Patient Access Specialist

Department Overview

Internal Medicine at Marquam Hill is located on the OHSU Main Campus and provides comprehensive primary care services for adult patients ages 18 and older. Our clinic is staffed by a diverse team of Faculty Physicians, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Physician Assistants (PAs) dedicated to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. As a resident-based teaching clinic, we play a vital role in training the next generation of physicians while maintaining a strong commitment to exceptional patient care. Our academic environment fosters collaboration among providers, residents, and support staff, ensuring patients receive evidence-based, team-oriented care. In addition to primary care services, our clinic offers access to seven medical subspecialties, allowing for coordinated and comprehensive management of both acute and chronic health conditions. We serve a diverse patient population with a focus on preventive care, chronic disease management, care coordination, and promoting overall health and wellness. Our mission is to provide accessible, compassionate, and high-quality care while supporting medical education, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement in patient outcomes.

The Patient Access Specialist gathers and records required information about patients; provides specific customer services which include screening for financial eligibility, confirming health insurance coverage and individual’s obligations, obtaining necessary authorizations for care, scheduling physician office and ancillary appointments, and assisting patients in an office or practice setting. This person supports the clinic by providing excellent customer services through prompt and professional communication skills, face to face customer contact skills, and excellent problem-solving skills.

Function/Duties of Position

• Provides high quality customer service to both external customers and internal customers that meets or exceeds the service standards of the health care industry.  This duty includes prompt and professional communication efforts, exemplary phone etiquette, flexible coverage of internal service needs, and continuous follow through.
• Is responsible for all processes involved in checking patients in and out.  Responsible for but not limited to scheduling return appointments, scheduling ancillary services as requested by the provider, obtain authorization when necessary. Directs patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues.  Completes and routes direct referrals to other clinical services.  Contact Primary Care physicians or their designees to obtain authorizations for care as required. Is responsible for managing all of the provider’s template changes, vacations and clinic schedules.
• Gathers and/or verifies patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status.  Confirms patient eligibility for healthcare coverage and clarifies any managed care arrangements.  Obtains authorizations for clinical care, procedures and laboratory studies.  Enters all information accurately into OHSU database or into the medical record when necessary.  Follows up on pending authorizations until they are obtained
• Takes accurate messages from patients including request for medication refills, complaints, general information inquiries, and urgent healthcare concerns. Delivers such information or requests promptly to the appropriate providers, Nurse Care Manager or their designees.
• Schedules new and return patient appointments on line. 
• Handles correspondence, orders hospital records and x rays; handles correspondence requests; sends appointment reminders or calls patients.  
• Other duties as assigned

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 

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Basic computer keyboarding skills including typing of 30 - 45 wpm.
• Note:  Successful completion of a formal OHSU Administrative Internship Program will substitute for one year of experience.  Contact Compensation for confirmation of eligibility. 

Preferred Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED
• 1 year of combined high volume phone line and front-line experience in a medical office with direct patient contact.
• 1 year of EPIC scheduling experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products: Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Basic keyboarding skills
• Proficient in OHSU network computer applications: Teams, EPIC, Smartsheets. 
• Working knowledge of Medical Terminology.
• Strong relationship building skills, with patients, health plans, providers, staff and management.
• Patient advocacy skills.
• Knowledge of OHSU PAS policies and procedures, with completed PAS training and core competencies, and with Previous PAS experience.

Additional Details

• Work at Marquam Hill PPV 3rdth floor Internal Medicine Clinic
• Hours vary 7:00am – 8:00pm  Monday – Saturday 
• Must be able to lift 40lb of weight or more. Must be able to stand for long periods of time. Must be able to bend at knee without physical complications

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]