Optical Patient Service Representative

Summary/Objective

The Optical Patient Service Representative is the first point of contact between NorthShore Health Centers and its patients. Job duties of patient service representatives include greeting visitors and patients, registering patients, scheduling appointments and collecting patient co-payments and sliding fee payments while providing excellent customer service.

Essential Functions

• Greets patients and visitors in a cordial and friendly manner, determines purpose of visit and directs them to appropriate department to ensure a positive customer service experience.
• Follow HIPAA policy guidelines at all times ensuring protection of confidential information.
• Registers new and established patients, inputting all pertinent patient information accurately, and obtains written consent for release of patient medical records.
• Completes financial screenings for patients who are uninsured or underinsured, utilizing all appropriate financial information, to ensure patients receive healthcare services that are affordable.
• Verifies patient health benefits, i.e. Medicaid, Medicare, or commercial insurance to ensure the health services the patient is receiving during their visit is covered under the plan; for billing and collection accuracy.
• Submit prior-authorization request through insurance company if needed based on specialty/department
• Collects all insurance co-pays and sliding fee payments for services rendered to each patient at the time of visit, and collects on any past due balances.
• Checks out patients and schedules follow-up visit, as required, using appropriate scheduling template guidelines, to allow ample time for providers to perform quality patient care.
• Communicates patient wait times with patients, and if excessive, gives other options for patients to pursue.
• Educates patients on all services that are provided at NorthShore.
• Balances money collected for patient services at the end of the work day, to ensure that all funds collected are allocated properly.
• Answers incoming calls in a courteous and professional manner, addresses the nature of the call, and directs to appropriate department to ensure good customer satisfaction.
• Attends meetings and training sessions as required.
• Maintains a working knowledge of practice policies and procedures.
• Executes other verbal or written specific assigned tasks, requiring similar or lesser skills and abilities, some which are continuing while others are occasional in nature.
• These essential functions are a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the position, and are not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all duties and responsibilities. The position will include other duties as assigned and duties are subject to change at management's discretion.
  
  

Competencies

• Planning and strategic foresight
• Responsible Decision Making
• Integrity and accountability
• Innovation and creativity
• Adaptive and flexible
• Leadership, teamwork, and conflict resolution
• Professionalism and work ethic
• Empathy
  
  

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office environment. Involves frequent personal and telephone contact with patients, physicians, and other healthcare personnel. Work may be stressful at times. Interaction with others is constant and interruptive.

Travel

Travel outside of Northshore locations will be rare for this position.

Qualifications

Role Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must have reliable transportation
• High school diploma or equivalent
  
  

Preferred Experience Requirements

Two years of experience working within a healthcare setting.

Minimum Education Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Education Requirement

Associate's degree in business, or healthcare related studies

Required Skills

• Ability to analyze situations and solve problems at strategic and tactical levels
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies
• Ability to acquire a thorough understanding of the organization's hierarchy, jobs, qualifications, compensation practices, and the administrative practices related to those factors
• Practiced at organization and planning
• Employ Critical thinking and problem solving
• Maintains composure and operates with emotional intelligence
• Ethical reasoning and decision-making
• Strong attention to detail
• Receptive and responsive to feedback
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Time management, prioritization, and sense of urgency
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
  
  

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to sit and/or stand for prolonged periods, work longer than eight (8) hour shifts, and to work both day/evening/weekend shifts. Work may include hand dexterity as well as the need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, talk, and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the job.