Practice Assistant II/ Neuroscience Dept

The Practice Assistant II position is responsible for the day-to-day patient and customer interactions within practices and/or locations of the Department of Neurosciences. Working under the direction of the Practice Administrator and/or Practice Coordinator, the Practice Assistant II is the main frontline contact and will interact with customers in person, by telephone and/or electronically. Since the role has significant impact on patient care, patient satisfaction, clinical operations and clinical revenue, the position requires outstanding customer service skills, attention to detail and having the appropriate technical skills to meet the job requirements in a timely and accurate manner. Directly reports to Practice Administrator and indirectly reports to Practice Coordinator, Lead, and other Practice Administrators.

JOB SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Indicate key areas of responsibility, major job duties, special projects and key objectives for this position. These items should be evaluated throughout the year and included in the written annual evaluation.

The following duties and responsibilities are comprehensive. While the Practice Assistant II will be expected to have a working knowledge of these duties and responsibilities, the overall efforts for each will vary based on daily practice operational needs, staffing, location and specific functions. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Assume primary responsibility for scheduling patient appointments per BWH, Neurosciences and practice-specific standards and guidelines.
• Ensure customer satisfaction by appropriately managing the appointment schedule and access to clinical services.
• Work closely with physicians to ensure scheduling of patient appointments is done in accordance with physician preferences and templates.
• Verify patient's identity using 2+ identifiers when scheduling and during check-in process. Verify patient's appointment time and physician.
• Maximize EPIC application features by accessing all available scheduling data and resources. Use in a manner that supports optimal access, appropriate appointment arrangements, and thorough documentation of relevant requirements. Obtain all necessary information to ensure patient is scheduled with the most appropriate physician.
• If next available appointment exceeds a reasonable timeframe (as established by practice), offer to investigate other scheduling opportunities. Work with other practice staff, physicians and practice management to determine other options that could provide patient with an earlier appointment. Follow-up with the patient or referring physician's office as appropriate.
• Coordinate and schedule all appointments with interpreter services as necessary. Coordinate interpreter services or language line representatives into patient phone calls to provide high quality service to patients who require interpreting services.

• Cancel and reschedule appointments as requested. When canceling an appointment, treat patients kindly and professionally. Inquire as to whether/when they would like to reschedule the appointment.
• Optimize access and satisfaction by maintaining and coordinating appointment wait lists.
• Coordinates physician cancellation (reschedule) lists as required. Ensure outbound calls or other communications are documented on patient's appointment record in EPIC.
• Monitor appointment reminder reports and follow-up as appropriate, including making reminder calls in accordance with Neurosciences and practice guidelines.
• Ensure that patient questions are appropriately answered and/or that appropriate follow-up is provided.
• Ensure appropriate new patient and referring physician communications are done per Neurosciences and practice guidelines.
• Send new patient communications and related materials to patients in advance of scheduled appointment.
• Process and monitor appointment requests via e-Referral appointment requests per BWH, Neurosciences and practice-specific guidelines.
• Process and monitor appointment requests via external and/or patient-directed applications (i.e. Fast Pass, Direct Scheduling, ZocDoc, etc.) per BWH, Neurosciences and practice-specific guidelines

2. Answer incoming telephone lines in a timely and professional manner using Neurosciences and practice standard greeting.
• Adhere to relevant BWH and Neurosciences service standards related to telephone access to ensure patients, referring physicians, and other customers can access the practices in a timely manner.
• For practices using a call center system, adhere to Neurosciences and practice standards related to amount of time logged in as an agent and amount of time available for taking calls.
• Adhere to standards related to placing calls on hold and transferring calls.
• Adhere to standards related to voicemail and the management of internal lines.
• Respond to telephone messages within established timeframes.
• Appropriately manage all calls, either by working with the customer or by referring the call to the appropriate party. For routine matters, respond directly to customer inquiries without referring the caller elsewhere. This includes responding to inquiries related to the availability of appointments, scheduled appointment dates and times, parking, directions, and general information about BWH or other Neurosciences practices.
• Respond to all electronic communications from patients, staff members, physicians and outside referral sources. These communications include but are not limited to emails, patient portal messages and by fax.

3. Warmly greets all patients, customers and visitors into practice.

• Arrives patient in EPIC.
• Alert clinical support staff of any special needs or special attention needed for arriving patient, including fall risk or patients with special needs or services.
• Coordinates patient arrival with interpreter services department as necessary.
• For any patient who does not have a scheduled appointment, work within the established practice protocols to determine how best to serve the patient's needs.

4. During the Arrival process, distribute relevant institutional and practice specific forms, including patient self-assessment information form, patient information questionnaire, patient medication/allergy review form, and financial transparency/billing materials. Requests electronic signature for all applicable institutional forms, including privacy notice, Mass Hlway consent, hospital consent for treatment, and missing referral waiver form.
• Able to address any questions that a patient may have regarding any of the institutional or practice specific forms.
• Document electronically in EPIC when patients refuse to sign requested form.
5. When scheduling and during check-in process, request that each patient verify the accuracy of all demographic and insurance information on their file and provide instructions on updating. This may include coordination with Patient Service Center (PSC) and/or Financial Counselor. Offers appropriate assistance to any patients unable to perform this task.

