Schegistrar CAC at WellStar Health System in Georgia

How would you like to work in a place where your contributions and ideas are valued? A place where you can serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice? At Wellstar, our mission is simple, yet powerful: to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. We are proud to have become a shining example of what's possible when the brightest professionals dedicate themselves to making a difference in the healthcare industry, and in people's lives.

Work Shift Day (United States of America)

Job Summary:

The Schegistrar CAC (Comprehensive Access Center) is responsible for scheduling appointments and procedures, gathering patient, guarantor, and insurance information, and entering the information in the health information system. The Schegistrar CAC manages scheduling requests from both patients and physician offices via phone, fax, paper requisition, and other acceptable forms of communication. The Schegistrar CAC also provides visit-specific information to patients in preparation for their scheduled services and answers and triages patient questions and requests. Where business operations have directed, the Schegistrar CAC verifies insurance benefits through the system's eligibility vendor or directly through the payer portal and generates patient estimates. Changing business needs can necessitate changes in work responsibilities

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Job Functions

• Schedule services for departments within the sphere of responsibility.
• Confirms orders and/or referrals are "Linked" to the scheduled appointment(s).
• Uses Epic Decision Tree as the guide to appropriate scheduling.
• For new acquisitions in Epic, must confirm patient status of New vs. Established when scheduling.
• Perform registration functions including gathering basic demographic, guarantor, and insurance information during a single phone call in order to reduce wait times and simplify the check-in process.
• Enters all patient information into the registration system.
• Obtains all necessary signatures and is knowledgeable regarding any special forms that may be required by the patients third-party payer.
• Respond to both written and verbal request to have appointments rescheduled or canceled.
• Utilize medical terminology knowledge to determine if appointment request is consistent with the order.
• Inform patients and providers that a necessary authorization has not been obtained or that a procedure is being flagged as not medically necessary and that the patient may need to sign a non- covered services waiver upon arrival.
• Provide price estimates or triage requests to the appropriate resource when patients request information on their expected out-of-pocket expenses.
• Triage and process Appointment Requests adhering to department standards and communicating accurate, pertinent information to care providers and other members of the healthcare team.
• Identify, report, and prevent the creation of duplicate patient records, billing accounts and/or medical records to ensure patient safety and satisfaction. Efficiently use multiple information systems as required by departmental workflows.
• Answer basic financial questions and refer patients to department management or PFS Customer Service when unsure how to respond to customer inquiries.
• Read, review and operationalize federal regulations regarding Advance Directives, COBRA, Medicare, Corporate Compliance, Joint Commission, OSHA and HIPAA; report safety and customer concerns to management.
• Read, review and operationalize new/revised policies/procedures via email, postings, mailings, voice mail and meetings.
• Utilize free time to ensure all activities benefit the department.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Reviews and monitors all order transcriptions and scanning.
• Assists with uploading missing diagnostic and pathology reports to avoid delays.
• Assists in onboarding new team members.
• Assists with Coordination of Care Medical Record Requests.
• Supports other scheduling locations as needed to provide needed support. The Schegistrar serves as a department preceptor and mentor and as such must:
• Maintain a accuracy based on individual QA audit /or as reported by Epic (min. of 10 accounts) registration accuracy rate or higher in the past 12 months.
• Maintain minimum productivity requirements.
• Maintains call center performance targets including but not limited to answer speed, talk time, and adherence.
• Has no corrective disciplinary action during the past twelve (12) months.
• Willing and able to function as a preceptor in the orientation of new patient access personnel and students.
• Maintain required certifications by obtaining necessary CEUs and submitting timely to certifying board. Budget/Financial
• Where indicated by management, generates patient estimate and attempts to collect the estimated self-pay balance prior to concluding the call. When the patient is unable to pay their portion, offers alternative options outlined in the payment options guide.
• Where indicated by management, completes financial evaluation forms to document guarantors' income, expenses, assets and liabilities.
• Where indicated by management, identifies those patients without adequate insurance coverage. Makes personal contact with patient or guarantor to determine guarantor's ability to pay non-covered charges, as well as to determine potential eligibility for financial assistance programs (namely Medicaid).
• Maintains a list of health care financial assistance programs and the eligibility requirements for each program. Refers patients/guarantors to sources of outside funding assistance, as needed.
• Works efficiently and accurately within designated time frames to ensure a continuity of information and cash flow.
• Contacts scheduled patients at home to obtain pre-admission information, explain financial policies, estimate self-pay balances, and obtain a promise to pay on or before service.
• Documents concise and understandable notes regarding all self-pay account collection activity, as well as each patient or guarantor interaction. Documents all efforts to collect patient account balances, other self-pay collection activities and referrals to Medicaid.
• Where indicated by management, coordinates financial counseling activities with the PAS designees, Utilization Review, Nursing, Social Services, and Patient Financial Services.
• Verifies insurance coverage and benefits.
• Exceeds monthly Point of Service collection targets on a consistent basis. Provides feedback to management concerning self-pay collection and data integrity issues.
• Responsible for completion of appropriate error/issues in WorkQueues.
• Identifies and resolves Payor Denials as indicated. Customer Service
• Greets all guest with a positive and professional attitude.
• Answers incoming phone calls and follows through with requests made.
• Maintains courteous and cooperative working relationships with coworkers, management, patients, physicians, other professional contacts, and the general public. Demonstrates ability to tactfully handle difficult situations.
• Presents a well-groomed and professional image in coordination with dept/ hospital dress codes when on camera. Expected Performance, Behaviors and Results: The WellStar Experience (Must demonstrate a commitment to Service Excellence by):
• Creating first impressions, memorable moments and impressions that fulfill the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of patients and family members.
• Valuing patients and family members as partners in their care.
• Having world-class processes in place.
• Delivering high-touch care that is reliable, responsive and coordinated.
• Focusing on constant innovation and creating improvements.
• Celebrating our diversity with sensitivity and understanding.
• Embracing the idea that we are all owners of our health system. General
• Observes work hours and provides proper notice of absences, tardies work schedule changes.
• Attends select departmental meetings at the request of Management.
• Completes monthly, quarterly, and annual mandatory training as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned. Performs other duties as assigned Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required Minimum Education:

• High School Diploma / GED General or Associates Other / Related Field-Preferred

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

• CHAA - Cert Healthcare Access Assoc or CPAR - Certified Patient Account Rep or CRCR - Certified Revenue Cycle Rep or CRCR-P - Certified Revenue Cycle Rep - Provisional (90 Days) within 120 Days

Additional License(s) and Certification(s):

Required Minimum Experience:

Must possess at least one year of healthcare experience in Patient Access Services, Practice Operations, or Patient Financial Services Required and Bachelors degree or higher may substitute for experience. Required

Required Minimum Skills:

Effective communication skills (both written and verbal) with the ability to communicate with various members of the healthcare team. High attention to detail, self-directed and a positive attitude are essential. Effective problem solving and critical thinking skills. Typing or data entry competency of at least 40 words/minute. Cash handling and balancing. Demonstrated professionalism, effective communication skills and active listening skills. Working knowledge of patient registration systems and intermediate Microsoft Office Suite are preferred. Epic experience preferred. Patient Access Services (PAS) Operations Onboarding Training followed by a minimum passing score of on final exam within 45 days of hire. Staff who do not pass will no longer meet the minimum requirement and will subsequently have the option to meet with the Talent Acquisition Specialist to assess other positions available within the health system. PAS employees who successfully complete the PAS onboarding exam will have the option to progress through enrollment to the WHS Enterprise Membership - HFMA Certification program, subject to PAS leadership approval.

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