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Summary. Candidate for patient access representative should reread the job description so they can come up with examples of their skills and qualifications with what the jobs requires. Interviewers should create behavioral questions that are tailored to the position to help determine how the candidate would do in specific situations.
As a patient access representative, you are the first and often the last point of contact for your patients once they enter your facility.
Your job is two-pronged: the patient-facing side and the administrative side. No matter what type of medical facility you are serving—small doctor’s office, nursing care facility, hospital, etc.—you will need to demonstrate a friendly, empathetic personality in addition to strong communication skills, listening skills, and administrative skills.
Only some of those will come across in your resume and cover letter.
The interview is your opportunity to show them you possess the skills, knowledge, and experience to do the job and the personality to match.
Due to the nature of this role, you will see a lot of behavioral and situational interview questions. The employer wants to get an idea of how you respond to situations you will face in this position.
You’ll also face a lot of technical questions intended to gauge your procedural knowledge.
Key Takeaways:
Candidates should be sure to highlight their skills of communication, customer service, and knowledge of medical terminology in their answers.
Interviewers should set expectations so the candidate can know what to expect with responsibilities of the position.
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As the Candidate:
Come up with examples of previous responsibilities. It's important to be familiar with your previous responsibilities and use them in your answers to help showcase your experience. Some responsibilities that you can include are scheduling patients for all out-patient services through MedTech scheduling module and Use EMR software to manage patient records and files.
Highlight your skills. Your answers should highlight your skills that you use on a daily basis. Some common skills include communication skills, knowledge of medical terminology, and customer service.
Reread the job description. Rereading the job description will help you have a better understanding of what the skills and qualifications are for the position. This will also help you come up with examples from your past experiences.
As the Interviewer:
Create your list of questions. Create a list of questions that are tailored to the position. Your questions should be a mixture of technical, situational, and behavioral questions. Asking patient access representative behavioral questions will help you get an understanding of how the candidate thinks and reacts to specific situations.
Structure the interview. Be sure that you have a structure for the interview. This helps eliminate any time wasted on talking about unrelated topics or taking any time away from the scheduled interview time.
Set expectations. During the interview, its important to set expectations for responsibilities and duties for the position. You should also give the candidate a realistic understanding of what is would be expected of them.
Tell me about yourself. This is a common interview question typically used as an icebreaker. This is asked to get to know you better. Be sure that your answer highlight your relevant skills and qualifications to the position.
Example Answer:
I am highly organized and detail-oriented individual with a passion for helping patients access the care that they need. I have eight years of experience working in healthcare with a focus on patient registration and access the last three years. In my last role I gained experience with insurance verification and pre-authorization processes, scheduling patient appointments, and managing patient financial obligations.
I am also comfortable working with electronic heath record systems to ensure patient records are entered correctly.
Why should we hire you? The interviewer asks this question to get an understanding as to why you believe you are the best candidate for the position. Be sure to highlight your skills and experience and what sets you apart from the other candidates.
Example Answer:
I believe you should hire me because my skills and experiences make me an ideal candidate for this position. I'm confident I can contribute to your mission of ensuring patients have access to the care they need because of my experience in patient registration and access and financial counseling.
I am also focused on providing excellent customer service and patient care. I have strong communication skills which allow me to be a great active listener and it helps me build stronger relationships with patients and their families.
Where do you see yourself in five years? The interviewer asks this to see what your long-term goals are and how their organization fits in. Your answer should show your commitment to the field and to your professional growth.
Example Answer:
In five years I see myself continuing to work in patient access. I plan on taking on more leadership roles and expand on my skills and experience in patient access. I plan to do this by pursuing additional training and certifications. I am also excited about the potential to contribute to the organizations growth and success.
How do you handle frustrated and angry patients? It is an inevitable truth. Not all of the patients you serve will be pleasant or pleased. Part of your job as a patient access representative is to deal with angry, uncooperative patients.
The interviewer wants to know how you will respond to this situation. They also want to know that you can handle it on your own without regularly involving a superior.
Example answer:
The most important thing to remember is to stay calm. I am always sure to pay attention to my body language and the tone of my voice, so I don’t inadvertently escalate the situation. When patients are angry or frustrated, I give them my full attention, show them empathy, and my willingness to listen to calm the situation. And I do my best to provide a solution to their problem.
Why do you want to work here? This is another common question asked to see how well you know about the company. Your answer should demonstrate you knowledge of the organizations values and mission statement. You should also show how your own values align with the company's values.
Example Answer:
I want to work here because of the company's emphasis on patient access and ensuring that they have the care that they need in a timely manner. I am also impressed with your focus on technology and innovation, especially with electronic health records.
Can you describe the check-in process for me? You are the first point of contact for patients as they enter your office or facility. It is your job to greet incoming patients and get them checked in.
