Pre-Visit Specialist I - Call Center *Hybrid *

Overview

At Augusta Health, your work matters — and so do you. Whether you're delivering direct patient care, supporting operations, or innovating behind the scenes, every role contributes to our mission of promoting wellness and healing through compassionate service. We offer more than just a job — we offer a purpose-driven career in a nationally recognized, independent health system located in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley.

Learn more about career opportunities on our Careers Page.

Our team members thrive in a supportive culture that values collaboration, integrity, and excellence. With opportunities across clinical and non-clinical areas, Augusta Health is a place where your skills make a difference, and your growth is a priority.

Why Join Augusta Health?

We believe in taking care of the people who care for our community. That’s why Augusta Health offers a comprehensive and thoughtfully designed benefits package that supports your well-being, career development, and work-life balance. Whether you're launching your career or bringing in years of experience, we provide the tools, resources, and encouragement to help empower you to reach your full potential — personally, professionally, and financially.

Explore our Benefits, current Hiring Incentives, and our Taking Care of Us initiative — which embraces Belonging, Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth, and Equity (B.R.I.D.G.E.) — to see how we invest in our team members and culture.

Total Rewards & Benefits (may vary by position)

• Comprehensive insurance package including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings plans and financial wellness support programs
• Earned Wage Access Program, allowing eligible team members to access a portion of earned wages before payday
• Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling to promote work-life balance
• Career development programs including clinical ladders, shared governance, and advancement opportunities
• Personalized onboarding with dedicated preceptors and ongoing educational support
• Tuition reimbursement and access to onsite childcare
• Free onsite parking, 24/7-armed security for your safety, a Health Fitness Reimbursement Program, and an onsite credit union and pharmacy
• Competitive pay with shift/weekend differentials
• Employee discounts at the cafeteria, gift shop, pharmacy, and local entertainment venues (i.e., movie tickets)

Full details are available on our Benefits Page.

Job Summary

This position plays a critical role in supporting Augusta Health’s mission and advancing departmental goals through measurable performance indicators and service excellence. This position contributes to a collaborative, patient-centered environment and helps drive outcomes aligned with organizational priorities.

The Pre-Visit Specialist I provides scheduling, pre-registration and other pre-visit revenue cycle services and a variety of general information requested by our customers. Provide services for various service lines and modalities across the organization per physician orders/referrals and / or customer calls or inquiries with an emphasis on exceptional customer experience. Schedules appointments in accordance with physician and / or patient requests with emphasis on filling the first available appointment and considering payer pre-authorization timeframes. Inform patients of any/all necessary pre-procedure preparations including any procedure pre-requisite requirements.

Coordinates appointments using multiple HIS (Health Information Systems), provider schedules, software tools, and data repositories and completes all necessary follow up to ensure a seamless patient experience. Pre-registers patients at the time appointments are scheduled, including collecting accurate and complete demographic and billing information, verify insurance coverage and benefits, reviews Medicare medical necessity, provides out-of-pocket payment estimates and collect copay and other patient financial responsibility, satisfies regulatory requirements and provide wayfinding guidance/instructions to patients to ensure arrival at their designated point of service.

This position is classified as hybrid, requiring onsite attendance during the initial training period. Upon successful completion of training, the role transitions to a remote work arrangement.

Essential Job Duties

Performs all elements of the scheduling process including accurate identification of the patient, accurate selection of appointment type according to the physician’s order/referral with emphasis on first available date/time and payer authorization requirements.

• Manages time effectively to schedule patient appointments while meeting departmental productivity standards. Uses time to complete other departmental duties when patients cannot be scheduled.
• Maintains competencies in scheduling patients on all hospital scheduling systems.
• Maintains response time within hospital average expectations for telephone answer times, talk times, and dropped calls.
• Complies with all scheduling system notices, alerts, and prompts.
• Provides instructions to prepare patients for examination, procedure, and financial requirements.
• Avoids double-booking procedures unless authorized by Pre-Visit Specialist III or Pre-Visit Supervisor.
• Reschedules and cancels patient appointments as required.

