University of Pittsburgh Physicians is hiring a full-time Patient Access Specialist I to join their Pediatric Allergy and Immunology outpatient clinic at UPMC Children’s hospital in Pittsburgh! As the Patient Access Specialist, you will be responsible for scheduling appointments for the clinic and serve as the front line resource for Physician Services Division Departments to coordinate access of external public to our care providers and ensure goal of 72 hours patient access are met. 

Hours for this position will be Monday through Friday, daylight hours with no evenings, weekends, or holidays! This position will be a hybrid work from home opportunity with 3 days in-office and 2 days from home, after completion of a training period. Previous experience with Cerner and Epic is preferred. 

Responsibilities:

Review, verify and enter the patient’s demographic information to ensure data integrity. Schedule appointments according to the physician templates for similar types of physicians, generally at one office or multiple session timeshares (single specialty phone room or front desk environment). Schedule appointments according to the templates/departmental scripts while meeting business unit scheduling accuracy requirements. Obtain chief complaints in order to schedule appropriately. Take incoming calls demonstrating the essential skills documented in the Telephone Courtesy Standards. Understand UPMC 72-hour appointment requirement and work to ensure guidelines are met. Appropriately distribute/triage phone calls to other areas and/or clinical providers (billing, nurse, operations lead, etc.). Treat all patients with respect and demonstrates the behaviors learned in the Patient Ambassador Program. Routinely attend department meetings and on-going in-service and training programs, to present and exchange pertinent information. Work the overflow call list and Audiocare report. Review and verify the patient’s insurance information. Coordinate access to care for patients within own department or location. Monitor patient wait list report. Compile and send new patient packets or flags patient if needs to be completed upon arrival. Knowledgeable about various reasons for patient calls such as prescription refills, how to triage clinical issues, participating insurances, questions about physicians, etc. Take responsibility to escalate to appropriate clinical or supervisory personnel when needed, including thorough and accurate documentation of telephone encounter for messaging. Function at multiple sites as requested by supervisor. Answer multi-line telephone system. The number of calls taken must be within 90% of the daily average calls per day per agent. Give basic information to patients (directions, parking information, and required preparation for appointment).