Summary
The primary responsibility is to provide initial patient-family contact and maintain the continuity of patient rapport throughout the patient’s visit. The Front Desk Specialist serves as a key player in the front desk activity (checking-in and checking out patients) for various providers of health care services at various locations. The ideal candidate will be knowledeable in handling front desk operations for multiple payers and patient populations, ensuring a smooth and professional experience.
This position requires the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to deal with stressful situations with resourcefulness and initiative. The ability to accept training, instruction and change with a positive attitude is essential. The Front Desk Specialist interacts with patients, employees, management, and other support and professional staff. The candidate should know how to interact professionally verbally and via written coorespondence. The nature of the work demands maturity, courtesy, tact, professionalism, a sense of urgency, confidentiality, technical and interpersonal skills.
The candidate will be expected to work across any shift or float any location, as needed.
Job Duties
- Greets patients and obtains demographic, financial and insurances information; enters or updates data in EPIC; establishes MyChart account status (activation and confirmation).
- Calculates and collects patient time-of-service payments in accordance with departmental cash collection and control procedures.
- Collects patient copays. Responsible for daily reconciliation of all payments and petty cash.
- Informs patients of any visit delays and answers any questions received at the front desk.
- Attends mandatory Front Desk team meetings.
- Manages patient appointments and may schedule follow-up visits and referrals.
- Distributes patient documents and scanning documents in EPIC.
- E-Verifies patient insurance for clinic procedures.
- Acts as liaison between patients, physicians, and billing office regarding billing and collection issues.
- Acts as liaison between patient, clinical staff, and physician regarding questions.
- Answers telephone and routes calls to the appropriate individual.
- Reviews Department Appointments Report (DAR) for assigned daily tasks
- Completes 72-hour daily confirmation, No Show follow-up and Telehealth calls
- Serves as the primary resource for resolving routine patient account issues, insurance discrepancies, copay conflicts, and demographic concerns prior to check-in/out.
- Independently performs complex scheduling functions, including coordinating testing, specialty referrals, and multi-appointment coordination.
- Assists with EPIC workqueue resolution related to registration errors and unassigned specialty referrals.
- Provides peer support and informal training for new Front Desk Specialist I employees and float staff (when applicable).
- Escalates operational concerns to Front Desk or Clinical leadership and contributes to workflow improvement discussions.
- Supports clinic operations by assisting with front desk coverage assignment coordination, daily huddles, and communication flow with clinical teams.
- Routinely reviews and analyzes data trends for productivity, benchmark, and bypass reports, as directed.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School diploma or GED.
- Two years of relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Epic.
- Customer Service Experience Proficient in English (oral and written).
- Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, specifically Excel and Word.
- Strong Interpersonal and organizational skills.
Work Authorization Requirement:
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.
Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.