Novant Health

Integrated health network with care facilities

Patient Access Technician Lead

Clinical Support & Patient AdministrationUpdated on Nov 10

Full-timeWilmington, NC, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A high school diploma or GED is required.
Three years of experience in a patient accounting or health care finance setting, including computer knowledge and data entry, is required.

Responsibilities

Deliver a positive patient experience and provide customer relations during initial and ongoing interactions with patients, visitors, and referral sources.
Ensure patient accounts are accurate and complete according to departmental protocols, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, including pre-admission, admission, pre-registration, registration, and scheduling functions.
Ensure insurance requirements are met before patient discharge and pursue cash collection.
Train and educate Outpatient Rehab Patient Access Team Members in their job duties.
Monitor and maintain policies, procedures, and standard work for the assigned area.
Organize, prioritize, and coordinate the assigned area's day-to-day work activities, communicating with department management to meet departmental goals and objectives.
Support LEAN activities and adapt work to changing patient and departmental needs.
Provide day-to-day leadership for the assigned shift when other leaders are unavailable, monitor peak-time staffing, reassign staff to critical areas as needed, and manage daily schedules and coverage, including PRN coverage and downtime coverage.
Rotate on-call weekends with the supervisor and manager, resolve patient problems or refer them to department leaders, and seek relevant training, cross-training, and guidance as needed.
Provide on-site support and training for new employees and additional hands-on training where needed.
Facilitate staff learning activities, staff involvement in process management and decision-making, and training for front-line staff and clinical staff on coding issues.
Assist with interviewing and selection; balance staffing and work assignments against workload and budget; and identify ways to improve resource productivity and efficiency.
Use Patient Accounting functions to post payments, correct erroneous postings, answer billing questions, assess account status, and establish patient payment arrangements.
Process center invoices for billing as designated by the center manager.
Complete quality assurance audits on new employees and communicate additional training needs to preceptors.
Handle weekly missing or incomplete orders and diagnostic issues from Health Information Management, monitor patient status transfers for accuracy, and assist with bed-placement questions.
Participate in quality-improvement discussions and activities and seek feedback from leaders on work quality and effectiveness.
Follow departmental and organizational policies and procedures, including attendance, punctuality, and safety requirements; attend educational, departmental, and mandatory training sessions.
Prepare daily deposits, reconcile cash postings in the cash-management system, prepare change orders, communicate special needs to Loomis, and balance cash on hand.
Order departmental supplies through the purchasing system, manage time to optimize productivity, and meet departmental registration goals.
Coordinate with other departments to support relationships and workflows; maintain dialogue with staff and peers, provide timely progress updates, solicit staff input, and conduct departmental meetings using proper meeting processes.
Use digital phone operations for call transfers and emergency paging, and liaise with the on-site interpreting radiologist for incoming and outgoing calls.
Coordinate and direct emergency medical services personnel during emergent patient-care events within the Imaging Center.
Guide staff in anticipating customer needs, identify departmental stakeholders, and communicate customer expectations to staff.
Handle medical records accurately and efficiently, ensure proper completion of release forms and identification checks, scan correspondence into electronic records, release patient information according to guidelines, and assist with patient correspondence.
Transmit radiology image data to and from outside sources for image comparisons in coordination with the clinical imaging team.
Coordinate and schedule outside interpreters, confirming the request during scheduling, with the patient, and on the day of the radiology exam; use telephone and online interpretation services and complete training on the online video iPad.
Oversee the initial setup of digital history sheets for patients receiving exams and help team members answer high-level questions, referring clinical questions to on-site clinical staff.
Serve as Imaging Center Liaison during weekend staffing, maintain knowledge of security and HVAC systems, notify emergency medical services when needed, and alert the area manager to safety or patient-care concerns.
Follow patient and team-member safety procedures, address front-desk conflicts, and initiate early notification of local authorities when needed.
Educate patients about proper personal protective equipment and enforce applicable protocols; manage HEPA filter devices, stock and request protective supplies, and perform additional cleaning as needed for infection prevention.
Contact patients to reschedule exams when radiology equipment fails or radiology staff are unavailable; review physician orders and coordinate with technologists and referring physicians to assign appropriate imaging exams within the radiology schedule.
Resolve Epic work queues, including claim-edit, patient, and account audit/review queues; research and analyze work-queue errors and denials using charts, notes, pre-authorizations, and hospital documents; correct errors; and respond to patient and staff billing and insurance questions and concerns.

Desired Qualifications

Certified Patient Access Technician (CPAT) or Certified Health Access Associate (CHAA) certification is preferred.

