Medical Receptionist

Department: Reception
Reports To: Reception Manager
Locations: Los Angeles and Hollywood

Employment Type: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Pay Range: $19/hr

Job Summary

Medical Receptionists are often the first point of contact patients have with LA CENTA and play an important role in creating a welcoming and professional patient experience. The Medical Receptionist is responsible for providing courteous, compassionate, and efficient service to patients and visitors in person and by telephone.

This position helps ensure each patient's experience with LA CENTA is comfortable, convenient, and reflects the organization's commitment to quality patient care and superior customer service.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Patient Reception & Customer Service

• Welcome and greet patients and visitors in a friendly, professional, and courteous manner, both in person and by telephone.
• Provide assistance to patients and visitors while answering questions or directing inquiries to the appropriate department or staff member.
• Consistently demonstrate behavior and communication skills that reflect LA CENTA's commitment to superior customer service, including quality, care, and concern for each internal and external customer.
• Comfort patients by anticipating and responding appropriately to patient concerns and anxieties.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming reception area, as applicable.
• Assist patients who may be experiencing distress and respond appropriately to emergencies in accordance with site-specific policies and procedures.
• Practice discretion when communicating internal clinical policies, procedures, and other sensitive information with patients.

Scheduling & Patient Flow

• Maintain accurate daily schedules and communicate scheduling information as appropriate.
• Schedule in-office appointments, allergy testing, procedures, Radiology, Labs, and other applicable services.
• Verify patient demographics and insurance information when scheduling appointments.
• Keep patient appointments on schedule by reviewing service delivery compared to the daily schedule and notifying the Manager/Supervisor of service delays.
• Notify appropriate back-office staff when patients arrive to support efficient patient flow and utilization of treatment rooms, as applicable.
• Record the outcome of reminder calls made to patients scheduled for procedures, Radiology, Labs, and in-office appointments in AdvancedMD.
• Maintain awareness of the duties and functions of each department to ensure calls and patient inquiries are routed efficiently.
• Inform physicians when consults are requested, as applicable.
• Request patient records as needed for physicians, as applicable.

Insurance, Patient Records & Documentation

• Verify insurance eligibility and ensure appropriate forms are completed, signed, and dated.
• Maintain patient accounts by obtaining, recording, and updating accurate personal, demographic, and financial information.
• Ensure the availability of treatment information by appropriately filing and retrieving patient records.
• Assist with entering and updating information in the electronic medical record (EMR) system.
• Prepare laboratory requisition forms as requested by physicians, as applicable.
• Scan Radiology and laboratory requisitions into patient files, as applicable.
• Obtain test authorizations for applicable services.
• Assist in the creation and preparation of new patient welcome packets.
• Maintain accurate directories of providers' telephone numbers and other applicable contact information.

Telephone & Switchboard Operations

• Demonstrate knowledge of the complete operation of switchboards and follow opening and closing switchboard procedures according to site-specific policies, as applicable.
• Handle all phases of telephone communications, including scheduling appointments, allergy testing, obtaining test authorizations, and directing patient inquiries.
• Route calls to the appropriate departments and take accurate, complete, and timely messages.
• Handle emergency calls appropriately and according to site-specific policies and procedures.
• Brief the Patient Service Center Manager/Supervisor regarding outstanding calls, messages, or information requiring follow-up.
• Maintain accurate provider and department directories to support efficient call routing.
• Report urgently needed switchboard or telephone equipment repairs to the appropriate Supervisor/Manager.

Compliance & Confidentiality

• Protect patients' rights by maintaining the confidentiality of personal, financial, and protected health information.
• Use, protect, and disclose patients' protected health information in accordance with HIPAA requirements and LA CENTA policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality when handling patient records, medical information, and other sensitive information.
• Adhere to all applicable safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain compliance with organizational policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to team efforts by completing related responsibilities and supporting departmental operations as needed.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are reflective of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• High School Diploma/GED required.
• 1–2 years of PBX/switchboard operator experience preferred.
• At least 1 year of front desk or patient-facing experience in a medical setting.
• Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy specialty clinic experience preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred.
• General knowledge of HIPAA and CPT codes.
• Must be able to travel between various LA CENTA clinic locations as needed.
• Excellent communication skills with patients, physicians, and staff.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work in a relatively unsupervised environment with a high degree of accuracy.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

The employee may be required to:

• Sit for extended periods while performing computer, administrative, and training-related work.
• Stand and walk for varying periods while facilitating training sessions or visiting clinic locations.
• Regularly use hands and fingers for computer, administrative, and instructional activities.
• Operate standard office equipment and technology.
• Occasionally bend, reach, push, pull, or otherwise access materials and equipment required for training activities.
• Occasionally lift and/or carry up to 20 pounds.
• Travel between clinic locations and other business locations as needed to conduct training, meetings, or other organizational activities.