Job summary
We are currently recruiting for a Private Patients Customer Services Officer within Finance / Financial Operations. You will be responsible to the Deputy Billing and Operations Manager.
Main duties of the job
To provide a high quality of customer service for private patients, with particular responsibility for the capturing of charges and creation of accurate invoices. To aid in the production and presentation of statistics for senior management.
To meet and greet and liaise with patients, creating a high standard of image and quality of service from admission through to discharge whilst optimising revenue for the Trust
To take responsibility for the effective provision of administrative services to the private patient team and to take action to ensure that work is managed appropriately.
To play a major role in the continuous development of the Trust as a member of the Private Patients team and as a potential member of a range of Trust quality/process improvement project groups.
About us
Our values
Our values help us to define and develop our culture, what we do and how we do it.
It is important that we all understand and reflect these values in our work. We are:
Caring - we put patients first
Ambitious - we innovate and strive for excellence
Inclusive - we respect each other and work collaboratively
Our values and behaviours framework describes what it means for every one of us in the Trust to put our values into action. A summary of our framework can be found on our Trust jobs pages and our intranet.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication
- To deal in person and with telephone calls, verbal messages and correspondence as required and to ensure that refined interpersonal communication skills is effective when providing and receiving complex, sensitive or contentious information to high status customers like embassies and health insurance companies
- Ability to challenge highly contentious information from private patients, embassies and health insurance companies, where persuasive and negotiating skills are required to ensure that full financial payment is achieved for the Trust
- To liaise with insurance companies, embassies and other third parties on status of current inpatients and ensure that funding is always relevant to current inpatient episode
- Ensure consultants and their secretaries who use the private patients service receive helpful responses to their requests for information
- Ensure telephones are answered promptly in a polite and professional manner and using tact and discretion when dealing with telephone enquiries from customers
- Attend daily ward meetings on the adult and paediatric wards, as and when necessary
- To liaise closely with Credit Control department in regards to unpaid invoice
Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)
- To act as a first point of contact for private patients, Consultants, third parties and members of the general public seeking information and support from the private patient department and hospital. The post holder must be able to triage the calls appropriately, as well as deal sympathetically with people who may be distressed or angry
- Provide an agreed level of general and clinical information relating to tests, investigations and financial enquiries for example procedure costing, payment and invoices. Use judgment to know when to refer to the clinical team
- To be familiar with all third-party agreements in order to invoice patients correctly
- To liaise and build up good relationships with other departments and consultants, ensuring fees are captured in a timely fashion
- To work with the Finance Manager and Deputy Finance Manager to streamline and improve the financial service for Private Patients
- To liaise and work closely with Credit Control and third parties to ensure invoice queries are explained and invoices are paid efficiently
- To ensure that all Private Patients are financially cleared and pre-authorised prior to admission
- To ensure that all Private Inpatients read, understand and sign an agreement to pay form
- Responsible for taking deposits, issuing receipts and keeping records for banking and audit purposes
- To admit private patients, adult and paediatric, ensuring they are familiar with relevant Trust policies and procedures, private patient charges and ward routine
- To liaise closely with the nursing staff, ward clerks and bed co-ordinators on the paediatric wards, to build and maintain good relations and a high level of communication. In addition to this the post holder will also introduce processes in order to ensure the admission of private paediatric patients is managed efficiently and professionally
- To be responsible for data collection with regards paediatric bed occupancy, paediatric surgery and cardiology cancellation
- To attend daily paediatric bed management planning/meeting
- Provide a high-quality information service to all private patients, both pre-admission and during their stay. e.g. provide information on local hotel facilities, send patient information leaflets, advise on transport arrangements, financial arrangements etc
- The post holder has responsibility for checking the accuracy of Trust literature, ensuring it is up to date and of high quality
- The post holder will have the ability to work independently using own initiative when dealing with customers enquiries
- Assisting with the booking and scheduling of private patients and liaising with the private patient administrator supervisor and the ward staff