While each organization will have its specific process for checking patients in, some steps are universal.
Example answer:
Once I have greeted the patient and signed them in, I would gather the necessary forms and verify insurance information. If I need to get authorization for billing codes, I will do this as well. Then, once the patient has completed their paperwork, I would ensure that all forms have been filled out correctly.
How do you handle rejected or unpaid medical claims? Part of your job as a patient access representative is posting and reconciling insurance payments. You will be expected to research incorrect payments, rejections, or other issues on your outstanding accounts.
You can answer this question simply or use an anecdote from your personal experience to respond.
Example answer:
The first step in handling rejected or unpaid claims is to determine the reason why the claim has not been paid. If it is in error, then I would make the necessary adjustments and resubmit the claim. If the claim were rejected or unpaid for another reason, I would contact the appropriate person to determine the best course of action.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, which makes this a common question asked. Your answer should focus on one or two strengths that relate to the position. The weakness that you should pick should include the ways that you are improving them.
Example Answer:
My greatest strengths would be being able to provide excellent customer service and have excellent communication with patients. I have experience working with patients in a compassionate and empathetic manner while maintaining high levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
For my weakness I have found that I often take on too much at once. I find that sometimes I struggle to prioritize tasks and manage my time. To help improve this, I have started to use time management techniques and strategies. I do this by prioritizing my daily tasks and breaking larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks.
What do you feel are the duties of a patient access representative? The employer wants to make sure that you are familiar with what is expected of you and flexible. Sometimes the assigned duties are not necessarily the only duties you will perform.
To prepare for this question and others, you should familiarize yourself with the job description.
Example answer:
As a patient access representative, we are often the first, and sometimes the last, point of contact when the patient enters our office. We should provide excellent customer service as we greet and assist patients.
It is our job to collect necessary patient information, create and update paper and electronic medical records, manage patient concerns, answer questions in person and over the phone, process payments, and provide information to the insurance companies.
The tasks associated with this role can become repetitive. How will you stay motivated? This is an administrative position. And, as with most administrative positions, it can get repetitive. It can be difficult to keep morale and stay motivated when you’re completing the same tasks over and over.
So, your employer may be concerned about your ability to remain motivated, productive, and friendly during your hours.
Example answer:
The duties and tasks associated with this role may feel repetitive, but the job itself is not. Each patient I see provides a new experience, sometimes a new challenge. Overall, I try to remember why I’m doing this. I want to help people, and this job allows me to do that even if it does feel monotonous on occasion.
The patient is stressed and is having difficulty understanding and following your instructions. How will you help them? Whether you’re dealing with a language barrier or the patient is simply too stressed to comprehend what you’re telling them, you will need to know how to handle the situation.
Example answer:
It’s important to remain calm. By getting irritated or dismissing the patient, it will only frustrate them further. I will repeat the instructions as many times as necessary, adjusting my language if the patient is having difficulty comprehending or assisting if needed.
This job involves a lot of time seated at a desk and in front of a screen. How will you handle the strain on our eyes and body? Again, this is an administrative position. As such, you will spend a lot of your time at your desk and on your computer.
It can put a lot of stress on your body. The employer wants to know that you are proactive about this and have healthy, work-friendly ways to cope.
Example answer:
For my eyes, I lower the brightness on my monitor and wear glasses that block blue light. Both have helped me avoid eye strain and fatigue. There is a good bit of up and down when bringing patients back, but most are still sitting. So, I try to get up as often as I can and stretch when I have a moment. I also find it helpful to remain active on breaks and during my off-time.
You have three people waiting at your desk when a young man comes in, appearing disoriented. What will you do? Part of our job may be prioritizing the order of care. This is more relevant for those working in a hospital or emergency setting.
The employer wants to know that you understand this need and can handle it efficiently. You can explain the steps you would take or relate this to an experience and respond with a relevant anecdote.
Example answer:
If someone came in clearly needing immediate attention, I would ask those already waiting to queue up and give me a moment. I would then walk to the young man, ask him targeted questions to assess his needs and how to proceed, and then quickly check them in.
Why are patient access representatives important to a medical facility? This is another way to gauge whether or not you understand the role you play in the organization.
Example answer:
Patient access representatives help the entire practice run more smoothly. We streamline patient inflow, ensure that accounts are paid and not left outstanding, and handle many admin work. Our work allows the office to run smoothly so that the doctors and nurses can concentrate on providing care to our patients.
How do you follow HIPAA regulations when handling patient information? Understanding HIPAA regulations and procedures are necessary if you are working in the medical field. It is your job to ensure that you are complying with company guidelines and government regulations.
