Scheduling Specialist, Associate

• Provide a world-class patient experience, focusing on Service Excellence and one-contact resolution with every patient interaction.  Assist with managing the Scheduling Center volume and performance by ensuring efficiency on inbound calls, outreach calls, cohesive written communication, and online interactions.
• Provide exemplary customer service by being proactive and responsive to all UPMC Scheduling Services patient and physician requests. 
• Remain current on all departmental policies, procedures, plan benefit designs, and modifications.  .

Responsibilities:

• Provide rotational duties to include greeting patients, answer additional phone lines and obtaining prescriptions for procedures when needed.
• Adhere to scheduling guidelines for gathering required exam information and conveying restrictions.
• Enter data into the computer and processes requisitions to confirm data entry.
• Operate multi-line phone system and ACD telephone software. Follow scripted radiology format accurately and completely.
• Enter information into the RIS system. Complete appropriate forms. Follow up on any incomplete or inaccessible information to assure a completed record.
• Review all imaging resources on a daily basis for open slots and potential scheduling errors.
• Enter prescriptions into the document scanner.
• Participate in the training of new scheduling staff.
• Schedule exams accurately, both automatically and manually, for all radiology modalities.
• 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 patient's 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.
• 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 EOB's to ensure all payers have been billed and to validate the accuracy of payments and adjustments posted.
• 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 physician's office to meet the patient's 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.
• 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.

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• 1 year general customer service experience 
• Detail Oriented
• Medical terminology or radiology/imaging scheduling preferred.
• Must be able to maintain confidential information. 
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Competent in MS Office/PC skills
• Must be able to make appropriate decisions based on the circumstances as well as established protocols. 
• Must have strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills and be able to remain professional and courteous when dealing with sensitive issues and stressful circumstances.
• As customer service is a priority in this position, training and certification as a Patient Ambassador is required prior to, or during the initial six-month review period.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34

UPMC has a Center for Engagement and Inclusion that is charged with executing leading-edge and next-generation diversity strategies to advance the organization’s diversity management capability and its national presence as a diversity leader. This includes having Employee Resource Groups, such as PRIDE Health or UPMC ENABLED (Empowering Abilities and Leveraging Differences) Network, which support the implementation of our diversity strategy.

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran