Practice Support Specialist - Medical Clinics

NMC is currently recruiting a Practice Support Specialist, for our Pulmonology clinic. The position is full-time (80 hours bi-weekly), generally 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Northwestern Medical Center’s mission is to provide exceptional health care to our community. Join our high reliability team! With “people” as one of our core values, valuing our employees is a top priority for Northwestern. We care about our employees, their families, and their overall health & well-being. We are proud to offer a generous benefits package, with recognized national carriers, designed to help our people stay healthy, balance work & life responsibilities, protect your assets & plan for a secure financial future.

Hiring Range: $17.21 - $22.67

Practice Support Specialist I

JOB SUMMARY:

The Practice Support Specialist provides excellent customer service while registering patients, scheduling patient appointments and answering the phone. This position supports the Physician Services' clinics with various administrative and clerical functions. Duties may vary based on the clinic. It is an expectation that this position is able to cover all at offices within their coverage group.

All positions within Physician Services are expected to cross train to other areas.  Each employee will have a dedicated home department but will have the opportunity to float to other areas as needed for coverage and to maintain skills.

PRE-REQUISITES:

Education: High school graduate or equivalent.

Experience: Prior clerical work experience in a medical office, knowledge of medical terminology, proficient typing skills preferred. Experience with an electronic health record, medical billing, insurance claims, medical records, and/or patient registration preferred. Must be comfortable with a multi-line phone system.

Other: Must be able to understand and provide written and verbal instructions pertaining to scheduling and medical provider requests. Must have adequate math skills to collect money and make change. Ability to work in fast-paced environment and communicate with people in a professional and tactful manner. Must be competent with general computer skills. Must be detail oriented and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and prioritize appropriately. May be required to transport scopes to and from Central Sterile. Willing and able to perform task as needed is preferred. 

RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports To:  Manager, NMG Patient Access

Other Contacts: NMC Team Members, patients, families, visitors

SCOPE:

Machinery or Equipment Used: Computer and basic office equipment, multi-line phone system

Physical Demands: Sitting for long periods, standing and walking, manual dexterity and mobility, may need to push a patient in a wheelchair

Working Conditions: Medical office environment

Required Protective Equipment: PPE as patient condition or situation dictates

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Customer Service:

• Greets patients and visitors
• Hands out appropriate forms for completion by the patient
• Uses key words at key times and AIDET consistently
• Actively and independently assesses the waiting room for patient flow, requesting additional resources as needed. Reports issues to Practice Coordinator as needed, keeps patients informed of wait times
• Ensure prescriptions pick up is per policy
• Accesses interpreter services when needed
• Implements service recovery when needed, refers to Practice Manager, Charge RN or Director as appropriate
• Keeps patients in waiting room updated about wait times

2. Answering Phones:

• Answers phones in a pleasant, professional manner within the expected timeframe
• Uses scripting as directed
• Strives to answer all calls within 3 rings
• Appropriately transfers calls or takes messages as needed
• Utilizes problem solving and decision making skills to respond appropriately to phone calls from patients, families, physicians, payors, lawyers, and/or other health care professionals.

3. Appointment and Scheduling:

• Accurately Schedules appointments per templates
• Consistently Manages gaps in schedule
• Manages callback lists for future appointments
• Adds patients to appointment waiting list
• Works the waiting list for any cancellations
• Verifies insurances at appropriate times, as needed
• Checks patient out and gives necessary paperwork and schedules follow-up appointments
• Sends out no show letters daily
• Reschedules patients when needed

4. Administrative Duties:

• Manages inbound faxes, portal messages, referrals and direct messaging per office procedure
• Assists Practice Manager with data collection/reporting as requested
• Manages medical record requests
• Accurately scans items into the electronic medical record
• Assists with other clerical duties as requested

5. Accurately and precisely enters registration information for patients and complies with all related policies and procedures.

6. Collects copays, coinsurances, outstanding balances and cash for services rendered.