- To provide an accurate daily bed status of Private Patients, to all relevant users and departments ensuring that all Private Patients are identified
Policy & Service development
- Management of the financial arrangements for self-funding patients on admission
- To be familiar with the pricing policy for private patients in order to be able to supply correct information to all enquirers and give realistic quotes for treatment
- Responsibility for compiling an accurate summary of activity and checking patients treatment to ensure all inpatient costs are captured, on a daily basis
- Liaise with insurance companies, embassies and other funders on status of current inpatients and ensure that funding is always relevant to current inpatient episodes
- Be familiar with contract clauses ensuring purchasers are informed of current patient status as per contract agreements
- Provide a high standard of administrative support to the Private Patients department
- Adhere to the private patient policy and procedures, as amended from time to time
Resource management
- Post holder is responsible for stock management for the private patient office
- To be responsible for ensuring the swift turnaround of work within the team within available resource
People management
- To be responsible for their own educational personal development needs
- Planning and organising patients admissions which may include readjusting bed management
- To assist with the planning and organising staff within own team to cross cover staff
- To report any faults in office equipment, equipment and personal computers
- To set high standards of punctuality and time keeping and to ensure that these are maintained within the Private Patient department
- To provide finance training to new and temporary staff, as and when required
Information management
- Register and maintain patient records on the Trusts patient database (currently EPIC).
- Be familiar with the Compucare system, and be able to analyse, investigate and resolves complex financial queries and discrepancies
- Be expert in generating invoices both for inpatient and outpatient and working in collaboration with Credit Control
- Responsible for designing and formatting financial spreadsheets and relevant information databases with Private Patient department.
- To keep updated with IT training (i.e. Windows, Outlook, Epic, Compucare 8) including any relevant training courses
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication
- To deal in person and with telephone calls, verbal messages and correspondence as required and to ensure that refined interpersonal communication skills is effective when providing and receiving complex, sensitive or contentious information to high status customers like embassies and health insurance companies
- Ability to challenge highly contentious information from private patients, embassies and health insurance companies, where persuasive and negotiating skills are required to ensure that full financial payment is achieved for the Trust
- To liaise with insurance companies, embassies and other third parties on status of current inpatients and ensure that funding is always relevant to current inpatient episode
- Ensure consultants and their secretaries who use the private patients service receive helpful responses to their requests for information
- Ensure telephones are answered promptly in a polite and professional manner and using tact and discretion when dealing with telephone enquiries from customers
- Attend daily ward meetings on the adult and paediatric wards, as and when necessary
- To liaise closely with Credit Control department in regards to unpaid invoice
Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)
- To act as a first point of contact for private patients, Consultants, third parties and members of the general public seeking information and support from the private patient department and hospital. The post holder must be able to triage the calls appropriately, as well as deal sympathetically with people who may be distressed or angry
- Provide an agreed level of general and clinical information relating to tests, investigations and financial enquiries for example procedure costing, payment and invoices. Use judgment to know when to refer to the clinical team
- To be familiar with all third-party agreements in order to invoice patients correctly
- To liaise and build up good relationships with other departments and consultants, ensuring fees are captured in a timely fashion
- To work with the Finance Manager and Deputy Finance Manager to streamline and improve the financial service for Private Patients
- To liaise and work closely with Credit Control and third parties to ensure invoice queries are explained and invoices are paid efficiently
- To ensure that all Private Patients are financially cleared and pre-authorised prior to admission
- To ensure that all Private Inpatients read, understand and sign an agreement to pay form
- Responsible for taking deposits, issuing receipts and keeping records for banking and audit purposes
- To admit private patients, adult and paediatric, ensuring they are familiar with relevant Trust policies and procedures, private patient charges and ward routine
- To liaise closely with the nursing staff, ward clerks and bed co-ordinators on the paediatric wards, to build and maintain good relations and a high level of communication. In addition to this the post holder will also introduce processes in order to ensure the admission of private paediatric patients is managed efficiently and professionally
