Salary: $16.10 Hourly
Location : Belvidere Medical Building, IL
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 16378; 16286
Department: Health Department
Division: Physical Health / Healthcare Operations
Opening Date: 08/23/2023
General Description
At this time, you must reside in either Illinois or Wisconsin to work for the Lake County Health Department.
We are looking for passionate, qualified team members, who can help make a difference in our agency, and most importantly, in our community.
As a successful Patient Access Center Clerk II, most importantly, you must possess the ability to work with diverse populations with various healthcare needs. In addition, you must have excellent listening and decision-making skills, excellent customer service skills, attention to detail, be accurate, and be able to navigate multiple computer systems. You must be able to take a daily average of 70-80 calls as we strive as a team to meet our call center’s key performance indicators (KPIs). In order to protect HIPPA and PHI, you must have a private and quiet working location with minimal distractions and interruptions.
Training: After your first few days of in-person training, you will be matched with a wonderful mentor from our team who will guide you through all of our processes on how to assist patients with healthcare services in all of our Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHCs). After three to four weeks of shadowing and hands-on learning, successful new clerks will transition to working independently, Your mentors and leadership team will always be available as a resource for your continued growth and support.
All work is performed by prescribed policies and procedures.
Scheduled Hours: 37.5 hours a week.
- The first week of training will be in-person
- Set schedules Monday – Friday.
- Must be available between the hours of 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Must be available for Saturday rotation 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Essential Functions
- Answers a high volume of incoming phone calls.
- Provides patient services to include registration and insurance verification, scheduling/canceling appointments, and facilitates communication between the patient and FQHC provider team/clinic.
- Uses reference documents and online tools to become familiar with Lake County Health Department (LCHD) services and acts as a subject matter expert for patients.
- Identifies urgent patient needs and routes/escalates appropriately
- Navigates electronic health records and updates patient information as needed
- Adheres to strict HIPAA guidelines.
- Provides language translation services, verbal or written, as needed.
- Promotes and actively participates in key initiatives for Patient Access Center and LCHD, including patient outreach for follow-up care.
- Supports departmental changes, and demonstrates flexibility and a positive attitude in a fast-paced, changing environment.
Knowledge Skills Abilities and Education Required
- Requires High School Diploma or GED.
- A minimum of one year of office experience is preferred.
- Excellent phone etiquette skills.
- Spanish Bilingual required.
- Call center experience is preferred.
- Medical-related experience is preferred.
Supplemental Information
As the largest human service provider in Lake County, we believe that services must be available without barriers. No residents are turned away due to the inability to pay. We believe in providing services in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination or bias. Whether assuring accessible and effective care, impacting policy, or assessing and monitoring risks, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center has been an essential part of the public health system in Lake County for 60 years.
As a public health department, we believe in the science, data, and power of vaccines, like the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, to protect against and prevent illness. Therefore, we require all Health Department staff to receive the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as the annual influenza vaccine unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption.
Any offer of employment is conditioned on the successful completion of a background screening, and drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.
The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.
At this time, you must reside in either Illinois or Wisconsin to work for the Lake County Health Department.
The information provided is an overview of the Lake County Health Department’s benefit package which is available to full-time Health Department employees. Part-time employees (20+ hours) may be eligible on a pro-rated basis for the benefits listed.
Health Insurance: Your health and well-being are important to us. As an employee, you can choose from a variety of plans, including medical, dental and vision. Details of each of the plans are listed below:
- Medical: Lake County offers three types of medical insurance plans through BlueCross BlueShield. The Health Maintenance Option (HMO) and the Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) are available to Lake County employees. All plans use Express Scripts, Lake County’s pharmacy benefit manager. Prescriptions are available through home delivery or retail pharmacy.
- Health Savings Account (HSA): The Health Savings Account (HSA) is available to participants enrolled in the Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP). The County contributes funds to your HSA account and employees are able to contribute additional funds (up to IRS limits) via payroll deduction The savings account may be used for qualified medical, prescription, dental, or vision expenses.
- Flexible Spending Account: Eligible employees can choose to have pre-tax dollars set aside from their paycheck to use for reimbursement of out-of-pocket health care expenses (HMO only) and/or dependent care expenses.
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA): Eligible employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for out-of-pocket qualified day care expenses. Your dependent must be a qualified dependent under age 13, or requires care because of a physical or mental incapacity.
- Dental: Our dental insurance plan through Delta Dental offers an extensive choice of in-network providers to help minimize your out-of pocket costs.
- Vision: Superior Vision offers supplemental vision coverage for employees and their qualified dependents. With Superior Vision, you can choose from a network of retail providers and/or private practice providers.
