Manager of Patient Access Operations - Atrius Health

Explore opportunities with Atrius Health, part of the Optum family of businesses. We're an innovative health care leader and multi-specialty group practice, delivering an effective, connected system of care for adult and pediatric patients at 28 practice locations in eastern Massachusetts. Our entire team of providers (physicians, PA/NPs and ancillary clinicians) works collaboratively with a value-based philosophy within our group practice as well as with hospitals, rehab and nursing facilities. Be part of our vision to transform care and improve lives by building trust, understanding and shared decision-making with every patient. Join us and discover the meaning behind Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Under general direction, provides leadership and oversight of the operations and management of a range of domains designed to increase and improve patient access throughout Atrius.  These include but are not limited to the Atrius Navigator Center, the Behavioral Health Referral Insurance Office (BH RIO), and the clinical support portion of the Nursing Resource Center.  Working through subordinate supervisors, focuses on creating a seamless system and experience for patients and improving patients interactions, clinical units, payer authorization systems, and workflows to accommodate and support Atrius Health practice sites with both patient referral processes and payer requirements as well as oversight of the rollout and administration of new initiatives and programs designed to improve clinical guidance, testing, and vaccination, and schedule monitoring for access and flow issues. Ensures the smooth operations of patient and provider requests internally and externally as well as optimization of referral work queues, quality assurance and reporting within identified patient access domains.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.  

Primary Responsibilities:

• Establishes and communicates the priorities for patient access teams (currently Atrius Navigator Center, BH RIO, and the clinical support portion of the Nursing Resource Center) for the year, based on improvement opportunities, patient care needs, and organizational initiatives
• Assumes leadership role in making recommendations on service/performance enhancements and develops and oversees project plans and implementation directly or through supervisors.  Facilitates the development of new and/or the improvement of existing processes and infrastructures
• Partners with operational and clinical leaders to drive access-focused initiatives that create and support exceptional patient access services, patient experience, provider/staff satisfaction, growth and capacity management
• Develops and leads the implementation of access strategies and projects to continually evolve patient access functions to ensure the use of front end best practices across Atrius
• Ensures attainment of internal and external key performance metrics on a daily, weekly and monthly basis
• Provides leadership and guidance directly and through subordinate supervisors to large staff (60+) to ensure team development and execution of tactical objectives
• Manages the day-to-day activities within the Patient Access Teams to ensure adequate phone coverage and staff training and a consistently high level of customer service and smooth patient flow
• In conjunction with the Director oversees development of the operational strategy for the Navigator Center, BH RIO and Resource Center
• Ensures adequate staff coverage according to projected patient load and budget.  Adapts as needed to unplanned events and changing circumstances
• Provides administrative leadership for Patient Access Team initiatives and staff to result in a well-qualified, empowered, informed and productive work force
• Oversees the implementation and ensures quality of process changes when workflow changes are needed in the department
• Directs resources within the department, supports clinical management initiatives, and projects involving the use of authorizations and other related administrative medical information
• Educates, motivates, leads, guides and directs all Supervisors and staff including training and onboarding
• Responsible for exemplary customer service by team members
• Develops, monitors, oversees and is accountable for department operating and capital budget, ensuring that operations are managed within established guidelines.  Develops and implements cost saving measures as appropriate.  Maximizes use of organizational resources
• Develops relevant reporting and analysis processes and ensures their dissemination to the practice staff and senior leadership
• Captures and analyzes data to respond to patient complaints and provides necessary feedback to Director and support staff. Drives a process to resolve patient problems or complaints related to the Navigator Center, BH RIO and Resource Center.  May be directly involved as needed
• Generates audits and compiles relevant management and clinical reports to ensure accuracy of statistics and integrity of existing systems. Implements appropriate system or process modification
• Prepares composite reports from individual reports by subordinates
• Creates, maintains and makes changes as necessary to departmental policies and procedures manuals
• Represents patient access teams on organizational teams and committees
• Develops and implements new processes between Nursing Resource Center Medical Secretaries and Nurses. Partners with the Nurse Manager to ensure reliable safe handoff and efficient processing of patient requests
• Works with vendors including staffing agencies and payers
• Content matter expert in Epic related projects and upgrades 
• Performs other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervises large group of clinical and non-clinical exempt and nonexempt staff, including subordinate supervisors
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities within areas of responsibility in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws
• Provides direction and support to staff to assure departmental effectiveness and efficiency
• Responsibilities include interviewing, selecting, orienting and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; reviewing personnel actions of subordinates and addressing complaints and resolving problems

In addition:

• Working with the Director, develops competencies, evaluation and training tools for staff to ensure desired levels of service and performance excellence
• Monitors individual, team and call center results to identify and act on both positive and negative performance trends to ensure attainment of goals and performance targets
• Monitors service calls to observe employee demeanor, technical accuracy and conformity to company policies
• Answers questions and recommends corrective services to address customer complaints
• Provides communication and follow up to ensure representatives are fully informed of all new information related to processes, customer needs and organization related issues, changes or actions
• Determines work procedures, prepares work schedules and expedites workflow
• Studies and standardizes processes to improve efficiency of subordinates
• Maintains harmony among workers and resolves grievances

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in public health, health care administration or business administration, (or equivalent education, training or experience) 
• Certification in Epic
• 7+ years of progressively responsible professional level experience in healthcare operations, patient access, or a related setting including 3+ years in a supervisory capacity preferably for a claim/customer service call center team
• Experience within claim/call center environment working in a diverse workforce
• Experience with Performance improvement processes
• Broad-based experience understanding the patient access experience and ways in which access can be improved
• Customer service experience required with exposure to customer service training preferred Knowledge of managing an expense budget
• Understanding and experience working with insurance companies and plans
• Fluency in medical terminology and navigating electronic medical records/systems 
• Excellent technical PC proficiency with all Microsoft applications
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills
• Proven solid organizational, interpersonal and communication skills 
• Proven solid organizational and problem resolution skills
• Proven ability to implement procedures and processes efficiently
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively in a highly-matrixed organization
• Demonstrated ability to delegate and effectively supervise and plan for the timely and successful completion of objectives
• Demonstrated ability to consistently meet established deadlines for deliverable or activities
• Demonstrated interpersonal relationship skills to motivate others and work with providers, managers, and staff in a positive and collegial fashion
• Demonstrated ability to accomplish objectives in a complex organizational structure
• Demonstrated collaborative style with a history of developing and maintaining good relationships, and being accessible
• Proven ability to use all electronic tools and applications relevant to the performance of the duties of the position, including but not limited to phone, keyboard, computer and computer applications
• Proven ability to perform all job functions in compliance with applicable federal, state, local and company policies and procedure

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree

Working Condition / Physical Demand:

• Busy office environment with frequent deadlines and interruptions

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $72,800 to $130,000 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.