Front Office Assistant

Title: Front Office Assistant (FOA)

Work Hours: 7:00am-11:30am; 12:30pm-6:00pm Monday through Thursday

Reports to: Operations Director

Supervises: None

Description:

The Physical Therapy Clinic Front Office Assistant serves as the first point of contact for patients and visitors, providing excellent customer service while supporting the clinic’s administrative needs. This position involves greeting patients, managing appointments, handling patient intake, verifying insurance, and assisting with general office tasks to ensure the clinic operates efficiently.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Patient Reception and Customer Service:

• Greet patients and visitors in a professional and welcoming manner.
• Verify and update patient information in the clinic’s electronic health records (EHR) system.
• Ensure patients complete necessary intake forms, including medical history, consent forms, and insurance information.
• Answer phone calls, respond to patient inquiries, and provide information on services, clinic hours, and appointment scheduling.

2. Appointment Scheduling and Coordination:

• Schedule patient appointments based on therapist availability and patient needs.
• Confirm, reschedule, or cancel appointments as necessary.
• Appointment reminders via phone to reduce no-show rates.
• Maintain a well-organized scheduling calendar and ensure patients are seen in a timely manner.

3. Insurance Verification and Billing Support:

• Assist patients with understanding insurance plans, co-pays, and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Collect co-pays and payments at the time of service, ensuring accuracy in billing.
• Verify patient insurance coverage and benefits prior to appointments when necessary.
• Assist with insurance authorizations and referrals when necessary.

4. Patient Records Management:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records, including plan of care treatment plans.
• Ensure all documents are properly scanned to the patient’s EHR chart, and physically filed in the therapists’ folders.
• Protect patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA regulations at all times.

5. Administrative and Clerical Support:

• Perform general office tasks such as filing, faxing, photocopying, and data entry.
• Assist with maintaining the clinic's cleanliness and organization of the front office area.

6. Communication and Coordination:

• Serve as a liaison between patients, physical therapists, and other clinic staff to ensure smooth operations.
• Relay patient messages to appropriate staff and ensure timely follow-up.
• Provide patients with information about their physical therapy treatments and any instructions or exercises as directed by their therapist.
• Communicate with insurance companies, referring physicians, and other healthcare providers as needed.

7. Other Duties:

• Perform other duties as assigned by the operations director, clinical director, and owner.

Qualifications:

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; associate’s degree or certification in medical office administration or similar field preferred.
• Experience: Two years’ recent experience in a healthcare setting, preferably in a physical therapy or medical office environment.
• Skills: Spanish bilingual preferred. Strong communication skills, both verbal and written. Knowledge of medical terminology, particularly related to physical therapy, is helpful. Proficiency in office software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite), Google Suite, and practice management software (e.g., EHR or scheduling systems). Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and adhere to HIPAA guidelines. Strong multitasking abilities in a fast-paced environment.

Personal Attributes:

• Friendly, approachable, and professional demeanor.
• Compassionate and patient-focused attitude.
• Ability to manage stress and work efficiently under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving and customer service skills.
• Team-oriented with a positive and proactive attitude.

Working Conditions:

• Typically works in a physical therapy clinic environment.
• Full-time position, with hours that may include evenings or weekends when necessary.
• May be required to occasionally lift light objects, such as medical records or office supplies.
• Exposure to sensitive patient information and healthcare-related documents.

Tasks and other duties include, but may not be limited to:

• Answer phones, check voicemails, and return calls
• Check patients in/out
• Scheduling patient visits
• Calling no show patients
• Completing daily task list in EHR system
• Data entry into EHR system, Excel spreadsheets, and Word documents
• Process incoming referrals
• Process credit card, cash, and check payments/transactions
• Track plan of cares
• Work active patient waitlist
• Restock office forms and office supplies
• Contact insurances to verify patient eligibility and benefits when necessary
• Assist with obtaining pre-authorizations when necessary
• End of day closing procedures: lock doors, turn off Open sign, take out garbage, close blinds, set alarm system, etc. when necessary
• Shred confidential material when necessary
• Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 4x10
• Day shift

Experience:

• Medical office: 2 years (Required)
• EHR systems: 2 years (Required)
• referral processing: 2 years (Required)
• insurance verification: 2 years (Required)
• Google Suite: 2 years (Preferred)

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $19 - $21