Ambulatory Patient Access Representative

DEPARTMENT: Internal Medicine SMC Acute

FACILITY: Affinity West Campus

WORK TYPE: Full Time

SHIFT: Daytime

SUMMARY:

The Ambulatory Patient Access Representative (APAR) is responsible for coordinating communications occurring at the clinic. The APAR is responsible for the paperwork involved with registering patients and for keeping up with new and changing insurance matters as well as IT updates and workflow changes. The APAR receives supervision from the Clinic Manager. Works closely with Patient Access Services System Coordinator to keep up with current guidelines in the registration process, as well as patient financial services to keep up with basic changes for the collection process. Provides customer service to patients and their families, visitors, physicians, coworkers, and other medical and non-medical personnel.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Knows emergency codes and calmly announces.
• Keeps clinic supplied with forms for daily use and downtime procedures and replenishes as needed.
• Handles scheduling, needed follow ups, and referrals for patients.
• Handles confidential information with discretion for the patient, family, and/or co-worker.
• Maintains cleanliness in the department.
• Makes needed copies of chart when patients is referred for continuity of care.
• Protects patient's valuables as directed in policies and procedures.
• Follows policies related to informed consent, confidentiality, patient rights, and access to chart and advances directive information.
• If familiar with process to request interpreter or with interpreter equipment within the clinic.
• Answers phone calls and provides assistance to patients, referring physician offices, and others who may call, transfers calls to appropriate personnel and/or takes messages.
• Maintains integrity of medical records.
• Performs basic clerical duties such as filing, mailing, faxing, and copying.
• Assist in ordering office supplies as requested.
• Demonstrates courtesy and respect towards patients and family members.
• Communicates clearly and appropriately with physician, APPs and Clinic Manager.
• Assists clinic manager with environmental audits as requested.
• Works appointment call system reports and contacts patients as needed for appointment reminders.
• Receives payments from patients and distributes receipts as applicable.
• Keeps abreast of pertinent federal, and state regulations and laws and Tift Regional Health System, Inc. ("TRHS") policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified.
• Understands and adheres to: TRHS' compliance standards as they appear in TRHS's Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy; and HIPAA and TRHS policies regarding privacy and security of protected health information.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform tasks that meet the age-specific requirements of the persons, patients, vendors, and staff that the employee is charged to interact with as required by the position.
• Offers suggestions on ways to improve operations of department and reduce costs.
• Attends all mandatory education programs.
• Improves self-knowledge through voluntarily attending continuing education/certification classes.
• Maintains required competency levels as identified in written exams, skills checklists, skills labs, annual safety and health requirements as well as service excellence education hours requirements.
• Cross-trains in order to better assist co-workers and to provide maximum efficiency in the department.
• Volunteers/participates on hospital committees, functions, and department projects.
• Manages resources effectively.
• Reports equipment in need of repair in order to extend life of equipment and removes malfunctioning equipment out of service with timely reporting to the appropriate personnel.
• Makes good use of time so as to not create needless overtime.

EDUCATION:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent

in Education specialization:

OTHER INFORMATION:

One (1) year of hospital or physician practice experience preferred.

Southwell/Tift Regional Health System, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.