Private Patient Liaison Officer

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be the first point of contact for patient enquiries and patient bookings for services provided at Chelsea & Westminster Private Patients Unit responsible for delivering an efficient and faultless customer experience in handling both inbound and outbound customer enquiries.
• To be specifically responsible for handling self-pay enquiries from the public and maximising the conversion of enquiries to out-patient appointments, tests and procedure packages
• To be responsible for utilising the Hospital Booking Systems (Cerner and Compucare) in order to carry out a variety of functions, including:
• Validating patient demographic details and updating as necessary
• Making, changing or cancelling outpatient appointments
• Updating computerised records of patient information in line with departmental and hospital policies and procedures.
• Understanding all information contained on the system to assist patients and staff with queries on the telephone.
• To deal with all enquiries in an efficient, polite and courteous manner providing a caring, compassionate, helpful service to patients, staff and the general public. To cover a shift pattern across 8am-8pm. Post holder may be required to work across site
• As part of the staff rota, work evenings and weekends when required.
• To be responsible for answering all telephone calls, email enquiries and other forms of communication in a timely and professional manner.
• Responsible for booking patients into services, such as outpatient appointments, diagnostic appointments and booking inpatient admissions.
• To work closely with the commercial and pricing teams to ensure self-pay opportunities are maximised, services are well-structured, meet patient needs and are competitively positioned and priced in the market
• Ensure that all booking data is accurately entered on to Cerner and Compucare in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all payment details are correctly logged onto the system at the time of booking.
• Prepare backing documents, ensuring that the policy and authorisation number has been supplied along with any guarantee letters for embassies and insurance companies. If information not supplied refer back to the private patient
• To investigate queries in person and on telephone, dealing with patients queries, invoices and financial queries sensitively and with diplomacy. Liaising with other departments within the hospital and outside agencies where necessary e.g. insurance companies & embassies
• To maintain an accurate and orderly filing system for all document
• To maintain up-to-date information and appropriate insight into competitor propositions, campaigns, pricing and activity in the self-pay market
• To ensure complete confidentiality with respect to patient information in line with Trust's Confidentiality Policy & Information Governing Policy
• Prepare cost estimates for consultants and patients, by filling out cost estimate sheet with codes and prices, referring to current private patient price tariff
• Attend monthly unit staff meetings
• Take payment information from patients who are paying with credit or debit cards, over the phone and update compucare in the appropriate manner
• To check that the information provided by any clinical departments, e.g. Endoscopy and radiology is correct by checking Cerner (Electronic patients records) & ICE to ensure accuracy in adding information to compucare
• To use initiative, discretion and diplomacy and act in such a manner as to maintain and protect patient confidentiality at all times
• To ensure that the department voicemail/email address is checked and any messages are recorded clearly and actioned in order of priority in accordance with departmental standards.

Please see attached job description and person specification to this advert for further details.

Person specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Technical Apprenticeship in Customer Service / NVQ Level 4 Customer Services or AAT Level 2 basic accounting or equivalent knowledge or experience
• Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent

Desirable criteria

• Level 2 basic accounting or equivalent knowledge or experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working within a busy office environment
• Experience of communicating effectively with a wide range of people including staff, patients and consultants.
• Demonstrate well developed, effective interpersonal skills and communication skills
• Experience of working within a busy and demanding environment
• Ability to prioritise own workload.

Desirable criteria

• Experience within a Private Patients Department
• Experience working in an NHS environment

Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Working knowledge of Microsoft products: Word, Microsoft Office and Excel
• Accurate Keyboard Skills

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of PMI insurance billing frameworks

Important

• There may be some occasions when we have to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date, this will be due to a high volume of applications. You are therefore advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please check your emails regularly (and your junk folder) as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process.
• In submitting an application, you authorise the Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process, should you be appointed to the post.
• During the recruitment process your identity documentation (ie passport, driving licence, visa etc) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, infrared and machine-readable zone security features of the documents provided.
• Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.
• Some roles may require weekend shift working across multiple sites
• We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Right to work

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on