Patient Advocate

Thank you for your interest in a career at Goodland Regional Medical Center! Our staff and our leadership opportunities focus on patient-centered care as we strive for a healthier community. For more information, please visit https://goodlandregional.com/careers/.

Job Title: Patient Advocate
Classification: Non-Exempt/Hourly
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Position Type: Full-Time
Hours Worked/Shift: Monday - Friday

Summary:
Responsible for helping patients and their families navigate the complexities and obstacles of the healthcare system. This includes access to financial resources and guiding those who may qualify for assistance through local, state, and federal programs. This position requires working closely with clinical departments and the finance team to support the comprehensive plan and goals in place to meet each patient's needs while complying with Federal, State, and Local agency requirements and mandates. Responsibilities include informing patients of their rights, addressing queries or complaints, resolving issues, assisting with insurance claims and payments, and providing patients with all the necessary information to make informed decisions about their healthcare.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for providing patients with a positive healthcare experience.
• Help patients navigate and understand insurance benefits and potential financial liability.
• Assists patients with financial assistance applications, including sliding fee scales, marketplace insurance options, and Medicaid presumptive eligibility.
• Assists patients and their families with Medicaid, disability, Social Security, and SSI questions and applications.
• Collects payments, creates estimates, and advises patients on their insurance benefits and coverage in person and over the phone.
• Counsel patients on financial responsibilities. Collect deductibles, pre-payments, and outstanding balances following established collection procedures; or initiate payment plans on a patient’s behalf.
• Inform patients about potential eligibility for public/governmental programs and the workings of the federal health insurance premium tax credit and cost-sharing reductions, as well as any associated risks.
• Explain health insurance coverage, including cost-sharing mechanisms such as deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance which affect the patient’s financial responsibility for medical expenses.
• Available to patients and their families to answer questions to facilitate their ability to make informed healthcare decisions.
• Provide information in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner for the population served.
• Assists patients in accessing healthcare services, navigating the healthcare system, and promoting wellness by removing the barriers to care and identifying critical resources.
• Acts as a liaison between patients and their healthcare providers, insurance companies, and other entities that impact the patient’s healthcare needs.
• Refer patients to appropriate community resources for help meeting basic needs including food, clothing, shelter, addiction treatment, mental health services, etc.
• Develop and execute patient engagement strategies to improve adherence and outcomes while reducing barriers to case and costs.
• Collaborate and communicate with external community resource organizations.
• Handle complaints from patients or their families and report the issues to higher authorities in the healthcare facility if appropriate.
• Provide education about patient rights.
• Seek out and attend professional development training(s) and opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Thorough understanding of all aspects of the healthcare system.
• Highly empathetic, and passionate about the well-being of patients.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Demonstrate mathematical aptitude
• Ability to analyze and/or synthesize complex or diverse information.
• Ability to use intuition and experience to complement data.
• Proficient in all aspects of Microsoft Suite; Office, Excel, etc.
• Ability to learn and adapt to multiple EHR systems.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and balance priorities.
• Expresses good judgement and decision-making abilities.
• Work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to adapt to new technologies and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Independent judgment and decision making is required to address the full range of tasks and responsibilities.
• Strong listening and problem-solving skills.

Position Qualifications:
Minimum Education: High School Diploma or GED required.
Minimum Experience: 1 to 3 months of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certifications/Licensures:
Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) certification

Working Environment:
Majority of work time spent sitting in departmental confines; some movement about office and business department necessary.

Physical Demands: **

Stand: Frequently
Walk: Frequently
Sit: Frequently
Squat/Kneel: Occasionally
Bend: Occasionally
Lift/Carry: 0-10 pounds: Occasionally 10-20 pounds: Occasionally 20-50 pounds: Never 50-100 pounds: Never 100 pounds: Never
Push/Pull: 10-25 pounds: Never 25-50 pounds: Never 50-100 pounds: Never 100 pounds: Never

**Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position accountabilities without compromising patient care or departmental efficiency. However, should it de determined that the employee cannot meet the position accountabilities with or without accommodation, it is the right of GRMC to release the individual under Kansas “Employment at Will” doctrine**

Professional Requirements:
Adheres to policies, procedures, and always maintains confidentiality. Attends annual in-services completes annual education in a timely manner. Represents GRMC in a positive, professional manner on the job, electronically and in the community. Complies with all hospital policies regarding ethical business practices; communicates the mission statement & core values of GRMC both on and off the job.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $15.97 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Medical specialties:

• Medical-Surgical

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Goodland, KS 67735: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person