Covenant Health

Patient Accounting Director, Business Office

Full Time, 80 Hours Per Pay Period, Day Shift

Covenant Health Overview:

Covenant Health is the region’s top-performing healthcare network with 10 hospitals, outpatient and specialty services, and Covenant Medical Group, our area’s fastest-growing physician practice division. Headquartered in Knoxville, Covenant Health is a community-owned integrated healthcare delivery system and the area’s largest employer. Our more than 11,000 employees, volunteers, and 1,500 affiliated physicians are dedicated to improving the quality of life for the more than two million patients and families we serve every year. Covenant Health is the only healthcare system in East Tennessee to be named a Forbes “Best Employer” seven times. 

Position Summary:

Through subordinate managerial or supervisory staff, responsible for the daily management and direction of Knoxville Business Office Services.  Responsible for the direction of activities related to the analysis and design of strategies and systems to effectively manage patient account receivables and to maximize reimbursement from third party sources or other collection efforts.  Responsible for the activities of cashiering, customer service, billing, and credit and collections.  Must plan, organize and direct the activities to ensure control and management of patient accounts receivable.  Coordinates operations with hospital units and medical staff.  Interprets policies and recommends policy changes to the Vice President of Patient Account Services.  Interviews and hires new employees and assigns them to various work areas.

Recruiter: Kathleen Rice || kkarnes@covhlth.com || 865-374-5386

Integrity

• Maintain established departmental policies and procedures and quality assurance programs. Consults with the Vice President of Patient Account Services concerning recommendations for policy revisions and/or new policies and procedures.  Ensures that appropriate internal controls are in place and adhered to at all times (adjustments, refunds, cash postings, cashiering, etc.)
• Responsible for Patient Accounting system master file integrity, payer monitoring, and customer relations. 
• Remain current on procedural and regulatory changes issued by Medicare, TennCare, managed care payers, and agencies. Communicate updates to staff and other departments that need to know. 
• Utilizes resources available appropriately, i.e. use of system equipment and/or supplies.
• Ensures continuing compliance with State and Federal regulations, and HCFA guidelines as they relate to accounts receivable management.
• Supports, models and adheres to the desired behaviors of the KBOS Constitution for integrity which are; hold others accountable for living the values and behaviors, protect confidential information, deal with difficult issues honestly, directly, and respectfully and tell the truth.

Quality

• Work with the Staff, Management Team and Vice President of Patient Account Services to establish measurable goals and objectives related to accounts receivable management, i.e. Balanced Score Card – BSC.
• Maintains accountability by providing leadership to the Management Team to ensure that established targets, goals and expectations are consistently met.
• Analyze results of cash collections and accounts receivable management and use the information to target areas for process improvement. Consistently share results with staff and management.  Communicates activities with the Vice President of Patient Account Services and the facility CFO.
• Handle the more difficult and complex issues and problems that arise routinely within responsibility area. Examples Include: payer delays; patient complaints; serious computer problems; legal Issues; regulatory involvements; etc.
• Supports, models and adheres to the desired behaviors of the KBOS Constitution for quality which are; celebrate and reward successes, seek out better ways to do our job, set improvement goals and standards striving to meet or exceed them, participate in forming and being part of work teams when necessary and do not say "It's not my job".
• Performs other duties as required.

Serving the Customer

• Develop and implement procedural and staffing changes as needed that result from A/R analyses, payer requirements, and customer needs. Use a team management approach when structuring workflow.
• Professionally deals with patients, physicians, public and other management and executive personnel concerning Patient Accounting services across the system.
• Recognizes situations that necessitate supervision and guidance, seeking appropriate resources.  
• Supports, models and adheres to the desired behaviors of the KBOS Constitution for serving the customer which are; take ownership for our mistakes, resolve customer problems on the spot whenever possible, treat all people with respect and kindness, strive to meet or exceed customer expectations, collect and use customer feedback/data to improve processes and service and set an example for accountability and responsiveness: return e-mail and phone calls promptly, assure deadlines are met, keep commitments.

Caring for and Developing our People

• Determines training/cross-training and development needs of the Managers and staff to enhance professional growth, satisfaction, and performance. Prepares individuals for succession planning.
• Use innovative approaches to improve work conditions within responsibility area and to facilitate improved cash collections. Seek out staff and related party input for improving workflow and overall departmental effectiveness.
• Holds monthly meetings with Managers regarding work performance and division/system updates.
• Promotes good public relations for Knoxville Business Office Services.
• Supports, models and adheres to desired behaviors of the KBOS Constitution for caring for and developing our people which are; build a trusting environment by listening with an open mind and valuing different opinions; asking questions for understanding and allowing others to speak openly, commit time to learning and development, do not gossip or criticize people behind their back, resolve conflicts, notice and express appreciation for good work, help others obtain the information and skills they need to succeed on the job, utilize training, education and development opportunities and respect differences by listening with an open mind.

Using the Communities Resources Wisely

• Prepare and monitor annual operating budgets. Maintain resource utilization within the established budget.  Coordinate capital budget needs.
• Stay abreast of technologies that will assist in daily operations of accounts receivable management. Ensure that available automation is well utilized and that staff is well-trained on existing systems.
• Demonstrates initiative in increasing skills through personal development by establishing measurable goals on an annual basis.
• Supports, models and adheres to the desired behaviors of the KBOS Constitution for using the community’s resources wisely which are; be aware of cost and quality when making spending decisions, demonstrate a personal commitment to reduce waste, consider the impact on other departments and facilities within Covenant Health when making decisions or taking action and ensure that meetings lead to solutions.