Medical Care Assistant & Patient Access Representative

Planned Parenthood Keystone (PPKey) serves 37 counties in Pennsylvania, home to over half of Pennsylvania residents. We have offices in York, Allentown, Bensalem, Reading, Wilkes Barre, Harrisburg, and Lancaster. We operate 7 medical centers that serve over 30,000 patients annually and offer comprehensive sexuality education that reaches thousands of young adults.

Planned Parenthood Keystone is committed to being an organization that includes people from various backgrounds, skills, perspectives and experiences, and fully uses their talents to serve our communities. Planned Parenthood Keystone believes that drawing on the talents of all personnel helps to create an optimum, creative and inclusive workplace.

Planned Parenthood Keystone is looking for a full-time (35 hours/week), non-exempt, Medical Care Assistant/Patient Access Representative. This position will work in person as a Medical Care Assistant at our Harrisburg center on Mondays and Wednesdays, and will work remotely as a Patient Access Representative on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

You will participate in a team approach to the delivery of quality reproductive healthcare in accordance with Planned Parenthood's policies and medical protocols. This role supports three (3) areas of medical center support operations - Front Desk, Patient Intake, and Clinical (Back Office) - while also managing patient communications by answering inquiries, scheduling appointments, verifying insurance, facilitating informed consent audio visits for abortion services, and coordinating care through appropriate routing. This position ensures a high standard of customer service, accuracy, and confidentiality in all patient interactions.


ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Front Desk Responsibilities:

• Perform general front desk duties including answering phones, scheduling appointments, and greeting & assisting patients/ visitors
• Follow the Planned Parenthood safety and security procedures for screening visitors
• Accurately register and update the patient record, verify income and program status and update as necessary, including verifying purpose of the patient's visit, assigning appropriate electronic template, and updating the patient information in the practice management system
• Identify patient insurance, scan insurance documents, verify insurance coverage and if necessary, complete benefits information to include Medicaid/ Medicaid Managed Care patients and Commercial insurance

Patient Intake Responsibilities:

• Inform patients about general reproductive health care, abortion services, all FDA approved birth control methods, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, HIV testing, safer sex, and medical center procedures
• Provide factual, unbiased information to patients seeking abortion. Describe the difference between medication and surgical abortion
• Verifies and correctly documents patient income as well as accurately determines eligibility for financial assistance funding or private pay
• Counsel patients on pregnancy outcome electives in a non-directive manner including adoption, abortion, and parenting. Provide community referral resources

Clinical (Back Office) Responsibilities:

• Provide room assistance for specialty procedures including, but not limited to colposcopy and loop electrosurgery
• Performs appropriate lab procedures including venipuncture, urine dipstick, weight, blood pressure, anemia and RH factor tests

Abortion Care Responsibilities:

• Aides in the completion of surgical abortion procedures by examining the products of conception in accordance with Planned Parenthood protocol
• Maintains an efficient workflow while adhering to all protocols related to working alongside MDs and RNs during abortion procedures in the Procedure Room, Post-Procedure Room or on Infection Control
  • Alerts MDs to findings as needed

General Medical Center Responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with the health center team to meet patient needs as well as individual and center productivity levels and patient cycle times
  • Compliance with Throughput (TP) priorities, strategies and Team Centered Patient Care (TCPC) components
• Provide support services related to Telehealth in accordance with federal and state laws and applicable regulations
• Maintain facility for cleanliness, appropriate instruments, and optimum supply levels. Maintain equipment for proper functioning in accordance with the policies and standards of Planned Parenthood and regulatory agencies
• Ensure a culture that embraces diversity, fair and respectful treatment of all persons, and customer-focused delivery throughout the organization
• Ensure completion of all required training, including, but not limited to: CALs & CPR
• Adhere to all HIPAA and patient privacy regulations. Maintain patient and medical center confidentiality
• Adhere to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) protocol as well as protocols outlined in the affiliate infection control program
• Comply with all medical protocols, policies and procedures, including any federal & state laws and regulations governing the services provided by Planned Parenthood
• Providing "as needed" staff sharing when services and access are compromised for a particular region or center. It is the expectation of every employee in medical services to reasonably accommodate those needs when asked. Administration will work with staff based on availability and coverage needs as best as possible

Call Center Responsibilities:

• Handling inbound calls: Answering calls from patients regarding appointment scheduling, billing questions, prescription refills, general healthcare information, and concerns.
• Patient registration: Collecting patient demographics and insurance information accurately.
• Appointment scheduling: Coordinating appointment times with patients based on availability and medical needs.
• Insurance verification: Checking patient insurance eligibility and benefits for covered services.
• Medical information provision: Answering basic questions about medical conditions, treatments, and medications within the scope of their knowledge.
• Call routing: Transferring calls to appropriate healthcare providers, specialists, or departments as needed.
• Patient record updates: Maintaining patient records by updating relevant information based on calls.
• Complaint resolution: Addressing patient concerns and complaints in a professional and timely manner.
• Patient education: Providing basic health information and appointment expectations.
• Prior Authorizations: completing prior authorizations for ordered medications and equipment
• Record requests: Fulfilling outside provider requests for records of affiliate patients

The above essential functions are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties, and skill. Other duties may be added, or this job description may be amended at any time.

VALUES AND COMMITMENTS:

• Commitment to Planned Parenthood's mission and conviction to health equity and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare
• Understanding of racism and commitment to racial & social justice
• Awareness of multiple group identities and their dynamics, bringing a high level of self-awareness, empathy, and humility to interpersonal interactions; building of trust across diverse groups of people
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and hear effectively across differences and reflect and act on feedback related to identity and equity with the aim to learn
• Commitment to Planned Parenthood's In This Together service ethos, workplace values, and service standards

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Excellent communication skills: Clear and concise verbal communication to effectively interact with patients over the phone.
• Education: Completion of an accredited high school program or equivalent is required.
• Medical knowledge: Basic understanding of medical terminology, health conditions, and healthcare procedures.
• Customer service skills: Ability to provide friendly, empathetic, and patient support to callers.
• Attention to detail: Ensuring accuracy when collecting patient information and updating records.
• Problem-solving skills: Identifying issues and finding solutions to address patient concerns.
• Computer proficiency: Navigating healthcare software systems and phone system to access patient information and schedule appointments.
• Ability to multitask: Managing multiple calls and tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Travel: Ability and willingness to travel to our Harrisburg center. Reliable means of transportation.

Salary & Benefits:

• Compensation for this position is $18.25 per hour. This position is eligible for mileage and travel expenses in accordance with policy.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage options for you and eligible dependents
• Life/AD&D, Short and Long Term Disability policy voluntary coverage options
• Generous vacation, leave, and holiday benefits

PP Keystone values the recruitment of staff with diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives. PP Keystone considers all applicants for employment irrespective of their membership in any particular EEO category and strongly encourages all persons to apply.