Patient Access Associate - Registration

Patient Access Associate

At Houston Methodist, the Patient Access Associate position is responsible for obtaining and entering accurate demographic and insurance information in the electronic health record (EHR) on patients presenting at the various entry points of the facility. This position performs cashiering functions, ensuring that all hospital accounts are secure, through the collection of the required co-pay, deductibles and co-insurance. This position also performs the medical necessity check, to ensure compliance with Medicare guidelines. The Patient Access Associate position employs effective communication skills, promoting excellent customer service in every interaction. This position is also required to adhere to all departments, hospital, governmental and / or any other healthcare licensing agency requirements related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

The Patient Access Associate position is also responsible for :

• Promoting a positive work environment and contributing to a dynamic team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal departmental and organizational results.
• Communicating openly in a non-judgmental manner and in a professional demeanor during all interactions with customers and co-workers.
• Obtaining and recording accurate demographic and insurance information on patients by interviewing patients, family members and physicians. Ensuring that the correct insurance plan codes are utilized for the billing process.
• Explaining the consent forms, obtaining signatures on the forms and responding to any questions in a professional manner.
• Contributing to departmental and hospital patient experience. Proactively seeks solutions to address patient issues and concerns. Alerts management in a timely manner to any unusual and / or difficult situations impacting the level of service.
• Consistently taking the necessary steps to ensure that protected health information remains private and confidential, according to established HIPAA guidelines. Using patient identifiers consistently to properly identify patients and the correct medical records. Refraining from issuing new medical record numbers to patients with existing accounts.
• Meeting goals set by the department (e.g., registration error rate, productivity / activities per hour, etc.).
• Ensuring that ordered services meet established medical necessity criteria when applicable.
• Collecting payments based on pre-determined information. Performing insurance verification to determine patient out of pocket expenses for services. If applicable, offering payment options after the minimum required payment has been received. Fulfilling monthly goals for cash collection.
• Accurately posting and receipts patient payments. Balancing cash drawer on a daily basis; following the department policy related to cash drawers and cash receipting.
• Organizing time effectively, minimizing incidental overtime and sets priorities. Utilizing time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.
• Displaying initiative to improve job functions. Demonstrating adaptability and flexibility during changing demands. Offering suggestions to streamline process for efficient patient flow.
• Seeking opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business / job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

The qualifications for the Patient Access Associate position include :

Knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to safely perform the assigned job include :

Supplemental requirements :

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, will be Houston Methodist's ninth hospital and will incorporate the most advanced technology available from the day the doors open. With 100 beds (at our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in the heart of the rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor, the hospital will be equipped with technologically advanced innovations implemented during COVID, many of them designed to make patient communication with physicians, staff and families the very best and most effective in any health care facility. Even though the hospital won't be fully operational until 2025, we have several services and specialties opening in 2024.