Misunderstandings hurt staff retention
Jobs are constantly changing
Do some of your employees still think that getting correct information is enough to fulfill their role in patient access, with no regard for excellent service, financial counseling, or knowledge of eligibility systems?
"The patient access role is constantly changing," says Irma Becker, manager of patient access at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
Jean Valenta, an admitting manager at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis, says patient access leaders "must do a phenomenal job of explaining the 'why' behind a change." For registrars to "buy in" to constant changes in their jobs, Valenta says they need to understand the revenue cycle and the importance of first impressions in providing excellent customer service. "If a new employee is provided quality education and training on processes and applications, the employee has the knowledge and tools to be successful," she says.
Patient access leaders at Phoenix Children's Hospital have made communicating changes in the access role a major focus, says Becker. (See related story, p. 136, on recent changes in the department.) "We have gone so far as to hire two full-time trainers who provide focused training to patient access staff," she says. "New employees missing certain expertise can be brought up to speed before they begin their new roles." Some of Valenta's new hires lacked expertise in collecting patient responsibility and understanding eligibility/benefit responses. "Ongoing training must focus on providing education in these areas," she says.
When emergency department registrars first began to collect copays,
Valenta contacted the collection agency contracted with the organization to provide training on how to collect patient responsibility in a patient-friendly manner. "I continue to use their suggestions in current training," she says.
Becker says providing staff with the tools and training they need is the way to ensure their success. "We take great care to ensure existing staff are meeting expectations," she says."We have found that 99% of errors can be avoided with great training." Becker takes these steps to help registrars cope with changes in their jobs:
She meets personally with the employee. "This is much more effective than sending emails or communicating by phone," says Becker.
She encourages staff to approach her with questions, concerns, or ideas.
She has an open-door policy. "Misunderstandings are a normal part of life," says Becker. "Keep an open channel of communication with the employee. This allows you to quickly resolve the misunderstanding in a positive, supportive manner."
Sources
For more information on communicating the patient access role, contact:
Irma Becker, Manager, Patient Access, Phoenix Children's Hospital. Phone: (602) 933-1911. Fax: (602) 933-1138. Email: [email protected].
Jean Valenta, Admitting Manager, St. Anthony's Medical Center, St. Louis. Phone: (314) 525-1056. Fax: (314) 525-4295. Email: [email protected].
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