Patient Access Specialist II

The Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics is seeking a Patient Access Specialist II who will coordinate activities and provide secretarial support for a multi-faceted clinical office to ensure a smoothly functioning office and good patient relations. This role will interact with patients, patients’ families, and referring physicians with regard to patient-related issues. Work with others in a team environment. Provide administrative support for medical matters on behalf of physicians, as well as general academic/general administrative support.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

Professionally and efficiently handle incoming requests from patients and ensure that issues are resolved both promptly and thoroughly. Gather patient information, fulfill patient needs, educate patients, where applicable, to prevent the need for future contacts and document interactions in applicable systems. Provide quality service and support in a variety of areas which may include, but not limited to scheduling, registration and care coordination.

Clinical Support

• Patient Scheduling:
  • Schedule new and follow-up clinic appointments, and assist in canceling and rescheduling of clinics for providers
  • Collect insurance information, and complete registration in EPIC.
  • Answer questions from patients about billing and refer to JHU Physician Billing Services and/or JHH Patient Financial Services.
  • Support the physician with insurance preauthorization and single case agreement processes by submitting necessary clinical information as instructed by the physician.
  • Coordinate follow-up office visits by providing information about treatment, and testing locations. Schedule lab tests and other procedures, and/or coordinates with other areas to complete scheduling process.
  • When physician’s clinic is cancelled, call patient to re-schedule physician and/or testing appointments pertaining to that visit.
  • If requested by physician, complete courtesy calls to patients to remind them of appointment arrival times and answer questions about location, parking, what to bring, etc.
  • All information entered into EPIC will be subject to evaluation, quality controls and performance management standards.
  • Participate in multi-party conversations to ensure appropriate timing of services and medical records as required by physician.
• Provide administrative support for medical matters on behalf of physicians.
  • Answer in-coming call from patients and provide information to patients, as appropriate
  • Routinely check voice mail and return calls to patients within 24 hours.
  • Coordinate with patient and/or referring physician to obtain outside medical records. Ensure that all relevant outside medical records are received and scanned into Epic in advance of clinic. Ensure that physician gets medical records in advance per protocol as appropriate.
  • Refer patient to appropriate resources/clinical areas.
• Review clinic schedules, and make adjustment as appropriate
  • Open and/or close provider templates using appropriate codes/reasons
  • Ensure that template closures occur greater than 30 days in the future so as not to impact the provider bump rates
  • Ensure that appointment notes are detailed and legible
• Other activity processed in EPIC
• Enter patient phone messages and route to physician.
• Print and send patient letters as necessary
• Document inbound/outbound phone messages to patients as appropriate.
• Pend orders based on defined “Practice Preferences.”
• In-basket – Check messages daily and respond as directed by divisional policy.
• Upload imaging discs into the Ambra Imageshare system; educate patients or other institutions on how to upload images remotely.
• Provide information to patients
  • Reinforce information for office visits (e.g. scheduled dates of service, information to bring to the visit, driving instructions, where to park, etc.
  • Act as a liaison for patient, coordinating future consultations, diagnostics tests, or procedures.
  • Reference and become familiar with insurance information found on Johns Hopkins Managed Care website.
  • Facilitate scheduling of lab tests and other procedures. Determines appropriate schedule for clinical appointments based on physician schedule, and does three way call to hand off patient to call center.
• Prescription refills
  • Gather information and to pend RX request and route to appropriate clinician.
  • Input RX refills requested and route to physician or clinical nursing in-basket.
  • Assist as needed with insurance authorizations – as necessary.
• Ensure all pertinent records are received: radiology cd’s are received or advised to bring to the patients visit, and the pathology slides have been received
• Review Divisional Pathology Log to ensure receipt of necessary pathology; if not received must make follow up calls on request to ensure timely receipt. If not received, notify provider and follow-up per their instructions on how to proceed.
• Receive from physician completed and signed forms requested by the patient such as: Disability, Family Medical Leave, Workers Compensation, etc. All completed forms should be scanned into EPIC and originals sent back to patients for their records.
• Prepare to support clinic activities from home in case of JHU closure (utilize virtual desktop and keep electronic reference lists as needed, and make sure you have cell or home phone numbers for physicians, supervisors, and clinic manager).

Academic/General Administrative Support

• Provide general administrative support to one or more physicians.
• Answer office phone, schedule meetings/maintain calendars for physicians, make travel arrangements, maintain filing system (copy or scan as indicated).
• Assist with preparation of correspondence, reports, posters, and related documents
• Compile information for reports and other requested information.
• Order stock and maintain office supplies
• May coordinate meetings on behalf of the physician.
• May assist with preparation of sponsored project material
• Process reimbursements or payments per department protocol as applicable.

Minimum Qualifications (Mandatory):

High School Diploma or GED required. Minimum two years medical office experience. Minimum one year secretarial experience preferred. Courses in Medical Terminology or demonstrated appropriate knowledge. Ability to multitask and work in a high volume setting. Excellent analytical and communication skills coupled with patience and fortitude. Additional education may be substituted for years of related experience per the JHU equivalency formula.* Complete mandatory on-going training necessary to schedule new and follow-up appointments as appropriate.