Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist
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Program Overview
What is a Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist?
The Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist is often the first person a patient sees when they arrive at a hospital, doctor’s office or any medical admitting department. They are an advocate for both the patient and the health care facility. As the “face” of the healthcare organization, Patient Access Specialists have an effect on both the revenue cycle and the patient experience. They often provide exceptional customer service to patients, their family members and the clinical teams they support.
Work Environment
Patient Access Specialists are employed in: Hospitals, Nursing Homes, HMOs/PPOs, Freestanding Surgery Centers, Call Centers, Ambulatory Care Centers, Physician Offices, Clinics and Home Health Agencies. A Patient Access Specialist role can fall under many different titles such as Registration Representative, Access Representative, Registration Technician, Insurance Verifier, Pre-registration Specialist and Financial Counselor, to name a few.
Career Outlook
Becoming a Patient Access Specialist is a great way to launch your career in the healthcare industry. As a highly skilled and knowledgeable professional, you will find it to be both rewarding and fulfilling. There is a positive employment outlook for Patient Access Specialists.
In the U.S. Median Wages (2021) of $22.55 hourly, $46,910 annually (source National Center for O*NET Development. U.S. Wages: 29-2099.08 - Patient Representatives. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved April 25 2022, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/29-2099.08?zip=44115&g=Go).
Exam Prep
This comprehensive program prepares the student for the Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) exam offered by the National Association of Healthcare Access Management. NAHAM promotes the highest standards of patient access services through its national certification. A non-paid optional externship opportunity is available through the department upon successful passing of the CHAA exam and is contingent upon employer availability and needs.
Course Topics
*There are no course prerequisites for the program.
The Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist program includes all of the below courses:
- Medical Terminology – Consists of terms used by healthcare employees to describe the objects and situations encountered in their field. The words or terms make up the language of medicine and are referred to the terminology of the medical field or Medical Terminology.
- Electronic Health Records or EHR – This course discusses the sweeping transition from paper medical charts to electronic health records. It is designed to build through practical experience and understanding, comfort with computerized medical records that can be directly applied in the clinical setting.
- PAS Fundamentals – Explores the field of the hospital patient access, and prepares the student to obtain the skills necessary to sit for the examination as a Certified Health Care Access Associate by the National Association of Health Care Access Management (NAHAM). The course introduces the process of efficient patient registration, admissions and accurate insurance verification. Topics include interviewing for insurance coverage, medical necessity, admission forms and HIPAA.
- Fundamentals of Billing and Reimbursement – Introduces the basics of hospital and outpatient billing and reimbursement. Topics include the revenue cycle, claim coding, claim submission, reimbursement, payment posting and claim follow up.
Refund Policy
A 100% refund is given if a completed withdrawal request is received before the class begins for open enrollment courses.
No refund is given after the class begins.
View Courses and Register
- ZHTH-1305: Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist - Virtual Classroom
- ZHTH-1105: Comprehensive Patient Access Specialist Program