Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine

. Practice the Patients First philosophy and provide high standards of customer service .

Posted 9/21/2026full-timeRemote • Illinois • United StatesJuniorMid-Level💰 $18 - $28 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates strong customer service skills while maintaining patient confidentiality under HIPAA regulations. Proficient in patient scheduling, registration, and healthcare finance, with a focus on quality assurance and process improvement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Customer Service OrientationHIPAA CompliancePatient SchedulingData Entry ProficiencyHealthcare Insurance Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data EntryPatient RegistrationInsurance VerificationMedical Necessity ChecksQuality AssuranceAppointment SchedulingAnalytical SkillsProblem-Solving SkillsTyping Speed 40 WPMMulti-Tasking

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsVerbal CommunicationWritten CommunicationOrganizational SkillsTime Management

Tools & Technologies

EpicOnline Retrieval Systems

Industry Keywords

HealthcarePatient ConfidentialityHealthcare FinanceHealthcare InsuranceQuality Standards

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Practice the Patients First philosophy and provide high standards of customer service
Respond to patient questions and concerns, escalating extraordinary issues as necessary
Maintain patient confidentiality under HIPAA regulations
Identify and collect patient demographic information
Schedule and direct patients through Northwestern Medicine systems
Contact patients to schedule appointments
Perform medical necessity checks and communicate options when appointments fail
Inform patients about financial account issues and provide out-of-pocket estimates
Provide training and education as needed
Complete tasks and assignments on schedule
Cross-train between departments to ensure coverage
Participate in quality assurance reviews of patient data
Resolve service breakdowns using service recovery skills
Communicate physician referrals, insurance referrals, and consultation information
Collect authorization numbers in appropriate systems
Collaborate across units and departments to resolve operational issues
Verify or print patient orders using online retrieval systems
Verify insurance eligibility and benefit levels using online tools or telephone
Document accurate handoff instructions and notes in Epic
Run real-time eligibility checks and follow out-of-network policies
Prevent visit issues by double-checking tests, preparation requirements, scheduling conflicts, time, location, and order retrieval
Complete and update patient registration data
Analyze account activity and initiate resolutions
Suggest and participate in process and quality improvements
Monitor registration, scheduling, and insurance verification against quality standards
Serve as a training resource for new staff and coworkers
Perform other duties assigned by the manager

Requirements

What you’ll need

High School diploma or equivalent
2-3 years customer service or medical office experience
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
Proficiency in computer data-entry/typing
Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English
Basic computer skills
Ability to type 40 wpm
Ability to multi-task
Customer service orientation
Excellent organizational, time management, analytical, and problem-solving skills
Ability to maintain patient confidentiality per HIPAA regulations
Additional education preferred
Additional language skills preferred
Healthcare finance and/or healthcare insurance experience preferred
Knowledge and experience in a healthcare setting, especially patient scheduling and/or registration preferred
Must complete background check authorization and disclosure form if offered the position

Benefits

Comp & perks

Tuition reimbursement
Loan forgiveness
401(k) matching
Lifecycle benefits
Competitive benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being
Protection for unexpected life events
Remote work option