Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine

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

Posted 9/17/2026full-timeRemote • Illinois • United StatesJuniorMid-Level💰 $18 - $28 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates strong customer service skills while managing patient scheduling, registration, and insurance verification in compliance with HIPAA regulations. Proficient in data entry and communication, with a focus on quality assurance and process improvement in a healthcare setting.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Customer Service OrientationHIPAA CompliancePatient SchedulingInsurance VerificationData Entry Proficiency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data EntryPatient RegistrationInsurance VerificationMedical Necessity ChecksQuality AssuranceProcess ImprovementTyping 40 WPMAnalyzing Account ActivitySchedulingHealthcare Finance

Soft Skills

Interpersonal CommunicationOrganizational SkillsTime ManagementAnalytical SkillsProblem Solving

Tools & Technologies

EpicOnline Retrieval SystemsPatient Management Systems

Industry Keywords

HealthcarePatient ConfidentialityRegulatory StandardsQuality ImprovementCustomer Service Standards

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 Team Lead or Operations Coordinator
Maintain patient confidentiality under 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 complete 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
Resolve service breakdowns using service recovery skills
Communicate physician referral, insurance referral, and consultation information
Collect authorization numbers in applicable systems
Verify or print patient orders using online retrieval systems
Verify insurance eligibility and benefit levels using online tools or phone
Complete 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 checking tests, preparation, conflicts, time, location, and duplicate records
Complete and update patient registration data
Analyze account activity and initiate resolutions
Suggest process improvements and participate in quality improvement activities
Monitor registration, scheduling, and insurance verification quality standards
Train and support new staff and coworkers
Attend intra/interdepartmental meetings requiring walking within the NM campus
Perform other assigned duties

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
Ability to comply with HIPAA, organizational policies, and regulatory standards
Successful completion of required background check if hired

Benefits

Comp & perks

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