The medical receptionist must be comfortable working with many different people.
A medical receptionist fulfills many of the same job responsibilities as a general receptionist except that her job is centered around the needs of the medical facility in which she works and the patients the facility serves. The medical receptionist supports other office staff members and medical personnel through the completion of a variety of tasks. While there are medical receptionist training programs, no formal education is necessary to become a medical receptionist. According to Payscale.com, as of May 2010, medical receptionists earn between $10.27 and $13.89 per hour.
Check In Patients
The medical receptionist is the first person a patient will see when he walks into the medical facility. Some patients may be nervous about upcoming procedures, tests or diagnoses so it's vital that the medical receptionist be polite, friendly, professional and comforting in demeanor. As he or she greets patients when they arrive, the medical receptionist will ask them who they are so they can check them in for their appointment. The medical receptionist lets the appropriate medical staff member know the patient has arrived. If the patient needs to fill out paperwork prior to their appointment, this will be part of the check-in process and the medical receptionist will give the paperwork to the patient.
Payment and Billing
The medical receptionist participates in checking patients out after their appointments and this often involves taking payments. At the time of check out, the medical receptionist will tell the patient what amount they owe on their bill, after insurance pays their portion. If the patient's balance is too much for them to pay in one lump sum, the medical receptionist will help the patient set up a payment plan or redirect the patient to a financial coordinator for further assistance. The medical receptionist also assists with billing by printing out monthly statements, placing them in envelopes and sending the statements out. When payments arrive in the mail, the medical receptionist will enter the payment amounts in the computer so the patient's account is updated. Then they will ensure the payments are given to the appropriate department for deposit.
Insurance Verification
Insurance verification is an important task in a medical office environment. Knowing what a patient's insurance will pay toward their bill may make a difference in whether or not the patient will seek the treatment and if the patient will need a payment plan for their portion. The medical receptionist calls the patient's insurance company to verify what the insurance company will pay for different services. Doing this provides the patient with important information and also gives doctors information so they know if they need to consider other less expensive procedures for the patient. Dealing with insurance companies can be very difficult and frustrating for a patient who has medical issues on their mind. Insurance verification is yet another way in which the medical receptionist can help serve the patient and support the staff.
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