Patient Access Specialist

Northwestern Medicine

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

Posted 9/15/2026full-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 maintaining patient confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA regulations. Proficient in patient scheduling, insurance verification, and data management within healthcare settings.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Customer Service OrientationPatient Scheduling ExperienceInsurance Verification SkillsData Entry ProficiencyExcellent Communication Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data EntryInsurance VerificationPatient SchedulingMedical Necessity ChecksOut-of-Pocket EstimationsQuality AssuranceEpic System ProficiencyAnalytical SkillsProblem SolvingMulti-Tasking

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsOrganizational SkillsTime ManagementVerbal CommunicationWritten Communication

Tools & Technologies

EpicOnline Order Retrieval Systems

Industry Keywords

HIPAA ComplianceHealthcare FinanceHealthcare InsurancePatient ConfidentialityQuality Improvement

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 to the Team Lead or Operations Coordinator
Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations
Identify and collect accurate patient demographic information
Schedule and direct patients through Northwestern Medicine systems
Reach out to 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 estimations upon request
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
Use service recovery skills to resolve problems and service breakdowns
Communicate information about physician referrals, insurance referrals, and consultations
Collect authorization numbers in applicable systems
Support staff in departments providing direct patient care
Use online order retrieval systems to verify or print patient orders
Verify insurance eligibility and benefit levels using online tools or phone
Complete accurate handoff instructions and notes in Epic
Run real-time eligibility checks and follow out-of-network policies
Send descriptive and grammatically correct Epic Messages and telephone encounters
Prevent patient-visit issues by double-checking tests, preparation requirements, scheduling conflicts, times, locations, and duplicate records
Collect and verify the minimum data set for complete registration
Analyze account activity, identify problems, and initiate resolutions
Suggest procedure and process improvements
Participate in departmental quality improvement activities
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
Benefits supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being
Protection for unexpected life events