Patient Support Specialist

About the role

The Patient Support Specialist role is a multi-tasking position that consists of all front-end functions for Familias Unidas Outpatient Programs (FUOP). The Patient Support Specialist will work closely with the Directors at the Outpatient clinic, the Residential Directors, and external providers to secure best practice services. The Patient Support Specialist will be responsible for maintaining confidentiality and privacy, consistent with HIPAA guidelines, highest quality of customer service, managing telephone, scheduling patient appointments, checking patients in, verifying insurance eligibility, closing procedures, waiting area security, meeting room reservations, meeting with patients to support/complete intake process, and other practice management clerical tasks.

Following Casa Esperanza's integrated care model, the Patient Support Specialist will communicate admissions information to the Practice Management Department. All documentation will be stored in Evolv, our Electronic Health Record and billing database. This position will report directly to the Patient Access Manager.

What you'll do

Customer Service

• Provide a friendly, welcoming and caring greeting face and attitude to all patients arriving for visits.
• Communicate with patients and staff using multiple advanced communication tools, including phone calls, emails, alerts in the electronic health record, and mail.
• Answer and resolve patient inquiries in a professional, empathetic, and patient-centered way through the use of effective listening, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Utilize established Practice guidelines to ensure patients' issues are addressed in a timely manner and, when necessary, transfer the call to the appropriate person at FUOP or Casa Esperanza for additional consultation.
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• Place reminder calls to outpatient patients to ensure participation in all scheduled services and document contact in the electronic health record.
• Email key staff at residential programs to ensure participation in all scheduled services.
• Contact patients who have missed their appointments for rescheduling and document contact in the electronic health record.
• Provide outstanding customer service to external and internal customers over the phone and in person.
• Escalate appropriately any issues that fall outside of an existing protocol or process to meet the needs of the patient.

Intake Responsibilities:

• Communicate closely with the Patient Access Manager to coordinate new intake visits and to schedule follow-up appointments.
• Administer initial assessment, and follow-up care with internal providers to ensure timely access to services and operations for a dynamic, open-access, integrated care clinic, including Preliminary Triage.
• Ensure all clinical documentation is signed and saved in the electronic health record.
• Maintain and update any admission documentation required by Casa Esperanza or licensing agencies in a complete and accurate manner.
• Serve as a resource for problem resolution issues related to registration, demographic, and insurance errors. Verify insurance eligibility and enter benefit assignment.
• Work closely with the Patient Support Services to ensure an exceptional level of service is delivered to all Casa Esperanza clients.
• Implement BSAS and Medicare regulations and processes.
• Ensure completion of the Comprehensive Assessment in the patient's electronic health record.
• Review client records for completeness of client insurance information and proper signature.
• Serve as Certified Application Counselor (CAC) and support patients in applying and maintaining their MassHealth insurance coverage.
• Other duties as assigned.

Administrative

• Manage scheduling for all meeting rooms and common areas.
• Ensure data entry and scanning of all referrals, intake, and other pertinent documentation into Evolv.
• Schedule/reschedule patient appointments in electronic health record system for psychiatry, individual therapy, community support services, intakes, comprehensive assessments, insurance coordination, and group therapy.
• Check in all patients in the electronic health record system.
• Provide administrative support in all projects, events, and activities, including photocopying, mailings and data entry.
• Maintain lobby cleanliness and place work orders as needed.
• Ensure all materials in the classroom are well-stocked and organized regularly.
• Send reminder emails for all groups and emails scheduled in outpatient for residential patients.

Productivity, Workflow, Quality & Safety

• Complete all required staff logs.
• Ensure all visitors and staff sign in and out.
• Ensure that all windows and doors are secure.
• Ensure that all items that are potentially dangerous are secured in a locked location.
• Manage the FUOP's lobby area. Greets and directs all visitors, including vendors, patients, job candidates and customers.
• Monitor the front door and answer the front desk phone.
• Ensure the safety and security of all patients in the lobby, waiting area, and 1st floor hallway.
• Responsible for opening and closing procedures.
• Ensure all safety and security requirements for the building's fire drill.

Other Duties

• Assure discreet handling of all business/maintain confidentiality.
• Identify opportunities to improve the work processes and environment, and changes in Practice protocols; remains current on new developments.
• Attend scheduled training sessions.
• Assist in the training/orientation of new personnel under the direction of a manager and/or supervisor.
• Participate in staff meetings/is expected to identify process issues that are obstacles to providing a positive patient experience.
• Complete special projects.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Experience working at a front desk area preferred
• Outgoing personality with good interpersonal and communication skills, highly organized and efficient, dependable and reliable with strong computer skills
• Strong verbal/written and data entry skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work as member of a team
• English/Spanish Bilingual required
• Bicultural preferred
• Ability to communicate with patients, vendors, and external providers in a professional manner
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and maintain composure during hectic situations
• Ability to understand and manage moral/ethical boundaries with patients/staff
• Experience working with practice management systems
• Experience with insurance verifications
• Ability to perform de-escalation techniques
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position
• Ability to meet the training requirements of the position

Education/Training required:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Knowledge of addiction recovery process, or willingness to acquire within the first six months of employment
• Current CPR certification required or must be obtained within 30 days of employment

Schedule

• Monday - Friday
• availability to cover shifts between 8am - 8pm
• Onsite - Roxbury, MA

What we offer:

Casa Esperanza Benefits Package:

• Compensation:  $ /hour
• Holiday Pay (12 days per year + 1 floating holiday)
• Paid Time Off (PTO) - 18 days year one, 20.5 days at year 2, 23 days at year 5
• Sick Pay - 10 paid days per year
• Long/ShortTerm Disability 
• Paid by Company Life Insurance
• Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• FSA/DCA (Flexible Spending Account & Dependent Care)
• ComPsych Guidance Resources - EAP
• Educational Opportunities
• Tuition Remission
• Employee Ticket at Work (Discounts for Entertainment, travel, movies; etc.)
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• Increased Salary for Credentials
• and more....

Physical & Mental Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.

At Casa Esperanza, Inc., the health and safety of our people is our number one priority. That's why all offers of employment are contingent on the candidate showing proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (currently one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and boosted, when eligible) to pass the pre-employment requirements. Individuals with medical issues or religious beliefs that prevent them from getting the vaccine may request an exemption from the vaccine requirement.

Casa Esperanza's EEO Statement

Casa Esperanza, Inc. values its diverse workplace and encourages women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, older members of society, and others from minority groups and diverse backgrounds to apply.

We recruit, hire, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities. Casa Esperanza, Inc. also has a longstanding policy of providing a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of each individual and is free from all forms of employment discrimination, including harassment, because of race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  All employees, interns, volunteers, and contractors of Casa Esperanza, Inc. are responsible for maintaining a work culture free from discrimination and harassment by treating others with kindness and respect.

Casa Esperanza, Inc. also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities or based on a sincerely held religious belief, in accordance with applicable laws. If you need to inquire about an accommodation or need assistance with completing the application process, please email .