Patient Access Manager

In 2020, united in a fierce commitment to deliver the highest quality care and exceptional patient experience, Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan Health came together as natural partners to build a new health system centered around the patient: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Our combined system builds upon the scale and expertise of our nearly 300 sites of care, including 11 hospitals and nearly 5,000 physicians and providers. Together, we are empowered to make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason are now united to build the future of patient-centered care across the Pacific Northwest. That means a seamlessly connected system offering quality care close to home. From basic health needs to the most complex, highly specialized care, our patients can count on us to meet their needs with convenient access to the region’s most prestigious experts and innovative treatments and technologies.

Franciscan Medical Group, as part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, is currently looking for a full-time Patient Access Manager for the Franciscan Patient Access team in Tacoma, WA. Flexbile work schedule in a fast-paced work environment. Excellent opportunity for growth! Come join our team!

Job Summary:

This job is responsible for managing and evaluating the daily operations of a primarily remote Patient Access staff in accordance with established policies, procedures, standards and regulatory requirements. In a cost-effective way, an incumbent monitors work accuracy, volume and staff productivity to assure both internal/external customer needs are met and remain compliant with internal standards, regulatory requirements.

Work includes: 1) serves as an expert on Patient Access workflows, Epic cadence, access concepts and applicable regulatory requirements; 2) collaborates with organizational leaders on workflow and standard processes; 3) provides proactive and professional supervision and coaching to department supervisory staff; 4) serves as a conduit of communication with various internal departments pertaining to coordination and troubleshooting of various business-related issues; 5) attends clinic-based meetings/activities while providing operational performance data; 6) troubleshoots and/or escalates issues to higher-level management; 7) identifies opportunities to streamline current department and Patient Access-related operations; 8) provides cohesive collaboration with other organizational leaders often involving implementation leadership of procedural changes; 9) sets the pace in creating effective departmental operations supportive of all department staff. An incumbent works with the Director to continually move the department forward with the pace of the overall organization.

Work is performed in accordance with established standards/guidelines and requires knowledge of applicable regulatory requirements sufficient to facilitate compliant operations and to exercise good judgment in addressing operational issues. Also requires expertise in supervising and evaluating the work of both supervisory and front-line staff. An incumbent works with higher level management on major operational or business decisions prior to implementation.

Operations

• Manages the daily operations of assigned function/work unit to assure that all services/activities are conducted in a timely and cost-effective manner and in accordance with professional standards, internal policies/standards/procedures and/or applicable regulatory requirements; oversees departmental planning, trend analysis, resource management and evaluation of overall performance; provides regular performance updates to higher-level management..
• Establishes and monitors productivity metrics emphasizing accuracy and completion of work within established timeframes.
• Conducts and/or monitors periodic compliance reviews and implements improvement efforts pertaining to operations and quality/productivity metrics while ensuring a clear understanding of the Patient Access approach to work.
• Reviews leader-level system and departmental reporting to assure metrics pertaining to: quality, productivity, access and performance are used to guide daily operational decisions and organizational improvement.
• Participates in the development and implementation of new/revised standard work, procedures, processes and/or training materials in support of assigned function/work unit to facilitate regulatory compliance and support departmental directives.
• Participates in escalation support to resolve patient relations matters in a timely and courteous manner.
• Implements approved quality control/quality assurance and productivity standards; assures that applicable standards, systems and procedures are understood and followed; serves as a liaison between the Patient Access department and clinics to facilitate policy/procedural compliance and assist in maintaining business continuity.
• Monitors and audits related documentation to maintain conformance with established standards relating to timeliness, and accuracy; prepares periodic productivity reports for review of higher-level authority.
• Researches inquiries, complaints and requests by internal/external customers and takes appropriate steps, within scope of position, to resolve errors or issues; communicates resolution to all interested parties.
• Monitors annual budget to control overtime and facilitate compliance; keeps higher level management informed of all issues with potential for budgetary impact.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Ensures that supervisors and assigned staff are qualified and properly trained to perform assigned job duties; interviews job candidates and makes employment and other personnel decisions in accordance with established guidelines.
• Holds regular staff meetings to keep employees appraised of all matters relevant to successful job performance; communicates performance standards/outcomes and celebrates achievements.
• Actively involves department staff in process improvement, using a unified approach to the workforce development and projects implementation.
• Evaluates employee performance; counsels employees, provides constructive feedback and recognizes results achieved.

Maintains/coordinates quality control indicators in collaboration with the Director to ensure strong quality standards.

• Acts as a liaison between the Patient Access department and the FMG clinics in support of maintaining business continuity and policy/procedural compliance.
• Collaborates with departments, managers and leadership to form close working relationships in order to keep patients at the center of operational approach and overall decision-making.’

Presents data related to Patient Access performance.

• Collaborates with clinic leaders and staff to monitor and evaluate outcomes and root causes for access gaps, appointing procedures effectiveness, referral entry accuracy, authorization denials and standard work performance.
• Reviews a multitude of performance data and provides improvement suggestions when appropriate.

Performs related duties as required.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, and a minimum of three years of healthcare management experience that would demonstrate attainment of the requisite job knowledge/abilities; OR
• Seven years of management experience within a healthcare setting, OR
• Master’s degree in a related discipline.

• Current certification from the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) as a Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) is strongly preferred.
• Current certification from the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) as a Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM) is desirable.