Contact Center Specialist (Orthopaedic Surgery, Oakland)

University of Pittsburgh Physicians Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is hiring a full-time Contact Center Specialist to join their team! This position is Monday through Friday daylight with the hours of 8am to 4:30pm. No evenings, weekends, or holidays.

This position will have in-person training onsite at the office located in Oakland. After a satisfactory training period, there is an option to work from home. Training period is approximately 6 months long.

Purpose:
The Contact Center Specialist will provide support for the Contact Center activities by serving as the first line of contact for the patient. The Contact Center Specialist acts as an advocate for patients by providing guidance, interpretation and education on scheduling, registration, billing, claim status, and various patient related inquires. Responsible for efficient and courteous resolution to verbal and written inquiries to ensure internal and external patient satisfaction while maintaining call servicing and quality standards. Typically, functions under the direction of the Supervisor/Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Answer multi-line telephone system, with a clear focus on patient satisfaction and first call resolution while scheduling appointments according to the department protocols ensuring the appropriate exam, physician, and timeslot are utilized. Redirect telephone calls and takes messages, when appropriate, interacting with the staff and leadership of other departments when necessary. Review, verify and enter the patients demographic, financial, and insurance information to ensure data integrity. Enters or updates information in the appropriate system(s) accurately, verifies and revises existing information on patients that have not been interviewed within the past 30 days.
• Complete forms, upload, scan, or fax documents as required for patient appointment. Follow up on any incomplete or inaccessible information to assure a completed record. Obtains, verifies and corrects registration information of new and existing patients. Mail new patient packets prior to scheduled appointment and handle medicine refill requests. Act as an advocate for patients by providing guidance, interpretation, and education on scheduling, registration (directions, parking information, and required preparation for appointment), billing, claims, and various patient related inquiries.
• Identify and take action to address patient concerns by utilizing effective decision-making skills to know when to handle the call, send the call to in house clinical staff or send call to the physicians office to meet the patients needs. Research, resolve and respond to email, web and telephone billing inquiries from patients and insurance carriers in accordance with departmental protocols. Complete follow-up on unpaid account balances. Contact guarantors, third party payors, and/or other outside agencies for payment of balances due. Establish reasonable payment plans according to department policies set up payment arrangement in system and monitors payments for consistency and timeliness. Counsel patients on various local, state and federal agencies, which may be available to assist with funding of health care.
• Assist patients that call with access issues for their MyUPMC account, telemedicine visit or any other on-line access concerns Contact patients to discuss their post-discharge appointment requirements follow up and coordinate all appointments for the patient. Review and take action on accounts on aged trial balance reports or in assigned work queue meeting specified dollar and age criteria to ensure lowest number of days possible on accounts receivable. Assign accounts deemed un-collectible to external collection agencies on a monthly basis. Document all actions taken on a patient account. Review on-line account history and EOBs to ensure all payers have been billed and to validate the accuracy of payments and adjustments posted.
• Identify, review, and research credit balance accounts, potential refunds, adjustments, payment transfers, etc., to bring the account balance to zero. Identify and take action towards resolution of problematic accounts through potential refunds, adjustments, payment transfers, etc. to bring balance to zero. Adhere to Fair Debt Collection Practices Guidelines and understands the laws and regulations applicable to job functions. Performs in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors. Performs other duties as assigned.

• Act 34