Remind clinicians about satisfaction
Remind clinicians about satisfaction
Members of your patient access staff probably are reminded often that the clinical side of patient care is more important than gathering the proper information.
"We are often overlooked by everyone. We rarely get the recognition that is deserved for the magnitude of the work that we perform," says April C. Robinson, MBA, MHA, patient access manager at Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, SC.
However, a lack of respect for patient access can affect the overall care received by the patient, according to Robinson. "Patient access reps are not always respected as competent and skilled employees," she says. "Yet they are at the forefront of a patient's hospital visit. They set the tone for the entire visit."
With the healthcare industry changing to a pay-for-performance system, adds Robinson, patient access departments are now charged with the task of initiating a positive visit for all patients. "Although the clinical aspects are very important to patients' visits, registration drives the entire process until the patient gets their final bill," she says. "We are often called upon by ancillary areas to resolve billing issues."
Other departments seem to think that patient access representatives simply fill out demographic information to log patients into the hospital system, adds Robinson. "The patient access services department is often viewed as just an entry-level job that anyone with a high school diploma can perform," she says.
Remind others that patient access staff are knowledgeable on federal requirements for patient privacy and identify theft prevention, Medicare and Medicaid regulations, and commercial insurance policies, Robinson says. Inform people that your staff are excellent multi-taskers and problem solvers with strict time constraints, she advises. Tell them staff navigate through multiple computer systems as they schedule and reschedule complex patient appointments for nurses and physicians, she says. "They must have the ability to not only be great customer service reps, but also to perform their task accurately within three to five minutes per patient," Robinson says.
Members of your patient access staff probably are reminded often that the clinical side of patient care is more important than gathering the proper information.Subscribe Now for Access
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