authorization data — is complete and correct before the claim goes out.

Administrative Support

•      Scan, file, and maintain patient records and clinic documentation accurately and confidentially.

•      Manage incoming and outgoing mail, faxes, and correspondence with physician offices and referral sources.

•      Track and reorder office and clinic supplies, and coordinate routine vendor and facility needs.

•      Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Practice Manager and clinical team as needed.

Compliance

•      Maintain strict patient confidentiality and full compliance with HIPAA in every conversation, document, and system.

•      Follow clinic policies and payer requirements for documentation, collections, and record handling.

Technology & Efficiency

•      Use Strata PT and the clinic's other systems fully and correctly, rather than working around them.

•      Adopt new tools — including AI-assisted tools — that help the front desk work faster and more accurately.

•      Suggest better ways to handle recurring front-desk problems instead of absorbing them week after week.

Supporting the Team

•      Take direction from the Practice Manager and execute reliably with minimal follow-up.

•      Surface problems early — a frustrated patient, a payer issue, a schedule that isn't working — rather than letting them build.

•      Cover for teammates and pitch in outside your job description when the day calls for it.

Qualifications

Required

•      1+ years in a front desk, receptionist, patient access, or administrative support role — healthcare strongly preferred.

•      Comfort with scheduling software and electronic medical records, and a willingness to learn Strata PT thoroughly.

•      Accurate data entry and strong attention to detail, particularly with insurance and patient information.

•      Clear, warm, professional communication in person, by phone, and in writing.

•      Ability to stay organized and even-tempered in a busy clinic with frequent interruptions.

•      Full-time availability, on-site in Lakeland.

•      High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred

•      Experience in physical therapy, orthopedics, or outpatient rehabilitation.

•      Familiarity with insurance verification, referrals, and prior authorizations.

•      Experience collecting patient payments and reconciling a daily payment log.

•      Direct experience with Strata PT.

•      Bilingual (English/Spanish).

What We Offer

Pay: [hourly range to be finalized] — commensurate with experience.

•      Health benefits.

•      PTO and paid holidays.

•      A collaborative, tight-knit, values-driven environment where your contributions are visible and valued.

•      A stable role on a small team where you're known by name, not by employee number.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief note describing why you're a fit for this role.