Patient Financial Services Manager

Position Title:  Patient Financial Services Manager

General Summary: 

Under the direction of the Director Revenue Cycle, the Patient Financial Services (PFS) Manager is responsible for assisting with the operational leadership and management of Patient Financial Services and Patient Counseling staff.  Serves as a leader, subject matter expert, and partner on the accounts receivable management for both hospital and the practices.  The Manager contributes to the success by driving compliant, accurate, and timely billing and follow-up processes, and is a champion of continuous improvement efforts to increase collections, minimize write-offs and bad debt, while developing solid working relationships with payers, colleagues within, and at other hospitals.  

Essential Job Functions*:

Human Resources/Financial Management:

• Hires, retains and develops high performing people that embody SMH’s values.
• Utilizes staff efficiently, ensuring a highly productive and safe working environment.
• Takes an active role in employee reward and recognition and holds staff accountable to duties and performance behaviors.  This includes coaching, counseling and providing corrective action to staff as necessary. 
• Submits completed staff performance evaluations effectively and timely to the Revenue Cycle Services Director. 
• Promotes high morale, patient centeredness and teamwork both intra and inter-departmentally.
• Establishes clearly defined goals for staff that adhere to hospital and departmental initiatives and to SMH’s Mission, Vision and Values.  Ensures staff has means, support and guidance to achieve goals.
• Develops annual plan and associated budget, regularly monitors financial performance to budget and expected volume and implements corrective action plans as needed to ensure efficient use of resources.
• Demonstrates skill and efficiency in allocating, coordinating and using funds, equipment, facilities and materials based on strategic initiatives and related goals.
• Understands and assists Revenue Cycle Director in the maintenance and preparation of monthly variance reports.

Systems, Operations and Processes:

• Knowledgeable regarding organizational/departmental policies and procedures; reviews and revises departmental policies at least annually. Ensures that policies and procedures are            revised/developed based on research of best practices.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable certification standards, laws, rules and regulations.
• Ensures the maintenance of a safe working environment and adheres to all applicable regulatory and organizational safety standards with regard to employee and patient safety.
• Applies principles of Quality Management and supports quality initiatives within the department and the organization.  
• Networks with internal and external customers to promote departmental services.
• Develops strategies aimed at meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Demonstrates these strategies are sustainable.

Information & Technology:

• Ensures that departmental information and data is accurate, timely, reliable, secure and confidential.
• Ensures that staff are fully trained to use information systems.
• Ensures that the hardware and software needs of the department are assessed and evaluated, remain current with industry needs and with technological changes in the operating environment.
• Supports/assists with technology advancement design.

Communication:

• Demonstrates effective verbal and written communication and uses appropriate methods of        communication.  Adjusts to fit the audience and the message. 
• Demonstrates skills and ability to effectively facilitate and resolve problems, controversial issues, conflict and/or complaints.
• Listens and responds to ideas, needs and constructive feedback. Effectively leads and participates in meetings and teams.
• Keeps Director of Revenue Cycle informed and communicates concerns and suggestions to facilitate a mutually successful working relationship.
• Communicates ideas and feelings openly and directly with others and is able to moderate open discussion of disagreements and differences of opinion.
• Creates an environment of mutual trust and respect and two-way communication.
• Understands and articulates organization’s mission, vision and values. Understands and explains the balanced scorecard so that employees understand the strategy and how they contribute to it.
• Regularly shares information with employees on organization/department’s performance relative                   
• Holds staff meetings on a regular, routine basis.

Leadership Skills and Abilities  

• Meets deadlines and completes work in an organized, timely and professional manner.
• Recognizes problems and uses creativity, effort, negotiation and sound decision making as part of the problem-solving process.

