Patient Access Specialist 1
No salary listed
Junior
United States
In Person
Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryClinical Support & Patient Administration
About the job
Requirements
- A high school diploma or GED is required.
- At least one year of experience in a healthcare or institutional (corporate) work setting is required.
- Computer and data-entry experience is required.
- Ability to communicate with various members of the healthcare team is required.
- Effective written and verbal communication, attention to detail, self-direction, and a positive attitude are required.
- Effective problem-solving and critical-thinking skills are required.
- Patient Access Services Operations Onboarding Training must be completed, followed by a passing score on the final exam within 45 days of hire; failure to pass means the employee no longer meets the minimum requirement.
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual mandatory training must be completed.
Responsibilities
- Receive patient-scheduling reservation requests from physician offices, make pre-admission arrangements using allotted scheduling dates, and advise office staff when dates are unavailable.
- Interview patients or their representatives to obtain complete and accurate demographic, financial, and insurance information.
- Enter patient information into the registration system and correct or update patient account information.
- Obtain required signatures and understand any special forms required by patients' third-party payers.
- Read physicians' orders to determine requested procedures and instruct patients accordingly.
- Escort patients, or arrange for their escort, to procedure areas and assigned rooms.
- Obtain new medical record numbers for newborn admissions and other new patients.
- Document explanatory notes on patient accounts to clarify non-routine circumstances and special billing processes.
- Maintain knowledge of information-system capabilities and perform required system applications.
- Apply WellStar Health System philosophy, objectives, Patient Access Services policies, and procedures to assigned duties; understand admission, outpatient, and emergency registration processes.
- Maintain the confidentiality of patient information in accordance with WellStar policy and HIPAA regulations.
- Organize work, establish appropriate priorities, and complete work productively without creating backlogs.
- Maintain proficiency in data-entry skills.
- Assist physicians and their office staff with scheduling, pre-admission, Medicaid screening, and pre-certifications.
- Resolve errors and applicable claims, DNB, and patient work queues.
- Greet guests with a positive and professional attitude.
- Receive patients' valuables for safekeeping in the hospital safe.
- Answer incoming phone calls and follow through on requests.
- Maintain courteous and cooperative working relationships with WellStar management, patients, physicians, other professional contacts, and the public; tactfully handle difficult situations.
- Present a well-groomed, professional image in accordance with department and hospital dress codes.
- Create positive first impressions and memorable moments that fulfill patients' and families' expressed and unexpressed needs.
- Value patients and family members as partners in their care.
- Support reliable, responsive, coordinated care and effective processes.
- Focus on innovation and continuous improvement, demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity, and embrace shared ownership of the health system.
- Attempt to collect estimated self-pay balances for inpatient, outpatient, and emergency accounts at the earliest appropriate collection point.
- Monitor in-house accounts and attempt to arrange payment of guarantors' self-pay balances in full before discharge or within ten working days thereafter.
- Complete financial evaluation forms documenting guarantors' income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.
- Identify patients without adequate insurance; contact patients or guarantors to assess ability to pay non-covered charges and potential eligibility for financial assistance, including Medicaid.
- Maintain a list of healthcare financial assistance programs and eligibility requirements, and refer patients or guarantors to outside funding assistance as needed.
- Work efficiently and accurately within designated time frames to maintain continuity of information and cash flow.
- Contact scheduled patients at home to obtain pre-admission information, explain financial policies, estimate self-pay balances, and obtain a promise to pay on or before admission or registration.
- Interview all inpatients and selected self-pay outpatients at registration, or within 24 hours of admission, to verify insurance and financial information, explain financial policies, and collect estimated self-pay balances.
- Document self-pay collection activity, patient or guarantor interactions, collection efforts, and Medicaid referrals in concise, understandable notes.
- Coordinate financial counseling with Admitting, Outpatient Registration, Emergency Registration, Utilization Review, Nursing, Social Services, and Patient Financial Services.
- Verify insurance coverage and benefits.
- Exceed monthly quotas and report self-pay collection results to the direct supervisor daily or as policy requires; provide PAS management with feedback on collection and data-integrity issues.
- Complete appropriate error and issue work queues.
- Identify and resolve payer denials as indicated.
- Observe work hours and give proper notice of absences, tardiness, and work-schedule changes.
- Attend selected departmental meetings at management's request.
- Perform other duties as assigned and comply with WellStar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.
Desired Qualifications
- Working knowledge of patient registration systems and intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills are preferred.
- Epic experience is preferred.
- Successful completion of the Patient Access Services onboarding exam may enable enrollment in the WHS Enterprise Membership–HFMA Certification program, subject to PAS leadership approval.
About the company
Wellstar Health System provides comprehensive medical care across Georgia through hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, a pediatric center, nursing centers, hospice and home care services, supported by nearly 30,000 team members. It operates a network that combines primary care and specialty medicine, including multiple trauma centers and a large Emergency Department; patients access care through inpatient facilities, outpatient centers, and home health, supported by an integrated care model. Wellstar differentiates itself with an inclusive culture, high-quality care, and strong workplace recognition, while being one of Georgia's largest integrated health systems with multiple trauma centers and a top emergency department. Its goal is to improve health and well-being for everyone served by compassionate care, pursuing excellence, and transforming how healthcare is delivered.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia
Founded
1997
Get referred to Wellstar
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Stephens County Hospital deal announced September 2, 2026 expands reach to 14 hospitals.
- Columbia County Medical Center started seeing patients August 26, adding 100 beds in Grovetown.
- Curative named Wellstar cornerstone network partner August 21, broadening employer-driven patient volume.
What critics are saying
- Wellstar cut 761 corporate jobs on July 28, 2026, signaling execution strain.
- Stephens County approval can stall until late 2026, delaying synergies and distracting leadership.
- One bad patient-safety event at new hospitals would damage Georgia referrals and regulator trust.
What makes Wellstar unique
- Wellstar runs 12 hospitals after Mountain Lakes closed August 10, 2026.
- Columbia County Medical Center opened August 26, 2026 with six ORs and ICU-convertible rooms.
- Wellstar anchors Georgia access through tele-stroke, specialist networks, and Curative's 400-plus locations.
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Benefits
- Flexible Work Hours
- Professional Development Budget
- Conference Attendance Budget