Position Summary:

The Patient Access Manager?s primary role is to oversee & manage daily operations related to all functions performed by the patient access team.  This person routinely collaborates with other hospital departments to address identified problems and explore identified opportunities for improvement; both within their own department and in partnership with other departments and stakeholders.  They assist with escalated customer service needs and model excellent customer service interactions for both internal and external customers.  The Patient Access Manager is responsible for the successful onboarding, training, and development of staff to ensure effective integration with the team and to optimize overall team performance that drives us towards achieving our Mission and Vision, and that is reflective of our organizational Values.

About the Team:

St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is a 145-bed, acute care hospital located in Lewiston, Idaho, and is the largest full-service medical center between Boise and Spokane.   We provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient services as well as outpatient clinic services, crossing over multiple specialties and primary care.   We want every team member to feel empowered to make the right choices for our patients, themselves, our team, & our community.   Our Patient Access team strives to create an environment where patients & customers feel welcome and get connected to the services they need in a timely manner.  Our team values taking care of our patients and each other. We encourage kindness, critical thinking, fun, collaboration, continuous learning, and a supportive environment to work and serve our community! 

Essential Functions/Primary Duties: 

·         Ensure members of the Patient Access Department provide intentional and compassionate customer service in accordance with departmental expectations.  Work collaboratively with patients/visitors, other departments, and team members to optimize the patient experience and support efficient & effective business operations.

·         Develop, update, and maintain departmental policies and procedures; adjusting as needed to reflect current payer & regulatory requirements and in compliance with state & federal laws.

·         Perform and validate that employees perform job functions within applicable state & federal guidelines (e.g. EMTALA, Idaho Patient Act, No Surprises Act, etc.), insurance contractual obligations, and in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

·         Ensure staff have the tools and resources to successfully perform job functions & assigned tasks.

·         Provide guidance and performance coaching to your staff, with the intent to develop all employees in a way that prepares them for potential future learning & advancement opportunities.

·         Address employee performance issues promptly, with compassion, consistently, and in accordance with organizational policies in regard to delivery and documentation.

·         Ensure processes are in place to provide required notifications to patients per hospital policy. Validate that all Patient Access staff have a working knowledge of such policies and any regulatory requirements surrounding required notifications.

·         Evaluate department processes for effectiveness & accuracy, review and analyze data from system reports, and provide feedback, training, and/or improvement plans.

·         Create, present, and update Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your department in accordance with department and organizational objectives.  Engage with team members to achieve desired outcomes and ensure visibility of performance and goals.  Celebrate successes and adjust processes to integrate a continuous process improvement environment.

·         Serve as administrator for certain payer websites and/or system websites and fulfill administrator duties in accordance with the governing contract/agreement for the use of the system. 

·         Work closely with other revenue cycle departments to optimize the patient experience related to revenue cycle operations. Maintain ongoing collaborative relationships needed to support effective & efficient process improvement efforts.

·         Trouble-shoot & facilitate resolution of customer billing concerns and work towards a prompt and complete resolution.

·         Perform and validate that employees perform all duties in a manner that protects the confidentiality of patients, staff, visitors, and the organization.

·         Coordinate, communicate, and assist in monitoring workflow in response to fluctuating patient volumes to ensure work tasks and down-time projects are completed.

·         Collaborate with organizational leadership and ensure policies & processes related to the use of ?Downtime Packets? are developed, updated, and maintained.  Ensure Downtime Packets are readily available in all patient care departments.

·         Maintain a clean, professional, and organized workspace, including electronic systems.  Email & Outlook calendars should be used throughout your shift and kept organized and up to date. 

·         Facilitate/Lead departmental meetings, performance improvement efforts, training, and education for your department. Participate in organizational continuous process improvement efforts, share pertinent information, be open to different perspectives, and share ideas.

·         Ensure processes are in place to screen patients for financial assistance needs and that staff are able to facilitate referral to financial counselor when appropriate.

