Day shift, ED and Outpatient Patient Access professionals at Frisbie Memorial Hospital
Frisbie Memorial Hospital is recognizing its Patient Access team during Patient Access Week, which begins on March 31st and runs through April 6, 2019. Patient Access Week, established in 1982, is a celebration of the people in the Patient Access profession. The date marks the anniversary of the founding of the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM), the only national professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence within the field. Each year, the recognition spans the entire week surrounding the anniversary, April 5th.
“Patient Access is often the initial point of contact for our patients, visitors, friends and families. We strive to balance the financial needs of our organization while providing kindness, understanding and respect to all our patients,” said Patient Access Director, Stacy Podolec.
Frisbie’s Patient Access team of 25 plays an integral part of creating the first impression of the overall patient experience. A patient’s or a visitor’s first interaction with the hospital is often Patient Access, both on the phone and in person. The Access Department staff must also be familiar with the procedures of various insurance companies. Many Access departments are also responsible for point of service cash collections.
“In recent months, Patient Access has accepted the task of Point of Service Collections, where they are responsible for researching each account, determining the patient liability that may be owed and asking for a portion of that before or at the time of service. This takes extraordinary individuals who can balance the financial needs of the hospital with the needs of our patients. Patient Access Professionals play an integral role in the patient experience, and we are so lucky to have our dedicated and thoughtful Patient Access staff ,” said Jocelyn Caple, President & CEO of Frisbie Memorial Hospital.