Medical Receptionist Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

[Your Company Name] seeks a mature, friendly individual with a professional appearance for our front office. You must be a well-organized, dependable team player with good interpersonal skills. Our responsibilities include answering multiple phone lines, scheduling, check-in, and collections. Previous medical experience is required. As an ideal candidate, you have proven experience working with doctors and patients in a healthcare setting, excellent organizational and administrative skills, firm knowledge of medical terminology, and confidence working in a fast-paced environment and reacting to patient emergencies.

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Greeting patients in a professional and friendly manner
• Registering patients according to established protocols
• Assisting patients to complete all necessary forms and documentation 
• Ensuring patient information is accurate including billing information
• Informing patients of medical office procedures and policies
• Managing patient records
• Answering incoming calls and handling or redirecting inquiries
• Scheduling patient appointments
• Collecting co-pays and payments from patients
• Scheduling hospital admissions, tests, scans, and outside appointments for patients
• Obtaining medical reports as requested by medical professionals
• Completing other clerical duties as assigned
• Maintaining office supplies
• Safeguarding patient privacy and confidentiality

Education and experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Completion of a certificate program in the medical field preferred
• 2+ years of experience working as an administrative assistant or in a relevant role

Required skills and qualifications

• Communicate effectively with doctors, staff, and patients
• Prioritize and organize workflow effectively
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Work effectively as part of a team as well as independently
• Excellent communication skills
• Intermediate computer skills
• Knowledge of medical software
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Understanding of basic medical terminology
• Able to multitask
• Strong organizational and administrative skills
• Able to work under pressure and handle emergency situations

Preferred qualifications

• Ability to remain calm in a stressful environment
• Knowledge of HIPAA regulations, ICD, and CPT coding 
• Ability to work in a changing environment
• Previous experience in a private billing general practice
• CPR certified

Job summary:

The Medical Receptionist is expected to undertake all receptionist and clerical duties at the front desk of our main entrance and is responsible for the first impression we make on all patients and visitors.

Job responsibilities:

• Greet patients and visitors in a courteous and friendly manner
• Assist patients with paperwork
• Verify patient demographics and insurance benefits
• Perform billing and bookkeeping functions including collecting cash payments, posting, and balancing daily sheets of transactions, and bank deposits
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date electronic medical records
• Answer phone calls professionally and screen calls using provided guidelines
• Assist provider or supervisor in emergent situations
• Maintain clean office environment

Supervisory responsibility:

• This position has no supervisory responsibility

Work conditions:

• This job operates in a professional medical office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines
• Mon-Sun, 8am-8pm on a flexible scheduling basis (incl. weekends and holidays)
• May require overtime and travel, depending upon patient volume and clinic needs
• Sedentary, sitting for extended periods of time

Skills and qualifications:

• 1+ years of proven experience as receptionist, customer service representative or relevant position
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization
• Outstanding customer service focus
• Flexibility and adaptability to meet organization’s needs as well as effective problem solving skills
• Fast learner with general understanding of medical terminology and ethics of confidentiality/HIPAA
• Computer savvy with working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites, knowledge of EMR (eClinicalWorks) a plus

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Duties and responsibilities:

• Welcome patients to the Health Center; ensure that all pre-exam information is up to date and accurate before appointments; collect co-payments; make sure that referrals are received
• Provide schedule support to providers
• Perform clerical duties as requested
• Provide information to patients/outside callers
• Record and deliver messages
• Answer, screen and route outside calls to the appropriate area or individual
• Conduct scheduling/reminder/re-scheduling phone calls to patients

Competencies: 

• Ability to interact with others with tact and diplomacy; treat others with respect and consideration regardless of status or position; contribute to a positive team spirit; balance team and individual responsibilities; display highest degree of professionalism and ethics
• Respond appropriately to patient needs; manage difficult or emotional patient situations in a way that instills trust and respect; solicit feedback to improve performance
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work well under pressure, complete tasks correctly and on time with limited supervision, step in when needed and cross train for additional site coverage, and respond promptly to requests for service and assistance
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one or small group situations, respond well to questions, and complete administrative duties accurately and timely
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts, solve practical problems, interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
• Punctual and reliable; ability to maintain schedule commitments

Essential skills and qualifications:

• High School or Equivalent
• Spanish speaking/bilingual is a plus
• Function in a busy office setting
• Manage difficult or emotional customer situations
• Respond to requests for service and assistance
• Support organization’s goals and values
• Flexible

Position purpose:

Our medical receptionists welcome patients for their appointments, schedule/reschedule appointments, and assist with taking patient vitals as needed. They are responsible for collecting payment at time of service and also assist in maintaining patient demographic records and financial accounts. We are looking for a highly detailed, customer service driven individual to join our growing practice.

Key responsibilities:

• Demonstrate regard for the dignity and respect of all patients, visitors, and staff
• Welcome all visitors in person and answers telephone promptly
• Keep patient appointments on schedule by notifying provider of patient’s arrival as needed
• Comfort patients by anticipating concerns and answering questions and help patients in distress by responding to emergencies
• Obtain revenue by recording and updating financial information at each appointment, record and collect patient balances, and update patient accounts
• Obtain changes in insurance and provide documentation and consistent communication to billing department
• Verify patient insurance benefits
• Responsible for office inventory, ordering supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, scheduling equipment service and repairs, and maintaining a clean and tidy reception area
• Protects patient rights by maintaining confidentiality of personal and financial information

Skills and qualifications:

• Minimum of a High School diploma
• 1-2 years in a medical setting
• Ability to set priorities and work with minimal supervision
• Excellent organization and communication skills
• Excellent telephone communication skills: must speak well, clearly, and pleasantly while projecting care and helpfulness
• Ability to handle stress calmly and be flexible to change
• Excellent computer and keyboarding skills
• Knowledge of medical insurance
• Ability to prioritize workload while being flexible to meet the expectations of daily operations