·         Collaborate with patient care departments to ensure guidelines for scheduling appointments, seeing walk-in patients, providing urgent or emergent care, and dealing with medical emergencies are available, updated, and distributed to the Patient Access team. 

·         Provide tools, training, & resources as needed to ensure staff are collecting patient payments per hospital policy for co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, self-pay, and/or other patient balances. 

·         Complete and validate that staff complete all mandated training/education promptly and completely upon hire and as required thereafter.

·         Follow department and/or applicable hospital policies related to mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) usage (e.g. when going into a patient room to obtain registration information or assisting a patient/visitor with a communicable disease).

·         Maintain a working knowledge of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center emergency codes and both your personal & department?s responsibility to support and assist in the event of an emergency or code.  Provide assistance in accordance with hospital policy, your licensure, skills, and training.

·         Maintain a working knowledge of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center incident command activation and be prepared to support and assist efforts in the event of an internal or external disaster situation. Provide assistance in accordance with hospital policy, your licensure, skills, and training.

·         Provide backup coverage for Patient Access roles when needed to support patient care operations.

·         Other assigned duties that support departmental and/or organizational objectives in support of our Mission, Vision, and Values.

Required Education Level:

·         High School Diploma

Required Experience:

·         Minimum of 5 years working in a Patient Access and/or Business Office role

·         Minimum of 2 years working in a healthcare supervisor/manager role

Required Licensure and/or Certification(s):

·         None required

Required Skills:

·         Ability to mentor & train employees.

·         Ability to successfully influence and manage process change.

·         Ability to effectively collaborate with stakeholders to achieve departmental and organizational objectives.

·         Ability to manage staffing, workflow, & schedules for multiple areas.

·         Excellent communication skills both verbal and written.

·         Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word. 

·         Advanced proficiency in navigating electronic computer systems.

·         Ability to provide and model excellent customer service.

·         Ability to communicate and work effectively with the public, community partners, and co-workers.

·         Ability to manage job tasks, time, and resources appropriately.

Preferred Education, Licensure, and/or Experience:

·         Bachelor's degree in a related field.

·         Relevant and applicable certification from an accredited body.

·         Prior experience updating/maintaining policies & procedures in accordance with regulatory/legal requirements.

·         Prior experience managing process change.

·         Prior experience developing employees and/or providing performance coaching.

Physical Requirements:

·         Constantly operates a computer and other office equipment (phone, scanner, printer, copier, fax, etc.).

·         Frequent work with digital and non-digital data requiring the ability to compare, detect, and assess the accuracy of information in paper format and on the computer screen.

·         Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time (estimate at least 80%). 

·         Must be able to move throughout office, department location, main hospital campus, and off-site locations as needed to accomplish position objectives, and attend meetings and/or trainings.

·         Must have adequate hearing to respond appropriately to phone, equipment, alarms, overhead codes, etc..

Environment & Working Conditions:

·         Primarily indoors.  Occasional travel/movement to and from off-site and on-campus locations, with potential exposure to adverse or extreme weather conditions. Must wear appropriate gear, clothing, and/or shoes.

·         Frequent interaction with the public, including patients of all ages and diverse backgrounds, other visitors, EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, other community partners, and vendors.

·         Minimal exposure to biohazardous materials.  Must wear PPE in accordance with hospital policy for the situation and area of the hospital. 

·         Minimal risk of injury from moving parts or exposure to fumes and chemicals from copy machine toner, equipment, office supplies, & cleaning supplies.

·         Frequent exposure to environmental noise created by people, doors, and equipment.

Remote Work Environment:

·         Remote work may be occasionally available upon approval.

·         Remote work should not exceed 10% without approval.

·         If remote work is approved for certain tasks, employees must comply with organizational policies, including ensuring a safe and private workspace that complies with all applicable state & federal regulatory guidelines.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

·         St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in employment because of color, race, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran?s status and any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

About St. Joseph Regional Medical Center

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