What We Offer

Work Location: Outpatient Rehab

Position: 40 hours a week

Shift Day: Mon-Fri 8:00am-5pm

The Patient Access Technician Lead reports to the Regional Manager. The Number One job responsibility is to deliver the most remarkable patient experience, in every dimension, every time, and understand how to contribute to the health system’s vision of achieving that commitment to patients and families. Responsible for customer relations at initial and ongoing contact with patients, visitors, and referral sources. The Patient Access Technician Lead is responsible for the accuracy and completion of patient accounts based on departmental protocol, policies and procedures, and compliance with regulatory agencies, to include pre-admit/admit/pre-register/register/scheduling functions, ensuring all insurance requirements are met prior to patients’ discharge, and pursuing cash collection.

Trains and educates Outpatient Rehab Patient Access Team Members in job duties. Monitors and maintains policy and procedures and standard work for the specific assigned area. Organizes prioritizes and coordinates the day-to-day work activities of the assigned area. Engages in ongoing communication with department management to assure departmental goals and objectives are met. Supports LEAN activities and adapts to changing environment to meet patient and department needs. Advocates for Novant Health, Rehabilitation Services, patients, team members. Advocates for Novant Health, Rehabilitation Services, patients, team members.

What You'll Do

•	Leadership: Works with the leadership to assure department coverage. Assumes day to day leadership for assigned shift when other leaders not present. This may involve acting in any capacity needed for that day. Monitors staffing needs during peak times. Has the authority to reassign staff to critical areas as needed; such as from emergency department to outpatient or vice versa. Takes a leadership role in managing the Patient Access Specialist daily work schedules to insure proper coverage and staffing. This includes communication to PRN Team members assigned to cover staffing vacancies. Works with leader to effectively cover scheduled and non-scheduled downtimes. Rotates on-call weekends with supervisor and manager. Maintains composure in difficult situations. Uses best judgment to resolve patient problems or refer issues to department leader. Seeks out relevant training or cross training. Seeks out guidance from supervisor and peers when uncertain of procedure. Provides on-site support and training for new employees or additional training for those that need more hands-on support.
•	Assists manager in the development of staff: Facilitates activities to meet identified staff learning needs. Facilitates staff involvement in management of processes. Involves staff in decision making within area. Facilitates new team member training for front line staff, and clinical staff in coding issues.
•	Manages human, material, and financial resources: Assists in the interviewing and selection process. Ensures staffing and work assignments are balanced with workload requirements and budget capabilities. Monitors and identifies opportunities to enhance productivity and efficiency in human and material resource utilization.
•	Process: Has working knowledge of Patient Accounting functions; posts payments to Patient Accounting; corrects erroneous postings; is able to answer billing questions for patients assessing current state of accounts in Patient Accounting. Proficient is setting up payment arrangement plans for patients. Process center invoices for billing as designated by center manager.
•	Quality Improvement: Completes quality assurance audits on new employees and communicates additional training needs to preceptors. Handles weekly missing and/or incomplete orders and diagnostic issues from Health Information Management. Monitors patient status transfers for accuracy and assists in Bed Placement questions. Solicits feedback from the leader to assess the quality and effectiveness of work. Participates in the dialogue process with leaders regarding quality improvement. Demonstrates a personal commitment to continuous quality improvement through active participation.
•	Compliance: Complies with established departmental policies for attendance, punctuality, procedures and safety. Complies with organizational policies and procedures. Maintains satisfactory attendance at Patient Access educational and departmental meetings. Attends all mandatory education sessions and takes advantage of continuing professional education opportunities.
•	Financial: Prepares daily deposits and reconciles cash posting in cash management system. Prepares change orders, communicates any special needs to Loomis, and balances cash on hand. Orders supplies for department through purchasing system. Organizes and manages time effectively to optimize productivity. Meets departmental registration goals in accordance with policy and procedures.
•	Communication: Liaison between other departments to ensure strong relationships and positive workflows. Actively communicates with and involves others through regular dialogue with staff/peers. Provides progress updates to staff in a timely manner. Has regular dialogue with staff and peers. Seeks input of staff in decision making. Utilizes effective communication methods to deliver information that improves quality of personal and organizational decisions. Shares responsibility for effective internal communications through a team approach. Uses proper meeting process in conducting departmental meetings. . Also, be knowledgeable of the digital phone operations for call transfers, emergency paging and act as a liaison for the Interpreting Radiologist onsite when managing incoming and outgoing phone calls.
•	Emergency Communications: Be knowledgeable of the emergency notification process and be prepared to coordinate and direct EMS personnel during emergent patient care events within the Imaging Center.
