Job Title: Front Office Coordinator

Job Summary

The front office coordinator focuses on all essential duties listed and is responsible for creating a welcoming environment for our patients. There must be a comfort level in performing all secondary duties while active in our cross-trained culture. Being accountable for several key performance indicators for the practice’s overall financial health is paramount.

Qualifications

An individual must fulfill each essential duty as listed below to perform this job successfully.

Essential Duties

(Edit the following duties as appropriate for your practice. Prioritize in order of importance.)

• Adhere to enhanced infection control protocols and PPE requirements to reduce transmission of COVID-19
• Oversee patient care by scheduling appointments, coordinating financial arrangements (including billing and insurance), maintaining patient records, and following up on delinquent accounts
• Assure the practice property is clean, professional, and well-kept, all clinical and office equipment is kept in proper working order, and arrange for landscaping/gardening or other services as required
• Keep the doctor and the hygienist productively busy throughout the day
• Answer phones
• Update patient records for each day’s schedule
• Schedule all appointments and detail procedure and time needed
• Maximize time efficiency in scheduling by utilizing procedure codes to doctor time, assistant time, anesthesia, etc.
• Check all lab cases have been received the day before treatment
• Check messages before the morning huddle
• Greet patients by name and update addresses, telephone numbers, and insurance information as appropriate
• Alert appropriate staff of patient arrival
• Monitor the schedule throughout the day to ensure all runs smoothly
• Determine the status of the next continuing care visit for each hygiene patient seen during the day to ensure no one is missing
• Call any patient who is 5 minutes late to determine their status and inform the clinical staff
• Register new patients and provide necessary forms (welcome letter, patient information, and office policy)
• Keep patients informed of expected wait time if the doctor is behind schedule
• Confirm appointments with patients two days in advance of the appointment
• Keep the short-call opportunity list current
• Record broken appointments and last-minute cancellations in patient charts

Secondary Duties

• Study insurance plans used most frequently with patients to understand the various nuances to communicate more effectively
• Document insurance information on the patient’s chart for quick reference
• Process and submit insurance claims daily
• Monitor and follow-up on outstanding claims
• Provide the appointment coordinator with patient names and amounts payable so collection can take place during the day
• Identify patients in the daily schedule who are a financial concern, note payment problems on the patient charts, and arrange a conference with them either before or at the time of the appointment
• Record all financial discussions with patients on the chart and enter information in the computer
• Contact patients who have not kept their financial agreement within a 5-day grace period to collect payment per the financial plan
• Prepare and mail patient statements each month on a regular billing cycle
• Make collection calls
• Solidify the financial agreement with the patient, such as payment amount and schedule
• Follow through with correspondence regarding collection when unable to reach patients with a phone call
• Prepare and send uncollected accounts to collections or small claims court with employer approval, and follow through as needed. Represent employer in small claims court, if necessary.
• Monitor patients whom collection agencies have contacted
• Send information as requested by insurance companies such as x-rays, charting, narratives, and other documentation for processing claims
• Provide insurance predetermination documentation to patients, contact the patient to make financial arrangements, and schedule treatment
• Correspond with insurance companies to resolve payment delays, requests for additional information, or to discuss denied treatment coverage
• Handle all inquiries concerning insurance daily

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

(Update list as necessary)

• Knowledge of federal and state labor law regulations
• Knowledge of HIPAA regulations
• Knowledge of the English language – composition, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Skilled in the use of standard office equipment including telephones, calculators, copiers, fax, computers, and computer software (MS Excel, Word, Practice Management software)
• Ability to maintain composure and professionalism when exposed to stressful situations
• Ability to engender trust from the doctors, co-workers, and patients
• Ability to work cooperatively with management, staff, and patients
• Proficient in using conflict resolution and problem-solving techniques to manage conflict, patient complaints, and other discord
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and complete tasks in a timely and independent manner
• Ability to accept constructive criticism
• Ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions, to collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to communicate and express thoughts and ideas competently
• Ability to quickly grasp relevant concepts regarding duties and responsibilities

Education and Experience

2-year degree from a college or technical school

Minimum of six months to one year of related experience and/or training

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience

Special Requirements/Certifications/Licenses

(Enter your state requirements)

Physical Requirements

(Americans with Disability Act)

Employees must meet the physical demands described here needed to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required:

• To lift up to _______ lbs
• To roll a 90-pound anesthesia machine and a full 35-gallon drum of expended chemicals on wheels from one area to another area
• Active movement throughout the day: sitting, walking, standing, squatting, bending, stooping, reaching, etc. (not a sedentary job)
• Vision: close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• Hearing: able to satisfactorily communicate with patients, doctor, and other staff members to ensure verbal communication is clearly understood, or a satisfactorily-equivalent method of communication
• Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or to operate equipment
• May be required to administer CPR
• Occasional exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and radiation
• Exposure to moderate noise levels and fast-paced, high-anxiety environments

Employers may assign additional or different duties at their discretion.

Download the Front Office Coordinator job description as a working file.