Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine

. Practice the Patients First philosophy and maintain high customer service standards .

Posted 11/2/2026full-timeRemote • Illinois • United StatesJuniorMid-Level💰 $18 - $28 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in patient scheduling, registration, and insurance verification while maintaining compliance with HIPAA regulations. Excels in customer service, communication, and problem-solving within a healthcare environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Patient SchedulingInsurance VerificationHIPAA ComplianceCustomer ServiceData Entry

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Medical Office ExperienceData EntryTyping 40 WPMPatient RegistrationEligibility ChecksFinancial Account ManagementQuality AssuranceProcess ImprovementAnalytical SkillsProblem Solving

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsVerbal CommunicationWritten CommunicationOrganizational SkillsTime Management

Tools & Technologies

Epic SystemsOnline Retrieval SystemsScheduling SoftwareData Management Tools

Industry Keywords

Healthcare FinanceHealthcare InsurancePatient ConfidentialityService RecoveryDemographic Information

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Practice the Patients First philosophy and maintain high customer service standards
Respond to patient questions and concerns; escalate extraordinary issues to the Team Lead or Operations Coordinator
Maintain patient confidentiality under HIPAA regulations
Provide exceptional customer service and create a positive first impression
Identify and collect accurate 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 issues securing financial accounts
Complete out-of-pocket estimates
Provide training and education as needed
Manage schedules and complete assignments on time
Cross-train between departments to ensure coverage
Participate in Quality Assurance reviews of patient data integrity
Resolve service breakdowns using service recovery skills
Communicate physician referral, insurance referral, and consultation information
Collect authorization numbers in applicable systems
Collaborate across units and departments to resolve operational issues
Verify or print patient orders using online retrieval systems
Verify insurance eligibility and benefits using online tools or by phone
Document accurate handoff instructions and notes in Epic
Run real-time eligibility checks and follow out-of-network policies
Send accurate Epic messages and telephone encounters
Prevent visit issues by verifying tests, preparation requirements, schedules, locations, and duplicate records
Complete and update patient registration data
Analyze account activity and initiate appropriate resolutions
Suggest and implement process 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 management

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 oriented
Excellent organizational, time management, analytical, and problem solving skills
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 a criminal-history background check if offered the position
Must complete an authorization and disclosure form for the background check

Benefits

Comp & perks

Tuition reimbursement
Loan forgiveness
401(k) matching
Lifecycle benefits
Wide range of benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being
Protection for unexpected life events