Director Patient Access
St. Mary's Healthcare has been providing high-quality, compassionate healthcare to the people of Montgomery and Fulton counties since 1903. At St. Mary's Hospital, the Rao Outpatient Pavilion and other locations, the local, independent healthcare organization offers the comprehensive, critical services its community needs and deserves. St. Mary's Healthcare has also been named a 2026 Times Union Top Workplace—the first acute care hospital in the Capital Region to earn the distinction since the Times Union launched the recognition program 15 years ago.
Job Requisition: DIREC001703
Employment Type: Full-Time
Shift: Days
Hours Per Week: 40 hours
Hiring Range: Starting at $88,500.00
The actual compensation for this position will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.
Responsibilities
- The Director of Patient Access will have ultimate responsibility to develop, track, monitor and be accountable for patient access and patient registration Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will serve to reduce denials, increase clean claim rates, increase point of sale collections, and increase overall patient experience.
- The Director role will be responsible for ensuring there is a continuous improvement and training plan for all front-end revenue cycle associates that will serve to make certain the organization is meeting the prescribed revenue cycle KPIs.
- Manages and directs the planning, design, and coordination of programs within the Patient Access Department. The functions within the Patient Access Department include but are not limited to the Financial Clearance Work Unit (Pre-Registration, Authorization, and Insurance verification) and Patient Access Work Units (Bed Control, Inpatient Registration, Outpatient Registration, ED Registration).
- Directs the departmental quality improvement efforts to achieve optimal productivity, operational effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of internal and external customers. External customers include patients, referring providers, physicians, and third-party payers.
- Confers with physicians, both internal and external, and advises them regarding the financial clearance and registration of patients from an administrative and financial perspective. Reviews and approves exceptions for patients requiring financial clearance.
- Define and implement the best practices and continuous improvement initiatives related, to include continuous training to patient access and hospital revenue cycle performance.
- Responsibilities include management of operations for both Hospital and the provider group. Development and management of new programs related to Customer Service for the organization recognizing every patient begins with us and we can facilitate a positive experience for their entire service/stay.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Develops and revises standard procedures for all areas performing pre-registration, registration, and scheduled services as it relates to identification of out-of-pocket balances and collection procedures.
- Coordinates and integrates activities within all Patient Access areas including Registration, Scheduling, Financial Counseling, Insurance Facilitator, Information Desk and Call Center pre-registration areas.
- Remains current of new trends and best practices in front end revenue cycle functions, incorporating these into the Patient Access Department practices and programs
- Ability to prioritize and deliver on key initiatives; demonstrated success in achievement of KPI within time and budget constraints.
- Ensures staff adheres to all policies and procedures, develops, and implements procedures with an emphasis on automation and electronic initiatives, and establish and maintain competencies for all staff as it relates to point of service activities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Overall responsibility for all patient access and patient registration staff who indirectly report to the Director role through two manager positions (manager of patient access and manager of patient registration).
Education, Training & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a business, healthcare administration of related major required.
- Minimum of Five (5) years of managerial experience in a healthcare setting is required. Knowledge and understanding of enterprise operations and functions (hospital and physician office) required. Must be proficient with system and data integration, database management, spreadsheet, computer graphics, and generating standard reports
Certifications / Licensure:
- Certification preferred (CHAM) or (CPAM).
Required Skills and Attributes:
- Ability to organize and establish day-to-day priorities while using critical thinking skills in all aspects of the job.
- Must be able to multitask while remaining professional, focused, composed and positive.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Displays integrity, friendliness, and compassion.
- Must be able to establish an appropriate and effective rapport with others.
- Demonstrates flexibility
- Takes initiative
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment
- Embraces new opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.
- Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Proficient with various Microsoft Office products (Word and Excel).
- Strong organizational skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills.
- Ability to take and follow direction in a positive and appropriate manner.
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently. Must be able to demonstrate effective and appropriate written and oral communication skills.
- Must be able to speak, read, write and follow instructions in English.
Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Director Patient Access
St. Mary's Healthcare has been providing high-quality, compassionate healthcare to the people of Montgomery and Fulton counties since 1903. At St. Mary's Hospital, the Rao Outpatient Pavilion and other locations, the local, independent healthcare organization offers the comprehensive, critical services its community needs and deserves. St. Mary's Healthcare has also been named a 2026 Times Union Top Workplace—the first acute care hospital in the Capital Region to earn the distinction since the Times Union launched the recognition program 15 years ago.
Job Requisition: DIREC001703
Employment Type: Full-Time
Shift: Days
Hours Per Week: 40 hours
Hiring Range: Starting at $88,500.00
The actual compensation for this position will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.
Responsibilities
- The Director of Patient Access will have ultimate responsibility to develop, track, monitor and be accountable for patient access and patient registration Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will serve to reduce denials, increase clean claim rates, increase point of sale collections, and increase overall patient experience.
- The Director role will be responsible for ensuring there is a continuous improvement and training plan for all front-end revenue cycle associates that will serve to make certain the organization is meeting the prescribed revenue cycle KPIs.
- Manages and directs the planning, design, and coordination of programs within the Patient Access Department. The functions within the Patient Access Department include but are not limited to the Financial Clearance Work Unit (Pre-Registration, Authorization, and Insurance verification) and Patient Access Work Units (Bed Control, Inpatient Registration, Outpatient Registration, ED Registration).
- Directs the departmental quality improvement efforts to achieve optimal productivity, operational effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of internal and external customers. External customers include patients, referring providers, physicians, and third-party payers.
- Confers with physicians, both internal and external, and advises them regarding the financial clearance and registration of patients from an administrative and financial perspective. Reviews and approves exceptions for patients requiring financial clearance.
- Define and implement the best practices and continuous improvement initiatives related, to include continuous training to patient access and hospital revenue cycle performance.
- Responsibilities include management of operations for both Hospital and the provider group. Development and management of new programs related to Customer Service for the organization recognizing every patient begins with us and we can facilitate a positive experience for their entire service/stay.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Develops and revises standard procedures for all areas performing pre-registration, registration, and scheduled services as it relates to identification of out-of-pocket balances and collection procedures.
- Coordinates and integrates activities within all Patient Access areas including Registration, Scheduling, Financial Counseling, Insurance Facilitator, Information Desk and Call Center pre-registration areas.
- Remains current of new trends and best practices in front end revenue cycle functions, incorporating these into the Patient Access Department practices and programs
- Ability to prioritize and deliver on key initiatives; demonstrated success in achievement of KPI within time and budget constraints.
- Ensures staff adheres to all policies and procedures, develops, and implements procedures with an emphasis on automation and electronic initiatives, and establish and maintain competencies for all staff as it relates to point of service activities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Overall responsibility for all patient access and patient registration staff who indirectly report to the Director role through two manager positions (manager of patient access and manager of patient registration).
Education, Training & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a business, healthcare administration of related major required.
- Minimum of Five (5) years of managerial experience in a healthcare setting is required. Knowledge and understanding of enterprise operations and functions (hospital and physician office) required. Must be proficient with system and data integration, database management, spreadsheet, computer graphics, and generating standard reports
Certifications / Licensure:
- Certification preferred (CHAM) or (CPAM).
Required Skills and Attributes:
- Ability to organize and establish day-to-day priorities while using critical thinking skills in all aspects of the job.
- Must be able to multitask while remaining professional, focused, composed and positive.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Displays integrity, friendliness, and compassion.
- Must be able to establish an appropriate and effective rapport with others.
- Demonstrates flexibility
- Takes initiative
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment
- Embraces new opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.
- Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Proficient with various Microsoft Office products (Word and Excel).
- Strong organizational skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills.
- Ability to take and follow direction in a positive and appropriate manner.
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently. Must be able to demonstrate effective and appropriate written and oral communication skills.
- Must be able to speak, read, write and follow instructions in English.
Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
