Lead Patient Financial Advocate

T he Patient Financial Advocate Lead will be responsible for overseeing hospital admissions and ensuring a smooth workflow that complies with policies and procedures. Additionally, the lead will train and supervise a team of Patient Financial Advocates to provide an exceptional healthcare experience and maintain accurate documentation during patient registrations. This role involves analyzing current processes, identifying areas for improvement, and working closely with the Business Office Manager and Revenue Cycle Director to develop and implement new workflows to reduce billing errors and streamline processes.

Job Duties

The lead will oversee daily operations of hospital admissions, with a key focus on ensuring the accurate check-in of patients and proper scanning of documentation into patients' charts. This is essential for billing processes, as well as for generating clean claims, thereby contributing to the overall efficiency of the hospital's administrative functions. Position responsibilities include but not limited to:

• The Patient Financial Advocate Lead will ensure effective communications with the Emergency Department by attending the morning huddle and ensuring all inpatient notifications are properly managed throughout the day. They will be responsible for maintaining the bed board, reviewing it daily, and tracking the status of patients being admitted or discharged to ensure smooth billing operations and efficient patient flow within the department.
• The lead will be responsible for coordinating coverage for hospital admissions and creating schedules to ensure all necessary shifts are filled. They will work closely with staff to ensure proper staffing levels are maintained and address any scheduling conflicts or issues that may arise. Additionally, they will communicate with management to ensure all operational needs are being met and provide support as needed.
• The lead role in this position involves acting as a liaison between patient financial advocates and the business office, working to merge both departments and streamline processes within the revenue cycle. This includes collaborating with team members from both areas to ensure effective communication and coordination.
• The lead will supervise the operations of "shift 3," ensuring that all Hospital and ED registrations are done accurately and that HIM receives “morning work” promptly. Additionally, they will be responsible for ensuring that all scheduled outpatient procedure packets are completed for the following day.
• The Lead is responsible for overseeing the cleanliness and organization of the workspace, which includes managing inventory and ordering supplies to ensure efficient work areas. They must proactively maintain stock levels and structure the workspace appropriately to optimize productivity and workflow.
• As the lead, they are responsible for managing and maintaining the petty cash for both the hospital and the business office by accurately recording all transactions, adhering to established policies and procedures, and ensuring that the petty cash balance is always accounted for.
• The lead is responsible for conducting weekly reviews and working on the spreadsheet containing missing documentation provided by the Medical Records Department. Their duties include attaching any missing orders and rectifying any registration errors to ensure accurate billing.
• The lead is responsible for overseeing and monitoring the call log, ensuring that patient financial advocates are accurately logging voicemails for billing review and assisting the Business Office and front desk with support by greeting patients and helping with any inquiries or issues.
• The Patient Financial Advocate Lead will oversee the hospital mail, ensuring it is collected, sorted and organized daily following established policies regarding private mail addressed to designated clinical or administrative personnel.
• The lead will oversee employee training and provide valuable feedback to ensure advocates excel in their duties. This includes creating training guides and providing tools and resources for team members.
• The lead will also be expected to perform additional duties as required by superiors that may not be specifically outlined in the job description. This may include taking on new projects, assisting with other team members' tasks, or tackling unexpected challenges as they arise to support the overall success of the team and organization.
• As part of this role, the employee will be required to enroll in HMFA Patient Access and Revenue Cycle courses and complete training programs as part of their ongoing professional development. This will ensure that they stay up to date with the latest industry standards and best practices, allowing them to excel in their position and contribute effectively to the organization.