Patient Access Specialist Resource Specialist

Department Overview

The Patient Access Resource Specialist (PASR) gathers and records required information about patients, provides customer services which includes confirming health insurance coverage, determining individual financial obligations, verifying that necessary authorizations for care have been obtained, scheduling physician office appointments, cancer treatment appointments, and ancillary appointments, and assisting patients in an office or practice setting. 

This position may be responsible for scheduling a high volume of complicated patient procedures and clinic appointments.  This position will serve as a liaison and information resources for physicians, nursing, other support staff and coworkers, referring physician offices, patients, and insurance companies. This role will be required to answer incoming calls to the clinic, to schedule, transfer, or triage to a clinical team.

This role will have responsibility to convey detailed, complicated information to patients and answer any patient questions or concerns within scope.  Works closely with other clinics and treatment units for appointment coordination. Works reschedule and wait lists when necessary; Prepare and mail, fax, or email new patient information packets when necessary; Direct patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues; Complete and route direct referrals to other clinical services; Respond to patient messages in a variety of formats, including phone and electronic; Enter patient information accurately into the electronic medical record when necessary. 

We are located in downtown Portland on the Legacy Good Samaratin Campus. Parking is free.

Function/Duties of Position

• Enrollment & Authorization. Gathers and/or verifies patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status. Confirms patient eligibility for health care coverage and clarifies any managed care arrangements. Obtains authorizations for clinical care, procedures, and laboratory studies. Enters all information accurately into OHSU databases or into the medical record when necessary. Follows up on pending authorizations until they are obtained.
• Arranged Care. Coordinate high volume of complicated patient care appointments, procedures, and infusion treatments as directed by physician and/or nurse staff; Uses EMR and other systems as needed for scheduling. Creates a medical record if needed. Provides personal reminders to patients about upcoming appointments. Serves as a liaison and information resource for physicians, and nursing support staff; Return patients messages (phone and/or electronic); Prepare and mail patient information packets; Direct patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues; Complete and route direct referrals to other clinical services; Enter patient information accurately into the electronic medical record when necessary.  Maintains a service-based working knowledge of oncology practice. Obtains prior medical records and studies if appropriate. Arranges for wheelchairs, interpreters, or other assistive devices as necessary to support safe, high-quality care. Other duties as assigned.
• Customer Service / Point of Service Operations. Provide the highest level of customer service to both external customers (patients and their families, referring providers, insurance carriers, etc.) and internal customers (OHSU health care providers and staff) that meet or exceed the service standards of the health care industry. This duty includes prompt and professional communication efforts, exemplary phone etiquette, face-to-face customer contact skills, high emotional intelligence including during stressful situations, utilization of available information technology, consistently following standard work, flexible coverage of internal service needs and the continuous application of process improvement methods and skills. Greets patients and, where appropriate, checks them in prior to being seen by clinical staff.  Gathers and/or verifies patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status.  Checks patient account numbers and corrects any problems, seeking advice from Central Registration as required. Ensures that all appointment comment information is accurate and complete.  Enters all information accurately into OHSU databases or into the medical record when necessary.  Inspects insurance cards and/or authorization notices. Explains and satisfies any necessary patient signature requirements (including non-covered service forms). Identifies and collects co-payments, provides receipts, and completes necessary accounting procedures as needed. Notifies clinical staff when patients arrive, monitors the length of patient wait times and intervene as necessary. Distributes medication lists to patients and prepares other duties associated to clinic as needed. Validates parking as needed. 
• Integrated Care. Schedules associated clinical, diagnostic, or laboratory services; obtains authorizations when necessary. Contacts primary care physicians or their designees to obtain authorizations for care when needed. Scheduling activity may occur as part of check out processing, or separately. Directs patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues. Completes and routes direct referrals to other clinical services. Directs patient questions regarding billing and insurance payments to appropriate staff. 
• Telecommunications. Takes incoming/inbound calls and/or makes outgoing/outbound calls from/to patients, referring providers, or other stakeholders; Connects callers with the appropriate individual(s) to address their questions and/or progress their care; Create EMR telephone encounters that include accurate documentation of requests, such as medication refills, complaints, general inquiries or urgent health care concerns;  Direct calls/messages to the appropriate staff for patient care /needs assessment; Process calls (answering, screening, routing, paging etc.) in a timely, polite, professional  manner; Delivers information or requests promptly to the appropriate providers or their designees. Transfer calls as needed and engage nursing, physician, APP, or other care team personnel per circumstance; Provide information to callers, including directions, addresses and hours of operation; Use schedules and departmental procedures to locate appropriate on-call person for internal and external callers; Understand and process calls per departmental policy for each encounter type (i.e. refill, telephone, documentation, etc.)
• PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE & DEVELOPMENT: Participate in appropriate educational activities that enhance general knowledge or ability to do assigned work; Attend staff meetings and other informational sessions; Read vendor documentation, trade publications, or other appropriate publications; Interact with peers and other employees to receive and disseminate information; Attend and particiapte in department huddles as appropriate; Trains and orients new staff; Cross-trains for positions in assigned or other areas; Identifies process improvement opportunities, communicates opportunities to direct supervisor, and helps create or enhance standard work; Participates in ongoing professional development and competency assessment; Communicates additional training needs to direct supervisor. Carries out job responsibilities in an ethical, effective and professional manner.  Reports potential compliance problems using the reporting processes as outlined in the Code of Conduct.  Models ethical appropriate behavior, professional standards, compliance and personal integrity. Understands and complies with the Code of Conduct, OHSU and department policies and procedures, applicable rules, regulations, etc.  Carries equal share of workload, demonstatrate the ability to multi-task and provides on-going operations support. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor/manager.
• Managed Care Coordination. Maintains current information on managed care insurance plans and serves as a liaison and information resources for physicians, nursing support staff, and coworkers, referring physician offices, OHSU Health Plan Office, patients, and insurance companies on authorization requirements per diagnosis and service. Serves as service area expert on ICD9 coding requirements and issues. Obtains managed care authorizations for all consultations, procedures, office visits, and care arrangements by scheduling appointments and contacting other ancillary and clinical services as needed. Applies problem solving and negotiating skills in resolving patient concerns and managed care related problems.

