This department is the first stop for a patient entering the hospital.

Scope of Patient Care
Access Services ensures that patients understand and consent to treatment and/or care, and are informed regarding the release of medical information and their financial obligation when signing the “Conditions of Admission.”

Department Duties

• Collect data from the patient in regards to demographics, guarantor, or insurance information.
• Assign a medical record number to patients for admission/registration.
• Collect appropriate signatures for compliance with medical, legal, and government requirements as well as, requirements to ensure reimbursement.
• Verifies insurance benefits.
• Gather pre-authorization/starts authorization in the case of an emergency admission.
• Coordinate patient placement with hospital nursing units.

Department Professionals

• Access Services Manager
• Operations Specialist I & II
• Access Services Supervisor
• Insurance Interviewer
• Registrar
• Receptionist

Educational/Skill Requirements

• High school graduate
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Keyboarding skills
• Public relation skills
• Organizational skills
• Work prioritization skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

More information
You can also go to the Professional Information link to see what training is needed, the current job opportunities, salary ranges, etc.  You may also want to look at the national employment picture for these careers from the U.S.Department of Labor.