Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine

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

Posted 10/9/2026full-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 managing patient scheduling, registration, and insurance verification processes. Proficient in maintaining patient confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA regulations, with a focus on quality assurance and operational efficiency.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Customer Service OrientationPatient Scheduling ExperienceHIPAA ComplianceData Entry ProficiencyHealthcare Insurance Knowledge

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data EntryPatient RegistrationInsurance VerificationMedical Necessity ChecksQuality AssuranceAnalytical SkillsProblem SolvingTyping 40 WPMMulti-taskingScheduling

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsVerbal CommunicationWritten CommunicationOrganizational SkillsTime Management

Tools & Technologies

Epic SystemsOnline Eligibility Tools

Industry Keywords

Healthcare FinancePatient ConfidentialityService RecoveryDemographic InformationAuthorization Numbers

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Practice the Patients First philosophy and maintain high customer service standards
Respond to patient questions and concerns and escalate extraordinary issues
Maintain patient confidentiality according to HIPAA regulations
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 financial-account issues and provide out-of-pocket estimates
Provide training and education as needed
Manage schedules and complete assignments on time
Cross-train across 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 appropriate systems
Collaborate across departments and resolve operational issues
Verify orders, insurance eligibility, and benefit levels using online tools and telephone
Complete accurate handoff instructions and document in Epic
Run real-time eligibility checks and follow out-of-network policies
Send descriptive, grammatically correct Epic messages and telephone encounters
Prevent visit issues by verifying tests, preparation, schedules, locations, orders, and duplicate records
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
Act 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 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
Required authorization and disclosure form for criminal-history background check if offered the position

Benefits

Comp & perks

Tuition reimbursement
Loan forgiveness
401(k) matching
Lifecycle benefits
Competitive benefits package
Equal employment opportunity protections
Background check process evaluated case-by-case under applicable laws