Offering a competitive sign on bonus to the hired candidate. Please discuss with the hiring manager or recruiter for more details.
The Ambulatory Access team member is an experienced, patient-focused service representative who engages patients, families and referring providers throughout the patient care continuum through various forms of communication, including telephone, electronic messaging, and virtual workflows. This role is responsible and accountable for complex patient scheduling, record retrieval, follow-up communication, and related tasks to ensure the patient is seen by the right provider at the right time with the right records.
This team member serves as a primary point of contact for patients, referring providers, and Health System departments requesting single, multiple, and coordinated appointments to ensure an optimal patient experience. The Ambulatory Access Associate actively participates in issue resolution, process improvement initiatives, and supports both onsite and remote operations while maintaining productivity, service excellence, and compliance with organizational standards.
Ambulatory Access team members are expected to follow Standard Operating Procedures based on their role. This role operates Monday through Friday and follows a hybrid work model, requiring scheduled onsite coverage and remote work based on department operational needs and performance expectations. This position reports to the Assistant Access Manager.
General Expectations:
Identifies opportunities for improvement and communicates appropriately before problems arise whenever possible.
Constantly and consistently evaluates processes, identifies opportunities for improvement and offers constructive ideas and solutions; actively participates in solutions and implementation.
Maintains privacy during all interactions including check-in.
Independently takes calls, schedules and registers patients.
Completes requests for service and associated tasks following established timelines.
Initiates contact with patient and family to ascertain scheduling preferences prior to finalizing appointment regardless of point of entry of the request.
Answers telephones, screens calls, confirms appointments, and maintains appointment schedule
Refers callers to appropriate individuals, and provides routine information following established procedures.
Ensure patient communications are customer oriented, appropriate and professional. Documents should be professional in appearance and current.
Requests and/or sends records to Health Information Management promptly. Ensure documents are appropriate and correctly labeled.
Working with management and care team to help resolve scheduling conflicts and issues.
Utilizes electronic medical record functionality (e.g., InBasket, telephone encounters, prescription requests, pools, letters, and documentation only) per department process guidelines.
Creates patient no show and cancellation letters according to office policy. Calls to reschedule as appropriate.
Achieves expected metric targets applicable to scheduling and registration
Scheduling:
Obtains, load and verify required demographic and insurance information and loads or verifies for each appointment scheduled.
Performs verification functions. Obtains two patient identifiers consistently. Verifies patient legal name including spelling before creating a new MRN.
Maintain and demonstrate effective and accurate scheduling skills including following established processes.
Ensure referrals are attached to appointments, and the appropriate insurance information is documented. Research and update insurance carrier requirements as necessary. Correctly identify referring provider.
Registration, Check-In and Check-out:
Completes all registration elements, including the Medicare Secondary Payor Questionnaire (MSPQ), scanning of long-term signatures (LTS) and insurance cards, Advanced Beneficiary Notices (ABNs), waivers, and financial screenings are completed when indicated and promptly
Prints medication lists and gives them to the patient/family for review during check-in
Promptly and accurately updates patient tracking system
Check out patients following their appointments , schedule follow-up and specialty appointments as appropriate,
Update, print, and provide an after-visit summary (AVS) to patients. Provides school/work excuses as appropriate.
Customer Service & Patient Experience:
Serves as a role model for the ASPIRE values while maintaining and expanding patient relationships. Prioritizes tasks to meet customer needs.
Demonstrates exceptional customer service both for in-person and telephone activities.
Maintains a positive attitude when speaking with customers and internal and external service representatives.
Optimizes listening skills to address customer requests and needs.
Describes individual role and accepts personal responsibility for how it affects and enhances the work of the group and impact to Patient Experience.
In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Access Associate)
Education: High School Graduate or Equivalent. Customer service experience preferred.
Experience: Preferred not required.
Licensure: None required.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Senior Access Associate)
Education: High School Graduate or Equivalent required. Associates degree preferred.
Experience: 2 years' relevant experience required. Access Associate fully cross-trained to cover multiple specialties will be considered in lieu of the 2 years relevant experience.
Licensure: None required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Job requires sitting for prolonged periods, frequently bending/stooping, reaching (overhead, extensive, repetitive) and repetitive motion: computer keyboard. Proficient communicative, auditory and visual skills; Attention to detail and ability to write legibly; Ability to lift/push/pull 20 - 50lbs.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment (https://eocr.virginia.edu/notice-non-discrimination-and-equal-opportunity) .
