Patient Accounts Representative - Prior Authorization Specialist Fort Dodge Clinic

Come work with an award winning team! Thanks to the readers of The Daily Freeman-Journal, VDMC was named Best Place to Work in 2023 and 2024. Van Diest Medical Center has also been recognized as a 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®.

This marks the second year for VDMC’s inclusion on the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals. VDMC is one of only 12 hospitals in the state of Iowa to achieve this designation. Nationwide, there are 1,366 critical access hospitals. Additionally, Van Diest Medical Center (VDMC) has also been named a 2024 Top Workplaces INDUSTRY winner. Top Workplaces Industry awards celebrate organizations that have built people‑first workplace cultures within their sector.

The award marks them as an employer of choice for those seeking employment in the industry. Details about how Van Diest Medical Center builds a great workplace culture are available at

The Prior Authorization and Referral Specialist performs the following, according to established guidelines: obtains precertification authorization from insurance companies for patients with scheduled surgical procedures, and various tests, including MRIs, CTs, and sleep studies. In doing so, identifies and contacts patient’s insurance company for eligibility, pre-existing, and exclusions; provides patient’s medical history, treatments received, current conditions, and planned surgical treatment. Determines if prior approval is needed and notifies the appropriate department staff of outcome and the patient, when necessary.

Position is full-time at 36 hours per week, will likely be 4 eight‑hour days, and 1 four‑hour shift per week.

Wage commensurate with experience.