Example answer:
I always make sure new patients are filling out the HIPAA form and confirming that the information is still accurate for returning patients. In-person, I never discuss patient information where others can hear and keep patient paperwork out of sight. Over the phone, I always verify patient information and check against the HIPAA form if I am speaking to someone other than the patient.
What do you think are the essential skills for a patient access representative? The list of skills a good patient access representative should have is long and varied. This question is designed to assess your view of this role. What do YOU think are the most important skills?
Organizational skills and other administrative skills are undoubtedly crucial for this position. However, your primary role will involve communicating with others—from your patients to your coworkers to insurance representatives.
Example answer:
I believe that strong communication and listening skills are the most important skills a patient access representative can have. Data entry is a large part of this job, but without effectively and efficiently communicating with patients, the office would fall apart. Without it, we wouldn't confirm any patient information, respond to patient inquiries, confirm billing codes. It would lead to a lot of unhappy patients and unpaid or rejected claims.
This job requires you to enter patient information into electronic databases. What is your typing speed? There is a lot of paperwork and data entry to get through each day. If you can’t type faster than a sloth using one finger on each hand, there will be many unfinished tasks.
The interviewer may also ask about your accuracy. If they don’t, you’ll want to mention it anyway. You may be able to type 80 WPM, but if you only have 50% accuracy, it’s not helpful.
Example answer:
I can type 75 words-per-minute with an average 98% accuracy. I have a certificate to confirm.
Tell me about a time you encountered a language barrier with a patient. How did you work through it? This is another inevitable issue you will face. Not all of your patients will speak the same language as you.
Offices and facilities in areas with large populations of certain ethnicities may employ a certain number of bilingual representatives, but they may not always be available.
You will need to know how to overcome language barriers and effectively communicate with your patients.
Example answer:
One of our patients, XYZ Medical, only spoke Mandarin. Normally, she would come in with her daughter, who could translate for us. During this particular visit, though, she was alone. We had plenty of bilingual employees, but no one spoke Mandarin.
Even though it can be frustrating, it is essential to remain calm and respectful. I tried to communicate as best as possible, using plain language, using body language, speaking clearly and slowly, but we still aren't getting anywhere. I remembered that one of my coworkers had a translator app on her phone from when she’d recently traveled abroad. We were able to communicate through the app and complete the forms together.
Are you comfortable working long hours in a fast-paced environment? If you work in a busy practice or hospital, you need to be comfortable performing the expected hours in the environment.
Saying no would exclude you from candidacy. Still, be honest with your response.
Example answer:
Absolutely. I am very comfortable working in fast-paced environments, and I’ve grown used to the long hours required in this role. Before becoming a patient access representative, I worked in a bustling restaurant, so I’m no stranger to this kind of environment.
Can you explain the difference between copays, deductibles, and coinsurance? Collecting insurance information, copays, coinsurance, and submitting billing information to insurance companies falls under your duties. You need to be familiar with the common terminology and procedures.
Example answer:
A copay is a fixed amount that the patient pays at the time of their visit. A deductible is the amount of money a patient pays out-of-pocket each year before the insurance company begins to pay. Once the deductible is reached, the patient will share the cost of care by paying coinsurance. Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that a patient pays versus the insurance plan, 70/30 for example.
Can you provide an example of how you have contributed to the improvement of patient access or registration processes in a previous role?
How do you stay current with changes and updates to insurance billing codes and regulations?
Can you describe your experience with maintaining accurate and up-to-date patient records and databases?
How do you ensure that all necessary patient documents and forms are completed accurately and in a timely manner?
Can you describe your experience with collecting and processing patient co-pays, deductibles, and other financial obligations?
Can you describe your experience with insurance verification and pre-authorization processes?
What methods have you used to communicate effectively with patients regarding their financial obligations?
How do you ensure accuracy and completeness when entering patient information into a database or EHR system?
Have you worked with electronic health record (EHR) systems before? Can you describe your level of proficiency?
Have you worked with Medicaid and Medicare billing processes before? If so, can you describe your experience with these systems?
Whenever your interviewer asks you behavioral or situational questions, you recommend using the STAR method to respond. This method helps you stay on track and fully answer the question being asked—without rambling or talking in circles.
Behavioral and situational questions are designed to gather information about specific tasks you’ve performed or situations you’ve faced and how you responded to them.
Situation. The first part of your response should set the scene. This should provide context to your interviewer.
Task. Once you’ve set the stage, it’s time to establish your role in the situation. This is often a task you were required to complete but can be presented as a problem you have faced.
What was your involvement? What was expected of you? What was the desired outcome?
Action. This is where you answer the interviewer’s question. What steps did you take to complete the task or solve the problem?
Result. The interviewer wants to know what the results of your efforts were. Did you complete the task satisfactorily? Did you solve the problem? If not, did you learn from your mistakes?