•	Customer Service: Guides staff in anticipating and exceeding customer needs and wants. Identifies key stakeholders in own department’s core activities. Understands and communicates with staff the customers’ expectations.
•	Teamwork: Is a team player and values the team approach to decision making. Cooperates and participates in group efforts. Seeks input from others and encourages different opinions. Seeks consensus and collaboration; doesn’t seek compromise as an easy solution.
•	Medical record handling: Responsible for accurately and efficiently handling all aspects of medical records. Ensures proper completion of Medical Record release forms and checks for proper identification prior to release of imaging exams. Scans miscellaneous correspondence into the electronic record. Releases patient information to insurance companies and other physician practices following established guidelines. Assists with patient correspondence.
•	Radiology Image Data Management: Transmission both to and from outside sources (hospitals, clinics, etc.) are needed for image comparisons during interpretations. This task is shared with the clinical imaging team members.
•	Interpretation Services: Coordinates and schedules outside interpreters for patients that need language translation assistance. This process is reviewed at the time of scheduling, confirmed with the patient, and then confirmed the day of the radiology exam appointment. Knowledge of both telephone services and online web use are required. Training on the online video iPAD is required as a part of the orientation for this role.
•	Manage iPAD Intake Documents: Patient Access Specialist will oversee and facilitate the initial start of digital history sheets for patients receiving exams in the center. Each team member should be knowledgeable of the function of each iPAD and be able to answer high level questions from patients of digital history sheets for patients receiving exams in the center. All clinical questions should be forwarded to the clinical team member on site.
•	Imaging Center Liaison: When staffing weekend shifts, the Patient Access Specialist serves as the Imaging Center Liaison. These duties require knowledge of security systems, HVAC systems and proper notification of Emergency Medical Services if needed. Also, it is the responsibility of the Patient Access Specialist to alert the area Manager of any safety or patient care concerns that happen within the center.
•	Patient Safety and Team Member Safety: It is extremely important for the Patient Access Specialist to be informed, educated and knowledgeable of safety procedures through out the imaging center. Conflict resolution at the front desk and the early notification of local authorities must be discussed and the team member should feel comfortable initiating these protocols when needed.
•	Extra Cleaning and Preventive Measures: All Patient Access Specialist will be diligent in their efforts to educate and ensure patients wear the proper PPE during their time at the imaging center. These protocols must be enforced and knowledge of the options for patients must discussed in a professional manner. Additional duties around infection prevention may include management of HEPA Filter devices, stocking additional PPE supplies, requesting supplies, and performing additional cleaning to ensure a safe environment for others.
•	Additional Scheduling Duties: When Radiology Equipment fails, or Radiology Staff is not available to complete the scheduled patient appts, the Patient Access Specialist Lead is often asked to contact and reschedule patient exams. Both a professional and apologetic demeanor is required when making these calls. Also, review MD orders upon arrival and thru direct communication to the Technologist and referring Physician, assign appropriate imaging exams within the radiology schedule.
•	EPIC and Work Queue Audits: Responsible for resolving Work Queues in Epic including, but not limited to: Claim Edit; Patient; Account (Audit and Review). Resolves work queue errors & denials through research and analysis by reviewing chart and notes, pre-authorizations, hospital documents, etc. Researches and analyzes denials, corrects errors Responds to patients and staff for billing and insurance questions. Resolves patient billing concerns.

What We're Looking For

Education:
- High School Diploma or GED, required.
Experience:
- 3 years experience in patient accounting/health care finance setting with computer knowledge and data entry, required.
Licensure/Certification:
- Certified Patient Access Technician (CPAT) or Certified Health Access Associate (CHAA) certification, preferred.

Why Choose Novant Health?

At Novant Health, we believe remarkable care starts with compassion for our patients, our communities, and each other. We value belonging, courage, personal growth, and teamwork, creating a space where everyone is respected, supported, and safe to show up as their full selves.

Job Opening ID

200525

About the Company

Novant Health

Integrated health network with care facilities

Novant Health operates an integrated healthcare network with hospitals, clinics, urgent care, imaging and pharmacy services across North Carolina and South Carolina. Its care model connects facilities and clinicians to provide a coordinated continuum of care, from primary and specialty services to outpatient and virtual visits. The network sets itself apart through its scale as an integrated system, a strong safety and quality focus, and active use of clinical trials and innovative care delivery; it also emphasizes community benefits and a large virtual care platform. Its goal is to improve community health by expanding access to safe, high-quality care and advancing health outcomes through research, innovation in care delivery, and value-based partnerships.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Charlotte, NC
Founded: 1997

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