Patient Services Representative

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The Speech, Language, and Hearing Science Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinics at Western operate on a donation-based, no-fee clinic model which allows a diagnostic freedom that we otherwise wouldn't have with billing and the restrictions of insurance reimbursement. The no-fee clinic also increases our patient access. Because we don't use billing as a revenue generator, there are so many community needs that the clinic can meet. Our patients are served by graduate student clinicians, under the supervision of a clinical Audiologist or Speech-Language Pathologist, and have many more opportunities to explore a wider range of diagnostic and treatment services.

Under the general direction of the Administrative Services Manager, and Patient Services Supervisor, and the Clinic Directors, perform the duties of Patient Services Representative for the Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinics in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Reception:

• Greet and check-in patients in a warm and friendly manner
• Prepare parking permits for clients, maintain parking permit logs, and request new passes. Dispute client parking citations as needed.
• Provide checked-in clients with appropriate paperwork and other instructions
• Monitor client attendance, make-ups, and cancellations. Inform clinic supervisor and student clinicians of cancellations.
• Contact clients to inform of cancellations (e.g. due to provider illness) as needed
• Answer the phone, take messages, respond to general inquiries, and forward calls to appropriate parties. Monitor the voicemail box and return clients’ calls within 48 hours.
• Respond to email inquiries from former, current, and prospective clients
• Respond to email inquiries from supervisors with requested input and information
• Place maintenance or janitorial requests as needed
• Provide directions to lost campus visitors
• Interact professionally with patients, faculty, staff, and students
• Maintain confidentiality and utilize discretion

RecordManagement:

• Process and record incoming referrals from community providers.
• Establish contact with potential clients, provide information about the clinic, and supply with intake paperwork
• Create new patient profiles in the EMR
• Update client information in the EMR and verify accuracy
• Scan and upload documents into the EMR
• Assist with the digitalization of paper records into the EMR as assigned
• Assist clients with the use of the Patient Portal
• Respond to record requests and provide documentation
• Assist with the archival of old records
• Assist student clinicians with locating and navigating paper and electronic records

Scheduling:

• Schedule Hearing Conservation program participants
• Work alongside TAs and Patient Services Supervisor to schedule clients and complete reminder calls as directed
• Fill cancellations as directed
• During the quarter, schedule urgent appointments and appointments that may occur after the quarter ends (intersession appointments).

General Office Administration:

• Maintain an orderly workspace
• Keep lobby and waiting area clean and tidy (non-custodial)
• Monitor inventory of office supplies and inform supervisors when supplies need replenishment
• Assist students and others with the operation of the copier, sending faxes, and other office equipment
• Update clinical documents as directed by the Clinic Directors or Patient Services Supervisor

Miscellaneous:

• Accept credit card payments from clients and assist them with POS card reader transactions and online Clinic Store sales of hearing aids and accessories
• Research and compile clinical activity data and information as directed by the Clinic Directors or Department Chair
• Serve as resource for student clinicians about clinic administration and record management
• Other duties as assigned

HearingConservationProgram:

• Coordinate with all relevant department supervisors
• Schedule participants in slot and confirm appointments
• Utilize online scheduling tool to improve efficiency
• Maintain records of participants and results

This is a part-time 34.5 hour per week, 11.5-month position.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• One year of medical office experience and two years of clerical experience
• Awareness of communication differences
• Ability to work with people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities
• Ability to maintain calm and professional
• Ability to learn clinical terminology
• High degree of discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality
• Proficiency with computers and software such as MS Office and Adobe Acrobat
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Willingness to work as part of a team

• Familiarity with HIPAA
• Experience working with children
• Experience working with people with disabilities
• Experience working with the older adults
• Spanish-speaking

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60 days of hire. Please reach out to

HR@wwu.edu

This position will require a fingerprint background check.  The successful candidate must be eligible to participate in federal healthcare programs.  Finalists will be screen against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) List of Excluded Individuals/Entities and the Washington State Health Care Authority Provider Termination and Exclusion List.  Any person excluded from participation is ineligible for hire or continued employment.

Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); 

crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at

student.life@wwu.edu

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.