PAS Resource Specialist - Relief - Oregon Health & Science University

Department Overview:

The Patient Access Resource Specialist (PASR) gathers and records required information about patients, provides customer services which includes confirming health insurance coverage, determining individual financial obligations, verifying that necessary authorizations for care have been obtained, scheduling physician office appointments, cancer treatment appointments, and ancillary appointments, and assisting patients in an office or practice setting.

 

This position may be responsible for scheduling a high volume of complicated patient procedures and clinic appointments. This position will serve as a liaison and information resources for physicians, nursing, other support staff and coworkers, referring physician offices, patients, and insurance companies.

 

This role will be required to answer incoming calls to the clinic, to schedule, transfer, or triage to a clinical team. This role will have responsibility to convey detailed, complicated information to patients and answer any patient questions or concerns within scope. Works closely with other clinics and treatment units for appointment coordination. Works reschedule and wait lists when necessary; Prepare and mail, fax, or email new patient information packets when necessary; Direct patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues; Complete and route direct referrals to other clinical services; Respond to patient messages in a variety of formats, including phone and electronic; Enter patient information accurately into the electronic medical record when necessary.

Function/Duties of Position:

Arranged Care:

• Coordinate high volume of complicated patient care appointments, procedures, and infusion treatments as directed by physician and/or nurse staff; Uses EMR and other systems as needed for scheduling. Creates a medical record if needed. Provides personal reminders to patients about upcoming appointments. Serves as a liaison and information resource for physicians, and nursing support staff; Return patients messages (phone and/or electronic); Prepare and mail patient information packets; Direct patients to appropriate providers for other health care issues; Complete and route direct referrals to other clinical services; Enter patient information accurately into the electronic medical record when necessary. Maintains a service-based working knowledge of oncology practice. Obtains prior medical records and studies if appropriate. Arranges for wheelchairs, interpreters, or other assistive devices as necessary to support safe, high-quality care. Other duties as assigned.

Enrollment & Authorization:

• Gathers and/or verifies patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status. Confirms patient eligibility for health care coverage and clarifies any managed care arrangements. Obtains authorizations for clinical care, procedures, and laboratory studies. Enters all information accurately into OHSU databases or into the medical record when necessary. Follows up on pending authorizations until they are obtained.

Telecommunications:

• Takes incoming/inbound calls and/or makes outgoing/outbound calls from/to patients, referring providers, or other stakeholders; Connects callers with the appropriate individual(s) to address their questions and/or progress their care; Create EMR telephone encounters that include accurate documentation of requests, such as medication refills, complaints, general inquiries or urgent health care concerns; Direct calls/messages to the appropriate staff for patient care /needs assessment; Process calls (answering, screening, routing, paging etc.) in a timely, polite, professional manner; Delivers information or requests promptly to the appropriate providers or their designees.
• Transfer calls as needed and engage nursing, physician, APP, or other care team personnel per circumstance; Provide information to callers, including directions, addresses and hours of operation; Use schedules and departmental procedures to locate appropriate on-call person for internal and external callers; Understand and process calls per departmental policy for each encounter type (i.e. refill, telephone, documentation, etc.) 

Customer Service / Point of Service Operations:

• Provide the highest level of customer service to both external customers (patients and their families, referring providers, insurance carriers, etc.) and internal customers (OHSU health care providers and staff) that meet or exceed the service standards of the health care industry. This duty includes prompt and professional communication efforts, exemplary phone etiquette, face-to-face customer contact skills, high emotional intelligence including during stressful situations, utilization of available information technology, consistently following standard work, flexible coverage of internal service needs and the continuous application of process improvement methods and skills.
• Greets patients and, where appropriate, checks them in prior to being seen by clinical staff. Gathers and/or verifies patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status. Checks patient account numbers and corrects any problems, seeking advice from Central Registration as required. Ensures that all appointment comment information is accurate and complete. Enters all information accurately into OHSU databases or into the medical record when necessary. Inspects insurance cards and/or authorization notices. Explains and satisfies any necessary patient signature requirements (including non-covered service forms).
• Identifies and collects co-payments, provides receipts, and completes necessary accounting procedures as needed. Notifies clinical staff when patients arrive, monitors the length of patient wait times and intervene as necessary. Distributes medication lists to patients and prepares other duties associated to clinic as needed. Validates parking as needed.

Required Qualifications:

• One year of experience in a medical office setting, including high-volume direct patient contact, scheduling of appointments and may require experience obtaining managed care authorizations. OR
• One and a half years of work experience in a high volume direct public contact position and 6 months experience in a medical office setting. 
• The candidate must have a thorough knowledge of PAS policies and procedures. 
• Candidates will have demonstrated advanced PAS user skills as well as extensive knowledge of integrated care at OHSU.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation.

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Basic computer skills including word processing.
• Windows applications, on-line scheduling, and a preference for data-base skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Strong customer service orientation. 
• Demonstrated effectiveness in confrontational customer interactions.
• Exhibits a professional manner in dealing with others and works to maintain constructive working relationships
• Ability to work in a collaborative, team-centered work environment and provide helpful support in a timely manner
• Tolerance for ambiguity in a high workload, fast-paced environment
• Attendance and dependability: Can be depended on to report to work at the scheduled time and is seldom absent from work; can be depended upon to complete work in a timely, accurate and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments; willing to work overtime as necessary depending on volume of work

Preferred Qualifications:

• HS Diploma or advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in a medical and/or oncology office setting.
• Knowledge of Epic systems.
• Knowledge of OHSU network systems, including Outlook and Microsoft Office products.
• Knowledge of iQueue.

Additional Details:

Clinic operating hours. Occasional extended hours, to include but not limited to, evenings, weekends, and/or

holidays may be occasionally required. Employee must have vehicle in order to travel between sites within

the Community Hematology Oncology Unit.

All are welcome:Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.