Patient Access Specialist – Acworth Health Park

How would you like to work in a place where your contributions and ideas are valued? A place where you can serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice? At Wellstar, our mission is simple, yet powerful: to enhance the health and well‑being of every person we serve. We are proud to have become a shining example of what’s possible when the brightest professionals dedicate themselves to making a difference in the healthcare industry, and in people’s lives.

This job is typically the first point of contact and must ensure a pleasant experience for patients and visitors. Interviews patients and/or their representatives to obtain complete and accurate demographic, financial and insurance information, required for billing and collecting patient accounts. Conducts intensive screening of all Medicare, Medicaid and managed care patients for pre‑certification requirements and provider service eligibility, prior to registration.

Obtains all necessary customer consents/attestations. Coordinates the collection of all estimated patient liabilities, including co‑payments and unmet deductibles. Verifies insurance benefits and coverage for inpatients and outpatients. Responds to customer requests and answers questions regarding various service and account information. Analyzes and rectifies customer concerns using established procedures. Uses computer to access and/or update customer records. Verifies and posts transactions.

Follows established procedures for processing receipts, cash etc. Sorts and files various documents. Assists with general hospital information and directions to departments within and outside of the WHS facility. Establishes financial arrangements to reduce financial risk for WHS, helping to ensure that Well Star is reimbursed for its services.

Quality/ Safety

• Receives requests for reservations (patient scheduling) from physicians offices and makes the necessary pre‑admission arrangements, referring to lists of dates allotted for scheduling, and advising physicians office staff of unavailable dates.
• Interviews each patient or representatives to obtain complete and accurate demographic, financial and insurance information.
• Enters all patient information into the registration system.
• Obtains all necessary signatures and is knowledgeable regarding any special forms that may be required by the patients third party payer.
• Reads physicians orders to determine the procedures requested and to instruct patients accordingly.
• Escorts or arranges to have patient escorted to procedure areas and assigned rooms.
• Makes corrections and updates patient account information in computer.
• Obtains new medical record numbers for newborn admissions and other new patients.
• Documents thorough explanatory notes on patient accounts, concerning any non‑routine circumstances, clarifying special billing processes.
• Maintains a working knowledge of available information system capabilities and performs all system applications that are required.
• Understands and applies WHS philosophy and objectives, and PAS policies and procedures, as related to assigned duties. Understands the admission, outpatient and emergency registration process.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient information, in accordance with WHS policy and HIPAA regulations.
• Consistently demonstrates the ability to organize work, recognizes and establishes appropriate work priorities, and completes work in a productive manner, without creating backlogs.
• Maintains proficiency in data entry skills.
• Assists physicians and their office staff to expedite scheduling, pre‑admission, Medicaid screening and pre‑certifications on all accounts.
• Resolves error and applicable Claim, DNB, and Patient Work Queues.

Customer Service

• Greets all guest with a positive and professional attitude.
• Receives patients valuables for safekeeping in the hospital safe.
• Answers incoming phone calls and follows through with requests made.
• Maintains courteous and cooperative working relationships with WHS management, patients, physicians, other professional contacts, and the general public. Demonstrates ability to tactfully handle difficult…