Required Qualifications

• One year of experience in a medical office setting, including high-volume direct patient contact, scheduling of appointments and may require experience obtaining managed care authorizations (dependent on position description). OR one and a half years of work experience in a high volume direct public contact position and 6 months experience in a medical office setting.  The candidate must have a thorough knowledge of PAS policies and procedures. Candidates will have demonstrated advanced PAS user skills as well as extensive knowledge of integrated care at OHSU.

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Basic computer skills including word processing. Windows applications, on-line scheduling, and a preference for data-base skills. Excellent verbal and written communications skills.  Strong customer service orientation.  Demonstrated effectiveness in confrontational customer interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• HS Diploma or advanced degree preferred
• Experience in a medical and/or oncology office setting.
• Knowledge of Epic systems.
• Knowledge of OHSU network systems, including Outlook and Microsoft Office products.
• Knowledge of iQueue.
• Appointment scheduling experience.
• Basic computer keyboarding skills including typing of 40-50wpm.
• Proficient computer skills including word processing.
• Extremly high level of attention to detail. 
• Demonstrated problem solving and negotaition skills in resolving patient concerns, scheduling challenges and managed care related problems.
• Communication and contact:  Communicates effectively both verbally and in writing with superiors, colleagues and individuals inside and outside OHSU
• Active listening skills; ability to deal with customers in stressful situations; ability to remain calm under pressure
• Relationships with others:  Works effectively and relates well with others including superiors, colleagues and individuals inside and outside OHSU
• Exhibits a professional manner in dealing with others and works to maintain constructive working relationships
• Excellent customer service skills both in person and on the telephone
• Ability to work in a collaborative, team-centered work environment and provide helpful support in a timely manner
• High level of integrity
• Tolerance for ambiguity in a high workload, fast-paced environment
• Attendance and dependability:  Can be depended on to report to work at the scheduled time and is seldom absent from work; can be depended upon to complete work in a timely, accurate and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments; willing to work overtime as necessary depending on volume of work

Additional Details

• Clinic operating hours. Occasional extended hours, to include but not limited to, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays may be occasionally required. Employee must have vehicle in order to travel between sites within the Community Hematology Oncology Unit.
• Stooping, Crouching, Reaching, Listening, Sitting, Keyboarding, and ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact [email protected]