• Per BWH, Neurosciences and practice specific workflows, all outstanding financial issues (managed care referrals, non-contracted plan, inactive coverage, missing PCP, etc.) must be resolved prior to appointment date.
• Patients with non-contracted plans should be referred to a Financial Counselor before scheduling appointment. Inform Practice Administrator when appropriate to help resolve.
• If patient arrives for appointment with outstanding issues, resolution should be prioritized and be addressed immediately.
• Obtain referral and authorization numbers using electronic solutions as required.
• Verify insurance coverage and resolve any coverage issues per BWH, Neurosciences and practice-specific guidelines.
• Review referral discrepancies as necessary to ensure registration information, insurance coverage, and referrals are updated and entered in EPIC.
• For patients who do not have a valid insurance referral on file for date of service, presents missing referral and prior authorization waiver form to patient and requests signature.
• Ensure MSPQ is accurately completed during check-in process.
• Confirm patient's Patient Gateway/MyChart status and offer to register.

6. Collect payments at the time of service, in accordance with Neurosciences payment collection policy.

• Determines whether copayment is required and collects copayment. Follow Neurosciences copayment workflow and scripting to ensure copayments are collected.

• Collects payments for cosmetic services rendered and reconcile per practice workflow.

• Enter all payments into EPIC as well as approved online banking transaction system. Ensure that payments are posted correctly (co-payment vs cosmetic pre-payment).

• Issue receipts for all payments collected.

• When payment is not collected for any balance owed on cosmetic procedures, notify Practice Administrator, Practice Coordinator or Lead.

• Ensure that payments are reconciled in accordance with criteria established by BWH and the Department of Neurosciences.

7. Direct patients to the appropriate waiting area and provide a brief explanation of what to expect. Communicates wait time expectations. Monitor the waiting room and coordinate with practice's clinical support staff to ensure that customers are appropriately served in a timely manner.

• When confronted with potential service or process breakdowns, attempt to remedy the situation. When this is not possible, immediately inform a member of the practice management team to help resolve.
• Provide updates to patients, families, and other customers regarding delays, including when the duration of a previously communicated delay has changed significantly.
• Maintain the waiting area throughout the day to ensure that its appearance meets appropriate customer service and safety standards.
• Ensure patient questions or inquiries are appropriately answered and/or given appropriate follow-up.

8. During the check-out process, assume primary responsibility for scheduling patient follow-up appointments and coordinate with other practices or Departments as necessary. Coordinate any outside patient appointments or services requested by the physician, including radiology, lab services, referrals to other BWH departments or referrals to outside medical facilities.

• Review patient check-out forms for any indication that additional services are required (including follow-up appointments, ultrasound, CT scan, pre-surgical testing, cardiology procedures, x-rays, lab tests, hospital admissions or procedures, etc.).

• For follow-up appointments in the same practice, offer to schedule appointment while patient is present.

• For follow-up appointments in other practices or other facilities, contact the practice directly to facilitate scheduling the necessary appointment(s). Communicate and confirm orders, obtain instructions for patient, and when possible, scheduled appointments.

• Coordinates and schedules follow up appointment(s) with interpreter services as necessary.

• In accordance with Neurosciences and/or practice protocols, prepare any necessary paperwork or instructions related to follow-up care.

• Thank every patient once check-out process is complete.

9. Communicates basic billing practices associated with Neurosciences appointments and procedures to patients and families.

• Understands BWH and Neurosciences billing practices, including process for split billed vs office-based practices.
• Understands basic insurance operations, including knowledge of insurances contracted with BWH, circumstances in which referrals are required, and assessment of copays due at visits.
• Able to understand and discuss common billing questions with patients, both over the phone and at the time of appointments.
• Able to answer basic billing related questions and refers to Partners Billing Solutions, Financial Counseling, Patient Service Center, Managed Care or other departments. Escalates to Practice Administrator and/or Neurosciences billing analyst as appropriate.
• Educate patients about financial assistance options and resources when appropriate.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or GED required; post-high school education preferred.
• Minimum one year of applicable work experience required.
• Additional training in office systems preferred.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Knowledge of practice operations and standards.
• Understanding of procedures including filing, copying, scanning, printing, and faxing.
• Ability to use phone system (answer and screen calls, put on hold), answer routine questions, and give routine information.
• Ability to interpret information as appropriate, answer routine questions in the most professional manner, and communicate in a professional, courteous, clear, and concise manner.
• Ability to manage work processes in a neat and orderly way and to sort and alphabetize.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, follow established protocols, and work within systems.
• Ability to correspond and communicate with others clearly and effectively in writing (via e-mail, memo, or interoffice note) and to take complete and accurate messages.
• Ability to type and enter data at an entry level. Entry level understanding of applicable systems.
• Understanding of the appropriate use and importance of related forms.
• Basic understanding and use of medical terminology.
• Basic comprehension of insurance types and referral process.
• Basic comprehension of registration and fiscal information.
• Knowledgeable and compliant with all hospital, State, and Federal requirements (where applicable to job performance), including policy and procedures with The Joint Commission and HIPAA.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Hospital based ambulatory practice. Normal patient environments where there are some exposures to communicable diseases, unpleasant odors, needle, and blood products.

HOSPITAL WIDE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Works within legal, regulatory, accreditation and ethical practice standards relevant to the position and as established by BWH/Partners; follows safe practices required for the position; complies with appropriate BWH and Partners policies and procedures; fulfills any training required by BWH and/or Partners, as appropriate; brings potential matters of non-compliance to the attention of the supervisor or other appropriate hospital staff.

EEO Statement

BWH is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.