Call Center Agent (M-F; 10:30 am-7 pm) (Administrative)
Job Summary Receives incoming calls from families, patients, physician's offices and NCHS departments to schedule their outpatient and specialty service visits as needed.
Minimum Job Requirements
One year of customer service experience, preferably in a hospital or medical office environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Receives incoming calls from families, patients, physician's offices and NCHS departments to schedule their outpatient and specialty service visits as needed.
Greets patient on the telephone, treats them in a courteous, respectful and empathetic manner, responds to questions and/or problems, and keeps open lines of communication with patient/families.
Interviews patients/families to obtain demographic, third party payer, and other financial/medical information, and identification to schedule or pre-register them for an appointment.
Determines if a patient needs a STAT appointment, based on guidelines & training, and works with departments to prioritize their appointments.
Provides family/patient with specific preparation instructions for the day of their appointment such as what to bring, dietary restrictions, proper dress/attire, and hygiene instructions.
Offers family/patients the Televox automated appointment reminder options so they can receive via email, text or phone call a reminder 2 business days prior to the appointment.
Handles incoming family/patient complaint calls regarding their appointments such as wrong date/time, wrong location, etc. Collaborates with offices as needed to provide service recovery.
When requested by office, contacts patients to notify them of cancelled appointments and re-schedules them as needed.
Handles incoming family/patient calls for appointment cancellations. Documents in cancellation log of any cancellations due to authorization not obtained or other reasons.
Transfers incoming family/parent calls to offices when they ask medical questions to ensure accuracy and safety.
Verifies third party payer information via the web or telephone, checking if benefits are active or inactive.
Documents all activities in the PEDS Scheduling System as appropriate. Scans all documents in the appropriate folder in the computer system.
Complies with applicable governmental regulations such as HIPPA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996).
Directs families/patients to appropriate location for their upcoming appointment by phone, text, email.
Calculates patients' financial responsibility estimates based on their insurance benefits and contracts, and provides information to patient/family.
Communicates with departments if any issues/questions arise, or to accommodate any special needs for patients.
Notifies management of any insurance/financial discrepancies for approval.
Obtains and validates prescription when appropriate and communicates with physician practice, if necessary.
Corrects any registration errors made utilizing the QA system.
Insures approval has been received for patients over 21 years of age or up to 18 years of age for some offices based on their office policy.
Identifies duplicate financial and medical record numbers and handles as appropriate.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
One year of experience working with medical terminology, procedures, diagnosis codes, and insurance strongly preferred.
Fluent in Spanish strongly preferred.
Basic proficiency in Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Able to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
Able to accurately enter and interpret data.
Able to adapt and react calmly under stressful conditions.
Able to relate cooperatively and constructively with customers and co-workers.
Knowledge of medical scheduling software a plus.
Able to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
Able to follow complex written and/or verbal instructions to solve problems.
Able to establish necessary professional relationships, and interact effectively with internal and external customers.