Patient Access Specialist- Registration

Working title: Patient Access Specialist - Registration

Classification title:  Patient Access Specialist

Division: Community Health Center

 Program: Main Clinic- Billings

Reports to: Registration Team Coordinator 

FLSA status: Non-Exempt: Full-Time 

Schedule: Monday-Thursday 10am to 7pm; Friday 830am to 530pm

Wage Range: $20.32 to $25.35 hourly; depending on number of years of transferrable experience and internal equity

Overview: 

Serving the Yellowstone County community and south-central Montana for nearly 50 years, RiverStone Health is an essential provider of personal and public health services. Health, Education, Leadership and Protection – HELP is what we do.

From medical, dental and behavioral healthcare; home care and hospice; public health services like immunizations, WIC, health promotion and restaurant inspections; and educating the next generation of health professionals, our expertise spans all ages and stages of life.  Underlying principles of access, affordability, compassion and quality in all interactions, RiverStone Health improves life, health and safety for all of the communities we serve.

Job Summary:

The Patient Access Specialist is the first point of contact for patients and plays a vital role in ensuring timely, equitable, and compassionate access to care. This position provides exceptional customer service to individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds while performing scheduling, , and care coordination tasks in a fast-paced clinical environment. The Patient Access Specialist supports providers and care teams by facilitating preventive care outreach, managing chronic disease follow-up scheduling, and connecting patients to appropriate resources across the health center.

Essential Functions/Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient Access Services                                                                                              95%

• Serve as first point of contact for patients by providing high-quality, empathetic, trauma‑informed customer service to patients from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socio‑economic backgrounds; communicate clearly in person, by phone, and through approved digital channels.
• Verify identity and maintain accurate, up-to-date patient records, demographics, communication preferences, ensure all consents and required forms are completed and documented accurately.
• Verify insurance eligibility and communicate insurance-related information to patients clearly and professionally.
• Support billing staff by ensuring accurate front-end data collection.
• Prepare forms, letters, and reports as requested by clinical or administrative staff.
• Schedule and reschedule appointments for primary care and integrated services; maintain schedule integrity, including appointment types, same‑day or urgent slots, and waitlists.
• Document all calls, messages, outreach attempts, and patient interactions in the EHR with accurate encounter types and timestamps.
• Coordinate patient access to transportation, enabling services, and social needs resources to reduce barriers to care and support health equity.
• Arrange interpreter services and document language preferences to support culturally responsive care.
• Support telehealth visits by educating patients and staff, assisting with basic troubleshooting, ensuring visit readiness, and completing registration.
• Use care‑gap reports and outreach processes to schedule preventive care, wellness visits, chronic condition follow‑ups, and other recommended services; document outreach activities and escalate complex needs as appropriate.
• Use de‑escalation techniques when needed and escalate clinical, safety, or grievance concerns according to policy while maintaining compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Demonstrate reliability, punctuality, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Contributes to a positive work environment by consistently modeling RiverStone Health’s Mission, Vision, and Values through respectful, collaborative, and service‑focused behavior.
• After demonstrating proficiency in core registration duties, cross‑train in additional Patient Access Specialist roles to support workflow flexibility and departmental coverage.

Non-Essential Functions/Other duties as assigned                                5%

• Perform other duties as assigned in support of RiverStone Health’s mission and goals.

Education and Experience:

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
• Proficiency with computers and willingness to learn new software systems.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and remain accurate in a fast‑paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a medical office, call center, or community health setting.
• Familiarity with electronic health records (EHRs) and medical terminology.
• Knowledge of insurance verification, scheduling workflows, or patient registration processes.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Valid Montana Driver’s License in good standing.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficiency with computers and common software applications, including Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Ability to remain calm, patient, and professional during challenging interactions.
• Strong active listening skills with a non‑judgmental and empathetic approach.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Understanding of HIPAA requirements and the importance of maintaining patient confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively and contribute to a positive team environment.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and meet deadlines.

Customer Service Excellence:

• Doing things right the first time
• Making people feel welcome
• Showing respect for each customer
• Anticipating customer needs and concerns
• Keeping customers informed
• Helping and going the extra mile
• Responding quickly
• Protecting privacy and confidentiality
• Demonstrating proper telephone etiquette
• Taking responsibility for handling complaints
• Being professional
• Taking ownership of your attitude toward Service Excellence.

Supervision:

• None

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Work is performed at a computer workstation for extended periods, up to 8 hours per day.
• Use of repetitive motion
• Standing, bending, sitting, lifting required
• Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.
• Ability to see details near and far, recognize color differences, and focus on fine details like small print and/or instruments required.
• Create and maintain a safe/secure working environment by adhering to safety, security, and health requirements.
• Integrates injury, illness, and loss prevention into job activities by attending any necessary training and implementing best practices.

Freedom to Act & Decision Making:

• Work is structured by public health regulations and established medical practices. Decisions directly affect the quality of services provided to the public.

Communications & Networking:

• Work directly with other team members to provide quality customer service for patients.

Budget & Resource Management:

• Not applicable