Patient Eligibility Specialist - Bilingual

Primary Purpose:

Provides case management, outreach, health education, interpretation services and assist patients with registering in the EMR system. Serve as an advocate for appropriate, quality health and social services. The person in this position is a member of the Patient Centered Health Care Home team where each team member plays an integral role in providing patient-centered health care to ensure a positive patient experience.

Essential Duties:

Interpretation services

• Provide oral and written interpretation services, providing health education and counseling as needed
• Assist patients in filling out intake and other forms for the medical visit
• Assist patients in connecting with entitlements: medical insurance, financial, housing etc.
• Provide referral to outside agencies, per the health care team
• Document all contacts in patient's chart
• Attend training and classes for improvement of services
• Help patients connect to appropriate staff when requesting medication refills
• Provide health education and counseling to patients

Front Desk

• Assist in scheduling patient for appointments
• Able to register all new patients, obtaining appropriate signatures as needed (registration form, sliding scale notification, HIPPA, ROI, etc)
• Call or write patient appointment reminders, no-shows, referrals
• Recall patients for follow up appointments at least once a month
• Verify patient insurance
• Assist patients with outside billing problems

· Maintains patient confidentiality and privacy at all times.

· Promotes patients' rights and is knowledgeable of the patient complaint process.

· Knowledgeable of provider's scheduling protocols. Discuss questionable appointment with nursing staff or provider if outside of schedule protocol.

· Answers phone calls with appropriate salutation and identification of person answering phone in a prompt, courteous manner.

Eligibility

• Provide accurate information, competent enrollment assistance, and follow-up assistance for each of the following medical insurance programs
  • Federal Market Place
  • TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)
  • Subsidized Housing
  • Food Stamps
  • Medicaid and QUEST (including the State's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIPS))
  • QMB/SLMB (assistance to the elderly who are qualified for Medicare supplemental programs)
  • Renewal applications for any and all of the above programs as required.
• Provide accurate information, competent enrollment assistance, and follow-up assistance for each of the following financial assistance programs
  • General Assistance (GA) with the Department of Human Services (DHS)
  • Social Security Income (SSI) / Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) with Social Security Administration (SSA)
• Refer client to appropriate community social services programs based on identified Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screening
• Refer client to appropriate providers and additional services, where necessary, including referral to health care providers that offers sliding fee scale discounts or free care to low income clients not qualified for public health insurance or assistance.

Extended Duties:

• Observe safety and security procedures; determine appropriate actions beyond guidelines; report potentially unsafe conditions; use equipment and materials properly

Other Duties:

• Responsible for providing clerical support for various departments or projects
• Assist in other delegated projects
• Attend trainings and classes for the improvement of their services
• Assist in Clinical Outreach activities

Regular and reliable on-site attendance is required.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

Skills/Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the community and community service resources especially in Kalihi Palama area and Honolulu Downtown area preferred
• Fluency in English and 2nd language required.
• Ability to read, understand and translate technical/medical instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form in both English and specified language required
• Basic knowledge of computer skills
• Possess exceptional customer service skills
• Ability to interact with people from multiple backgrounds with respect and understanding
• Knowledge of MS office including Excel and Word
• Knowledge of Electronic Medical Records preferred
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and use problem solving skills
• Familiarity with medical terminology preferred

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Certification as a professional translator preferred but not required
• Certification as a professional community health worker preferred but not required
• Post-secondary education preferred but not required

Experience:

• One year of experience in providing bicultural and bilingual services in a community health center or similar setting preferred but not required
• Formal training in medical terminology preferred but not required
• Formal training as a community health worker preferred but not required

Kalihi-Palama Health Center is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, and values the ways in which we are different. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristic protected by applicable law