PAS Specialist

Department Overview

OHSU Casey Eye Institute is a premier academic medical center providing eye care for adults and children in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We treat eye conditions from the most straightforward to the most complex and offer expert care in all ophthalmology specialties.

Since 1945, OHSU Casey Eye Institute doctors and vision scientists have worked side by side to discover the causes of eye disease and find new treatments. Bringing research and patient care together helps us turn possibilities into realities. OHSU Casey Eye Institute is a "High Performing" eye hospital, which means we are ranked in the top 10 percent nationally by U.S. News & World Report.

This position provides support to all Ophthalmology Clinics at Marquam Hill, South Waterfront and satellite clinic locations, specifically in the areas of patient care, phones, reception, and scheduling on an as-needed basis. This position is a regular, full-time on-site position.

Function/Duties of Position

Triage phone calls, dispensing appropriately, including facilitation of prescription refills, consults, walk-ins and emergencies. Customer Service. Provide high quality customer service to both external customers (patient, referring providers, and insurance carriers) and internal customers (OHSU health care providers and staff) that meets or exceeds the service standards of the health care industry.  This duty includes prompt and professional communication efforts, face-to-face customer contact skills, excellent customer service skills. Schedule new and return patient appointments, including residents and faculty, ancillaries and surgeries; prepare patient appointment list. Greet patients and confirm that an appointment has been kept.  Copy insurance cards and/or authorization notices and verify insurance coverage.  Identify and collect deductible payments, co-payments, and deposits on services; provide receipts and complete necessary accounting procedures.    Explain and satisfy any necessary patient signature requirements.  Prepare charts for patient appointment, as desired by each physician.

Point of Service Operations.  Greet patients and confirm that an appointment has been kept.  Inspect insurance cards and/or authorization notices.  Identify and collect deductible payments, co-payments, and deposits on services; provide receipts and complete necessary accounting procedures.  Verify and update the common data set on-line.  Explain and satisfy any necessary patient signature requirements.  Prepare charts for patient appointment, as desired by each physician.

Arrange Care.  Schedule new patient appointments on line.  Obtain prior medical records and studies if appropriate.  Create a medical record if needed.  Arrange stretchers, wheelchairs, and interpreters when necessary, and accommodate other special needs whenever possible.  Mail information packets.  Provide personal reminders to patients about upcoming appointments.  Obtain and prepare OHSU medical records before scheduled appointments.  Assist Casey staff with supporting administrative clinic functions including filing and pulling patient charts, sending and faxing medical records when indicated, and assisting staff with mail distribution.

Integrated Care.  Arrange and order associated clinical, diagnostic, or laboratory services; obtain authorizations when necessary.  Direct patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues.  Complete and route direct referrals to other clinical services.  Contact primary care physicians or their designees to obtain authorizations for urgent care.  Schedule return appointments on line, and manually if necessary; initiate authorization requests for subsequent care.

Perform cash handling and billing duties in a timely and thorough manner.  Duties include: educating patients on related billing issues as appropriate; collecting co-payments and past due balances when indicated; providing patients with appropriate receipts per CEI procedures; performing end of day duties following CEI protocol and guidelines (batching out cash/checks/credit card, checking encounters for missing information, and giving appropriate documentation to designated area for posting); reconciling cash receipts per CEI policy and maintaining front office cash drawer as appropriate.

Required Qualifications

 Six months of work experience in a medical office setting, including high volume direct patient contact OR one year of work experience in a high volume direct public contact position 

Note: Successful completion of a formal OHSU Administrative Internship Program will substitute for one year of experience.  Contact Compensation for confirmation of eligibility. 

Basic computer keyboarding skills including typing of 30 - 45 wpm. Working knowledge of medical terminology.  Strong relationship building skills with patients, health plans, providers, staff, management.  Exceptional customer service skills - both in person and on the phone.  Exceptional interpersonal skills - able to resolve conflicts and to problem solve between parties.  Patient advocacy skills - evaluate patient concerns for timely resolution.  Sensitivity to patient needs.  Demonstrated evidence of strong written and verbal communication skills.  Ability to manage competing priorities.  Ability to meet deadlines and urgent patient and system needs.  Ability to work independently; willingness to serve as a positive and professional role model.  Must have demonstrated record of reliable attendance, punctuality and proven successful performance in past and present.

Preferred Qualifications

High School Diploma or GED preferred. Medical office experience preferred.

Additional Details

Work schedule will be on-site, Monday through Friday, either 8:00-4:30 or 8:30-5:00, as determined by clinic needs.  Must use public transportation, as parking will not be provided.  Applicants must be willing to travel between clinic sites by stairs, elevator, tram, shuttle or other means.  Applicants must be willing to travel to locations outside of Portland area as needed.

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]