This week I’ve been learning about Patient Access at the hospital. This department is responsible for helping patients to get registered and on their way to medical care.
To start off the week I sat at the front desk where patients check in for outpatient services such as day surgery and radiology services. For many patients it is here where the first impression of the hospital is made. I was very impressed at how quickly the girls working at the desk were able to work and how they were able to accommodate patients when the line to register started to get long.
After spending some time at the front desk, I was also able to sit in the back where PBX is. PBX is responsible for answering all the calls to the main hospital and directing them to the proper extension. In addition to this, they also page people overhead at the hospital, call codes, and do a myriad of other things. The person who is responsible for answering the phone is rotated through a group in the office who also work on registering patients into the ED. Seeing how efficient the person working in PBX was at multitasking was truly impressive. I’m quite positive that I couldn’t do their job!!
One of the last portions of my rotation was to spend some time with the individuals who are responsible for checking patients’ insurance benefits. They explained how patients who come as walk-ins often have to wait longer at registration because they are unable to check their benefits ahead of time. One of the key themes I’ve seen in this department is just how important customer service is in making patients happy and providing them with quality care. I’ve truly been impressed by the individuals working in Patient Access and have a genuine respect for all that they do for the hospital!
Erin