Lead Patient Access Representative

Lead Patient Access Representative – South East Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC)

Join the SEARHC team as a Lead Patient Access Representative, handling advanced patient registration and leadership responsibilities.

Pay Range: $25.00 – $33.71 per hour.

The Lead Patient Registration Specialist (PRS Lead) supports the Patient Registration Supervisor/Manager, leads training, auditing, and reporting, and manages complex patient registration tasks across multiple disciplines.

Generous benefits including retirement, paid time off, parental leave, health/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, and short‑ and long‑term disability.

• Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (OT 8/40 schedule)

• Manage scheduling resources for patient appointments.
• Handle communication tools for patient scheduling requests.
• Lead pre‑registration review for insurance verification.
• Collect payment for services and manage co‑pay/u‑front collections.
• Ensure compliance with documentation requirements and timeliness.
• Scan registration documents into the electronic health record.
• Assign insurance tiers for proper payor placement.
• Validate insurance eligibility and pre‑authorization needs.
• Communicate with peers, patients, and care teams via multiple channels.
• Create new patient profiles with accurate demographic data and .
• Maintain the New Patient Registration Worklist.
• Register patients across disciplines:
  Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Optometry, Rehabilitation, Radiology, Laboratory, etc.
• Coordinate patient enrollment in the MySEARHC portal.
• Apply SEARHC’s 7 Standard of Service Excellence standards.
• Work collaboratively with staff and leadership.
• Participate in departmental improvement, maintain a clean environment, and meet competencies.
• Identify community resources and partner accordingly.
• Refer uninsured patients to a Financial Counselor and refer to the Patient Health Benefits team for insurance enrollment.
• Provide training for new PRS trainees and team members.
• Audit PRS trainee encounters and share corrective feedback.
• Report on schedule fill rates and third‑next‑available metrics.
• Monitor scheduling messages for timely responses.
• Manage provider 90‑day rolling schedules and block placements.
• Support the supervisor in their absence.
• Allocate approximately 60% of time to training, 20% to auditing and reporting, 20% to care team communication.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• High School Diploma or GED (preferred).
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Basic Life Support certification preferred.

• Minimum of 2 years of healthcare office experience or an associate degree in lieu of experience.
• Internal candidates with at least 1 year as a Patient Registration Specialist or similar role at SEARHC considered qualified.

• SEARHC services and tribal health organizations in Alaska.
• Customer service principles.
• Front‑end revenue cycle requirements.

• Attention to detail and quality data input.
• Proficiency with computers and related equipment.
• Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication.
• De‑escalation and critical thinking skills.
• Quality review and training feedback.

• Prioritize work and multitask in a fast‑paced environment.
• Handle escalated scenarios prior to supervisor escalation.
• Read and comprehend instructions, memos, and correspondence.
• Demonstrate time‑management, organization, and customer service.
• Work flexible hours with limited unplanned absence and work independently.

• Strong organization and time‑management abilities.
• Teamwork and leadership skills.
• Proficiency in EHR systems.

• Work Shift:
  
  OT 8/40