Performs complete and accurate pre-registration to provide information which maximizes reimbursement, achieve collection ratios, meet account receivable (AR) goals, and provide timely and thorough information to all other providers and users of patient data. Verifies insurance requirements, obtains, and understands insurance benefits. Requests non-covered fees.

• Pre-registers outpatients for outpatient clinical, diagnostic, and surgical encounters.
• Manages time effectively to perform complete pre-registration and pre-screening questionnaires while meeting departmental productivity standards. Uses time to complete other departmental duties when patients cannot be pre-registered.
• Maintains high diligence by reviewing all work for completeness and accuracy. Completes pre-registrations to meet department accuracy standards for error-free work.

Ensures that financial protocols and requirements are met while providing caring access to service at Augusta Health.

• Minimizes 3rd party payer denials by verifying authorization of service prior to notifying patients of their financial obligations.
• Maintains competencies to verify insurance using electronic systems and web-based system as well as telephone verification.
• When assigned, notifies patients of insurance benefits and self-pay financial obligations.
• Maintains current knowledge of insurance requirements communicated by email, memorandum, educational matrices, and in-services.
• Seeks assistance from Pre-Visit Specialist III or Pre-Visit Supervisor when needed to maintain patient call flow while resolving financial issues. Communicates effectively with service delivery area when unresolved financial issues may threaten appointment schedules.

Demonstrates personal responsibilities and maintains technical proficiency.

• Functions as a team member to organize and prioritize responsibilities to complete daily work assignments.
• Complies with changes in duties and assignments in a positive and cooperative manner.
• Adjusts to peaks in workload by demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to change.
• Completes assignments in appropriate time periods.
• Assists co-workers to ensure completion of all assigned duties, as necessary.
• Performs duties in a self-directed manner with minimal supervision or direction.
• Demonstrates a positive, supportive, respectful, and helpful attitude in interactions with all department customers (patients, physicians, visitors, and other healthcare team members.
• Offers and acts on constructive feedback. Maintains a calm, professional manner.
• Contributes to a cohesive group relationship; uses open communication to identify and resolve problems in and between departments. Refrains from gossiping.
• Makes suggestions for improvements to procedures or innovations to enhance patient service. Participates in interdepartmental or intradepartmental performance improvement teams as directed.
• Demonstrates responsibility for own growth and development. Updates knowledge to maintain departmental core competencies.

Required Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent
• Licensure/Certification: None
• Experience: 1-year previous experience in patient/customer-facing role
• Driver's License: N/A
• Eligibility to work in the United States and meet Virginia state employment requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Associate's Degree in Business, Finance, Health Information Management, or related field
• Licensure/Certification: CHAA (Certified Healthcare Access Associate) or HFMA certification
• Experience:
  • Previous experience in a clerical/administrative office or call center setting
  • Previous experience in hospital, healthcare practice, call center or health insurance company
  • Medical Terminology: Work experience or classwork
  • CPT/ICD-10 knowledge
  • Bilingual
• Prior experience in a hospital, healthcare system, or related service-oriented environment
• Familiarity with Augusta Health’s systems, workflows, or organizational culture is a plus

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional telephone etiquette
• Very good verbal and written communication skills
• Organized with ability to multi-task, prioritize and manage time effectively
• Computer keyboard / typing, 35 wpm
• Problem solving
• Detail oriented
• Self-directed worker
• Must have the ability to respond to sensitive inquiries or complaints for guests, staff and members of the business community
• Proficient skills using computer systems, software programs (Microsoft Office), Outlook, multi-line phone system and other office equipment

About Augusta Health

Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit, mission-driven health system located in Fishersville, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. We offer a full continuum of inpatient and outpatient services, including Augusta Medical Center—a 255-bed facility—and Augusta Medical Group, which operates 40 practice locations and four urgent care centers. Our commitment to excellence, innovation, and compassionate care makes Augusta Health a leading employer and healthcare provider in the region.

Discover more about our history, values, and community impact on our About Us Page.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Augusta Health recruits, hires, and promotes qualified candidates for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran or military discharge status, and family medical or genetic information.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace in accordance with federal and Virginia state employment laws.