Oculoplastics Front Office Associate

Front Office Associate

The Front Office Associate plays a key role in creating a warm, efficient, and patient-centered experience at our Bethesda and Gaithersburg offices. This position supports all front-end operations, including patient intake, scheduling, insurance coordination, and communication with clinical teams. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, friendly, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-specialty ophthalmology environment.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Patient Experience & Front Desk Operations

• Greet and check in patients for oculoplastic and oculofacial appointments, ensuring accurate demographic and insurance information.
• Provide warm, professional service to patients undergoing medical, functional, and cosmetic procedures.
• Educate patients on visit expectations, pre-op requirements, and post-op instructions (as directed by clinical staff).
• Manage patient flow and coordinate with technicians, photographers, and providers to maintain schedule efficiency.
• Handle inbound calls, messages, and appointment requests related to oculoplastic services.

Scheduling & Care Coordination

• Schedule new consultations, follow-ups, in-office procedures, and surgical cases.
• Coordinate pre-operative appointments, imaging, testing, and clearances as required.
• Maintain provider templates and ensure accurate appointment types for medical vs. cosmetic visits.
• Track and follow up on outstanding referrals, authorizations, and required documentation.

Insurance, Billing & Authorizations

• Verify insurance eligibility and benefits for oculoplastic procedures.
• Distinguish between medical, functional, and cosmetic services and communicate financial responsibility to patients.
• Initiate and track prior authorizations for medically necessary procedures.
• Collect co-pays, deductibles, and cosmetic procedure payments in accordance with practice policy.
• Collaborate with billing and surgical coordinators to ensure accurate CPT/ICD-10 coding information is captured at check-in.

Surgical Coordination Support

• Assist the oculoplastic surgical coordinator with scheduling, patient communication, and documentation.
• Prepare and distribute surgical packets, consent forms, and pre-operative instructions.
• Ensure all required documentation is complete prior to surgery (photos, testing, authorizations, referrals).
• Maintain communication with patients throughout the surgical journey to support a positive experience.

Clinical & Administrative Support

• Upload and manage clinical photos in the EMR for insurance documentation and surgical planning.
• Maintain provider schedules, room assignments, and daily workflow needs.
• Support compliance with HIPAA, OSHA, and practice policies.
• Assist with inventory of front-office supplies and oculoplastic patient materials.
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and quality-improvement initiatives.

Skills & Qualifications

• One to two years of experience in ophthalmology, dermatology, plastic surgery, or another procedural specialty is preferred.
• Strong understanding of medical vs. cosmetic visit types, insurance basics, and prior authorization workflows.
• Excellent communication, customer service, and patient-education skills.
• Ability to multi-task and thrive in a collaborative fast-paced team environment.
• Proficiency with EMR systems (ModMed, NextGen, Nextech, or similar).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred but not required.
• Commitment to maintaining a professional, patient-focused atmosphere.

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• 401(K)
• PTO and holidays off
• Career growth and development