- To be responsible for data collection with regards paediatric bed occupancy, paediatric surgery and cardiology cancellation
- To attend daily paediatric bed management planning/meeting
- Provide a high-quality information service to all private patients, both pre-admission and during their stay. e.g. provide information on local hotel facilities, send patient information leaflets, advise on transport arrangements, financial arrangements etc
- The post holder has responsibility for checking the accuracy of Trust literature, ensuring it is up to date and of high quality
- The post holder will have the ability to work independently using own initiative when dealing with customers enquiries
- Assisting with the booking and scheduling of private patients and liaising with the private patient administrator supervisor and the ward staff
- To provide an accurate daily bed status of Private Patients, to all relevant users and departments ensuring that all Private Patients are identified
Policy & Service development
- Management of the financial arrangements for self-funding patients on admission
- To be familiar with the pricing policy for private patients in order to be able to supply correct information to all enquirers and give realistic quotes for treatment
- Responsibility for compiling an accurate summary of activity and checking patients treatment to ensure all inpatient costs are captured, on a daily basis
- Liaise with insurance companies, embassies and other funders on status of current inpatients and ensure that funding is always relevant to current inpatient episodes
- Be familiar with contract clauses ensuring purchasers are informed of current patient status as per contract agreements
- Provide a high standard of administrative support to the Private Patients department
- Adhere to the private patient policy and procedures, as amended from time to time
Resource management
- Post holder is responsible for stock management for the private patient office
- To be responsible for ensuring the swift turnaround of work within the team within available resource
People management
- To be responsible for their own educational personal development needs
- Planning and organising patients admissions which may include readjusting bed management
- To assist with the planning and organising staff within own team to cross cover staff
- To report any faults in office equipment, equipment and personal computers
- To set high standards of punctuality and time keeping and to ensure that these are maintained within the Private Patient department
- To provide finance training to new and temporary staff, as and when required
Information management
- Register and maintain patient records on the Trusts patient database (currently EPIC).
- Be familiar with the Compucare system, and be able to analyse, investigate and resolves complex financial queries and discrepancies
- Be expert in generating invoices both for inpatient and outpatient and working in collaboration with Credit Control
- Responsible for designing and formatting financial spreadsheets and relevant information databases with Private Patient department.
- To keep updated with IT training (i.e. Windows, Outlook, Epic, Compucare 8) including any relevant training courses
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Degree or equivalent experience
- Engaged continuous personal development and training
Previous experience
Essential
- Good experience/understanding of working in high pressure office environment
- Experience of finance support or equivalent transferable experience.
- Experience of working in an environment with direct customer contact
Desirable
- Experience of working within a hospital environment with private patient contact
- Experience of raising private healthcare invoices
Skills/Knowledge/ Ability
Essential
- Numerate, accurate and methodical.
- Proficient IT skills in word/excel/outlook.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a high degree of customer care skills.
- Able to work under pressure maintaining a prolonged level of concentration showing effective prioritisation and co-ordination of a varied workload under pressure and to deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
- An ability to show initiative to deal with all situations.
Desirable
- Experience in using Compucare software.
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Degree or equivalent experience
- Engaged continuous personal development and training
Previous experience
Essential
- Good experience/understanding of working in high pressure office environment
- Experience of finance support or equivalent transferable experience.
- Experience of working in an environment with direct customer contact
Desirable
- Experience of working within a hospital environment with private patient contact
- Experience of raising private healthcare invoices
Skills/Knowledge/ Ability
Essential
- Numerate, accurate and methodical.
- Proficient IT skills in word/excel/outlook.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a high degree of customer care skills.
- Able to work under pressure maintaining a prolonged level of concentration showing effective prioritisation and co-ordination of a varied workload under pressure and to deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
- An ability to show initiative to deal with all situations.
Desirable
- Experience in using Compucare software.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
