Registration Clerk/PBX Operator

Purpose:
The Registration Clerk / PBX Operator is responsible for registering patients in an efficient and accurate manner, ensuring correct demographic and insurance information is entered into the hospital systems. This role also operates the hospital's telephone switchboard, relays calls, and performs emergency paging functions according to hospital policy. The position provides courteous assistance to patients, families, visitors, and staff, functioning as a receptionist and a key point of communication for the hospital.

Major Tasks, Duties, and Responsibilities:

1. Reception & Customer Service
   
   • Greet and direct patients, visitors, and callers in a courteous and professional manner.
   • Provide a calming and supportive presence during high-volume or stressful situations.
   • Monitor lobby and waiting areas, ensuring cleanliness and order.
   • Maintain confidentiality of all patient information.
2. Registration & Patient Access
   
   • Interview patients/relatives to obtain accurate demographics, insurance, and consent forms.
   • Enter and update information in Epic/EMR and other required systems (eRecord, Systoc).
   • Verify insurance eligibility; complete payer-specific forms (e.g., Medicare Secondary Payer Questionnaire, VA documentation).
   • Ensure physician orders are compliant (signature, diagnosis, patient identifiers).
   • Collect co-pays and reconcile cash drawers daily, maintaining accurate logs.
   • Scan medical records/charts into HIM using OnBase.
   • Support registrations in the Emergency Department or other areas as needed.
3. PBX Operator Duties
   
   • Answer and process all incoming calls, relaying them to the proper department or extension.
   • Page physicians and authorized personnel over the PA system per hospital policy.
   • Handle emergency and STAT pages, including fire alarms, disaster notifications, and "all clear" alerts.
   • Maintain current knowledge of department locations to provide accurate directions to callers and visitors.
   • Log after-hours provider coverage calls and forward to the on-call provider per schedule.
   • Provide on-call sheets to Nursing Supervisors and the Emergency Department.
4. Clerical & Administrative Support
   
   • Perform clerical duties such as copying, scanning, filing, and message delivery.
   • Support other registration areas for coverage during lunches, high census, or crises.
   • Assist with logging and secure storage of patient valuables according to policy.
   • Assist with ordering non-clinical office supplies.
5. Teamwork & Compliance
   
   • Work closely with associates and the Patient Access/Business Services Manager to support departmental efficiency.
   • Contribute to process improvement initiatives.
   • Adhere to infection control, universal precautions, and safety protocols.
   • Participate in ongoing education and competency training.
   • Perform other duties as assigned within scope of training and policy.

Education:

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Keyboarding and medical terminology coursework preferred.
• Basic computer skills (Word, Excel) required.
• If no medical terminology background, must complete hospital-provided training.

Experience:

• Minimum of three months in a healthcare field preferred.

Contacts:

• Frequent contact with patients, families, visitors, staff, physicians, external offices, public safety, and outside nursing agencies.

Physical Demands:

• Sitting, standing, and walking for extended periods.
• Extensive telephone and computer/keyboard use.

Working Conditions:

• Normal office environment with occasional exposure to disagreeable sights, sounds, odors, infections, and communicable diseases.
• May be scheduled for alternate shifts or on-call duty; on-call staff must report within 30 minutes of notification.