Patient Access Representative - Emergency Room

Salary : $22-24/Hourly | Full-time | Watertown,SD

Prioritized Must Have Skills for the Patient Access Representative:

#1. High school diploma or General Education Degree (GED) required

#2. Minimum of six (6) months of prior hospital, medical office, or general office experience required.

#3. Previous patient registration experience and familiarity with electronic medical records (EMR/EHR) systems preferred.

#4. Ability to multitask effectively and remain composed in a fast-paced emergency care setting.

Responsibilities of the Patient Access Representative:

• Accurately registers and admits Emergency Room patients by obtaining, verifying, and entering demographic, insurance, and guarantor information into the electronic health record (EHR) system.
• Reviews insurance eligibility and benefits, identifies authorization requirements, and explains financial responsibilities to patients in a clear and compassionate manner.
• Ensures all required consent forms, privacy notices, and legally mandated documentation are properly completed and scanned into the patient record.
• Notifies and coordinates with ER triage staff promptly upon patient arrival to support efficient patient flow.
• Reviews daily pre-admission reports and completes pre-registration for scheduled ancillary services to streamline the check-in process.
• Operates the hospital switchboard, professionally answering incoming calls, determining the nature of each call, and directing calls to appropriate departments or personnel.
• Maintains and updates the hospital on-call schedule daily to ensure accurate routing of calls and emergency notifications.
• Coordinates overhead paging, alarm monitoring, and emergency/code call notifications by activating appropriate response teams quickly and accurately.
• Verifies and generates daily patient room and ancillary charges to support accurate billing and reimbursement.
• Receives and processes patient payments, issues receipts, balances and reconciles cash drawer, and ensures compliance with financial handling procedures.
• Greets patients and visitors warmly, provides directions and information, and maintains a professional and calming presence in high-stress situations.
• Protects patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and organizational policies.
• Assists with additional administrative or departmental duties as assigned to support overall department operations.

Requirements of the Patient Access Representative:

• High school diploma or General Education Degree (GED) required; combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum of six (6) months of prior hospital, medical office, or general office experience required.
• Previous patient registration experience and familiarity with electronic medical records (EMR/EHR) systems preferred.
• Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to multitask effectively and remain composed in a fast-paced emergency care setting.