• Manages organizational change in a positive and professional manner and gains acceptance from those involved.
• Continually seek personal and professional growth and development through self-study, formal classes, reflection, and interacting with others.
• Assumes accountability for own decisions and actions. Analyzes the situation, takes appropriate action, and moves on to the next challenge.
• Serves as a role model to others within the organization and when representing Speare in the community.
• Effectively leads teams, chairs work groups/committees/task forces. Serves on Revenue Cycle committees for Hospital and Practices.
• Promote flexibility and quality in cooperation with all departments of the hospital.
• Pursues activities, which further professional growth and development, including seminars, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, benchmarking state of the art practices and participating in professional societies.
• Demonstrates independent judgment and critical thinking skills while also acknowledging when it is appropriate to seek guidance.
• Meets hospital customer service standards and develops departmental customer service standards to enhance the level of customer service provided.  Fosters and models a commitment to customer service, builds customer confidence and increases customer satisfaction.
• Meets department customer service standards and strives to enhance the level of customer service provided.    

Strategic Planning

• Demonstrates analytical ability by gathering and analyzing information, designing and testing   solutions and formulating action plans that bring about improvements in performance, outcomes, efficiency and productivity.
• Sets clear departmental goals in alignment with SMH’s mission, vision, values and strategic initiatives.
• Monitors and evaluates industry trends, technology changes, community service needs and other forces affecting healthcare to identify opportunities, looking at both opportunities and threats.  
• Develops key performance measures for tracking achievement and effectiveness of plans.
• Ensures proper allocation of resources for meeting plan.
• Establishes and deploys modified action plans if circumstances require a shift in plans.
• Plans for business continuance in the face of potential disasters that could disrupt service activity.

Job Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage the department operations to ensure the accounts receivable functions are being performed in accordance with Hospital policies and procedures.
• Manage the cash-posting functions to ensure all postings and adjustments are accurate and complete. Establishing cash goals for the team will be required to assist with productivity measures being met.
• Enhance and maintain accounts receivable reports (including accounts receivable and payer payment reports) to maintain revenue cycle annual goals.
• Partner with Director, Revenue Cycle in building revenue and payment forecasting and new processes /technologies to ensure completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of all billings and cash collections.
• Partner with key personnel, and take the lead in some instances, in other departments and practices to maintain and improve receivables management procedures are met.
• Assist in implementing accounts receivable automation projects to promote efficiency and reduce manual transactions within our EHR and clearinghouse systems.
• Assists with the self-pay process to ensure all postings and bad debt approvals are being adhered to per our Free Care and Bad Debt policy.
• Assist with publishing KPIs and/or accounts receivable dashboards to help monitor Revenue Cycle goals.
• Handle patient escalations when required, balancing the need to fulfill patient responsibilities while providing excellent customer service to our patients.  Escalate more serious collection issues and account balances to the Director, Revenue Cycle, when needed.
•  Supports monthly accounting close cycles and ensures internal and external reporting deadlines are met; includes real-time analysis and review, as well as supporting close financial reporting reviews.
• Directly supports annual audits; ensure timelines are met; assist with review of all audit schedules are prepared; assist with communicating internal controls/procedures to internal and external parties.
•  Ensures compliance with all State and Federal guidelines and assists with recommendations to improve the internal control structure.
• Assist with implementation and testing of new programs, streamline processes, and upgrades, as necessary.
• In conjunction with Director, assess, design, develop, implement and evaluate department quality management activities according to hospital QM guidelines and in accordance with organizational objectives that result in the improvement of patient care or organizational processes. 
• Complete special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

A self-starter works well as a team player but can work independently when appropriate.  Must possess the ability to analyze problems and actively strategize to resolve them, pay attention to detail, and have excellent organization and communication skills.  You are results oriented with an appetite to drive tasks to completion. In a rapidly fast-paced environment, you can juggle multiple tasks, work cross-functionally and at all levels of the organization, whether internally or externally. You are flexible and comfortable in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. You can prioritize and focus on the important tasks, not just the urgent ones.

• Education          

Required:  High School Graduate

                   Recommended: Associate or bachelor's degree in business or related field, but relevant experience can be equivalent.

• Work Experience

Required: 3-5 years’ experience in a health care setting, preferably a hospital setting for patient accounts.

Required: Three - five years of supervisory experience.

• Other Skills/Knowledge

Preferred:  Knowledge of third-party billing practices and state and federal regulations regarding patient billing, customer service, communications, leadership, fine motor, typing, and computer skills.

Preferred:  Experience with an EHR system, extensive knowledge of billing tasks, including self-pay balances for early out and bad debt and their details for mapping.