Manager Patient Access Scheduling

At Houston Methodist, the Manager Patient Access Services position is responsible for the daily management of the staff and operations for one or more of the following areas of Patient Access Services: scheduling, pre-registration, insurance verification, emergency department registration, hospital registration, inpatient admission, financial counseling, admission/ discharge, transfer and bed control process to optimize patient flow.

The manager position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that ensure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/ government regulations.

The Manager of Access & Scheduling position oversees referral & specialty scheduling across the multidisciplinary system, leading and developing teams to ensure efficient workflows, timely patient access and effectively coordinates with clinical and administrative partners.

This role is accountable for the below key responsibilities:

• Managing the daily work activities of the scheduling teams, overseeing referral intake, triage and specialty scheduling workflows to ensure timely, coordinated access to care across ambulatory & hospital-based services

• Ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic, operational objectives and budget compliance

• Monitoring, analyzing and improving access performance metrics including service level, referral turnaround time & patient experience

• Coaching and counseling employees on work related performance and contributes to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment

• Partnering closely with physicians, clinical/hospital leadership and administrative stakeholders to align access strategies with clinical priorities and operational goals

• Assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures and ensuring compliance to ensure a safe and effective work environment

FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree required or additional four years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) required in lieu of degree

EXPERIENCE

• Five years of patient access services or related experience, of which one year must have been in a managerial role in healthcare; may consider HM employee with five years of patient access services or related experience with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate through a variety of channels with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles; engages the recipient(s) and helps them understand and retain the message
• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
• Ability to mentor effectively
• Computer skills to include proficiency in MS Office and EMR software
• Functional knowledge of revenue cycle and managed care

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in the department. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.
• Provides fair and consistent leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
• Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators: action readiness score, tier level.
• Manages the development and timely monitoring of work distribution and work performance levels for designated staff, in order to ensure work quality and to reach or exceed performance standards related to departmental goals and objectives.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedule and activities. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
• Manages employee training, education and in-services, in addition to unit and/or department meetings, resources and equipment, to ensure staff competency and professional pathway progression.
• Communicates updates/changes to processes, managed care information, throughput, etc., in a timely manner. Ensures appropriate and timely representation and response for all correspondence, meetings and matters related to Patient Access Services.
• Builds relationships with external customers to include physicians and physician office staff.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines.
• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.
• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
• Monitors self and employee compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
• Actively participates in intradepartmental and interdepartmental quality improvement processes, as it drives unit process improvement initiatives.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost effective manner. Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the department meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis. Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
• Generates reports and data to support key metrics for Patient Access Services functions. Develops and implements action plans that optimize revenue cycle operations.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed activities. Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
• Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change; follows through to ensure effective, sustainable change. Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.
• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.
• Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and IDP.
• Collaborates with key stakeholders, committees, and team leaders to bring new projects and technology into operation.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: No
• Business professional: Yes
• Other (department approved): Yes

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree required or additional four years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) required in lieu of degree

EXPERIENCE

• Five years of patient access services or related experience, of which one year must have been in a managerial role in healthcare; may consider HM employee with five years of patient access services or related experience with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility