Executive Summary
Expanding your knowledge to all areas of the revenue cycle, and even healthcare in general, is the key to advancement in the field of patient access, according to leaders interviewed by Hospital Access Management. Some proven strategies:
- Get to know colleagues in the business office and medical records.
- Represent the department on hospital committees.
- Network with patient access managers at other facilities.
In the field of patient access, “you can never network too much,” says Kaylyn Lambert, a patient access manager at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, IL. “It’s never too late to build those relationships, no matter how early or how far you might be in your career.”
Attending national conferences might not be possible for an entry-level registrar. Kim Rice, director of patient access at Redding, CA-based Shasta Regional Medical Center, says, “Networking can sometimes be challenging if you are not in a position to get out and meet others.” Here are some low-cost ways to network:
- Participate in conference calls.
“This provides the opportunity to meet others outside of your geographical location and build a relationship,” says Rice.
Registrars could participate in conference calls with vendors about technology being considered by the department, for example. “Frontline staff would have the best questions to ask and will know if the product will suit their needs for improved tools,” says Rice.
- Reach out to patient access managers at other facilities.
“Even if you are from different hospitals, if you are in the same town or state, you — more than likely — are experiencing the same challenges,” says Rice.
Rice often problem solves with a network of patient access managers at other facilities. “I shoot out emails to get a general response from all of them, which can help drive improvements,” she says. A recent question involved how to prevent staff from accidentally grabbing more than one patient packet from the printer and inadvertently giving information to the wrong patient.
“Several other facilities suggested adding a page break between patient packets after they’re printed, to separate the different patient packets,” says Rice.
- Get to know others in the organization.
“Get to know the medical records team, the business office staff, and anyone else that will speak about the great work you have helped with,” advises Rice.
By taking the time to introduce yourself, you’ll have a personal connection if an issue requires you to interact with someone from that department. Teri Cheeks-Rice, CHAM, performance coordinator of the revenue cycle education department at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, says, “In the patient access arena, we interact with people from many different departments. Patients often hear our conversations and are placed at ease when our communications are relaxed.”
Lambert says, “LinkedIn is a wonderful tool to use, not only for networking, but also to build knowledge of the industry and for job searching.” (Join our LinkedIn group, Hospital Access Management, to network with your peers and be the first to know the latest news and announcements in the patient access field.)