- Medical Opt-Out Payment: Full-time regular employees who can show proof of qualified medical coverage through another source (other than Lake County, public aid, or union insurance paid by Lake County) can elect to opt out of medical insurance and receive up to $1,500 annually.
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Protection Insurance: Employees may purchase additional group coverage through Aflac, which pays cash benefits directly to you if you have a qualifying illness or injury. You can use the cash to help cover expenses that major medical does not-like mortgage, groceries, etc.
Employee Assistance Program: The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential assistance and referrals for a wide range of personal and family issues. This includes help with stress management, depression, alcohol and other substance abuse, childcare and eldercare resources, financial and legal issues, and more.
Employee Wellness: Lake County cares about your health, and it’s important to us to provide you with the tools you need to meet your health goals. Our holistic wellness program focuses on overall employee well-being and engaging in healthy lifestyles.
Employee Immunizations: Lake County Health Department employees are welcome to receive, at no charge, annual flu, and Hepatitis B vaccinations, as well as Tuberculosis testing.
Paid Time Off: We understand that a healthy work-life balance is essential to employee satisfaction and productivity. We offer ample paid holidays, vacation time, sick and personal leave.
- Holidays: 14 paid holidays per year (10 fixed holidays & 4 floating holidays)
- Annual Paid Vacation: 2 Weeks paid vacation (with increases based on seniority)
- Paid Sick & Personal Leave: 12 Paid Sick Days Annually (one sick day for each month worked) and 3 days of personal leave each year to use at their discretion (pro-rated based on date of hire).
- Paid Parental Leave: For eligible employees, Lake County will provide up to 6 weeks of paid parental leave to employees following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption, legal guardianship, or foster care
Professional Growth: Your career development is important to us, and your skills and knowledge are critical to Lake County’s success. We provide our employees with in-house training and classes in a variety of areas, allowing you to enhance your skills and progress to where you want to be in your career.
- Tuition Assistance: Full-time employees who have worked for the county at least 12 months may apply for tuition reimbursement of up to $2,000 per year for courses that are related to the employee’s job duties or for a foreseeable future position.
- Student Loan Forgiveness: Student Loan Forgiveness Full-time Lake County employees may qualify for the federally administered Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Contact the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid office for more information.
- Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program: Loan repayment is available to Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) working in a public or private eligible Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) OR Nurse Faculty employed at an eligible school of nursing.
- The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) offers primary medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health care clinicians the opportunity to have their student loans repaid, while earning a competitive salary, in exchange for providing health care in urban, rural, or tribal communities with limited access to care.
- Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program: Employees working in a community mental health center at Lake County Health Department may be eligible for student loan repayment the through Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Through this program, loan repayment assistance may be received annually for up to four years to help with the repayment of an eligible educational loan(s). The amount of the assistance received is based on the applicant’s position, and can range from $2,500 to $35,000 per year. Visit the program page for more information and eligibility.
- The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) provides loan repayment for individuals working in either a full-time substance use disorder (SUD) treatment job that involves direct patient care. Eligible Disciplines and Specialties includes providers working at STAR LRP-approved SUD treatment facilities.
A Secure Future: Lake County cares about your future financial security. We offer outstanding options for you to save for retirement, obtain life insurance, and save for your children’s college education.
- IMRF Pension Plan: Eligible Lake County employees who work at least 19.2 hours a week are automatically enrolled in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), the second largest fully-funded pension system in Illinois. Most county employees participate in the regular IMRF plan. In return, IMRF provides retirement, disability and death benefits for Lake County employees. See for more details.
- Retirement Savings Plan: Lake County employees also have the option of participating in a voluntary Deferred Compensation (457) plan administered by MissionSquare.
- Life Insurance: All full-time regular employees automatically receive life insurance equal to the amount of their annual salary, and may choose to purchase additional coverage for themselves, their spouse, and their dependent children. All IMRF-eligible employees may also purchase voluntary life insurance through the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems.
- Bright Start College Savings Plan: Bright Start is a Section 529 education savings program created and administered by the State of Illinois. It allows you to save money toward your future student’s education in a Bright Start account via payroll deduction. Earnings are tax-free. When it’s time for your student to go to college, you can use the funds to pay for qualified expenses at most colleges and universities, whether in-state, out-of-state or abroad.
Employee Discounts: As a county employee, you will have access to a wide array of employee discount opportunities, including Home and Auto Insurance from MetLife, Pet Insurance from Nationwide and access to BenefitHub, which offers employee discounts on thousands of retail goods, services and entertainment.
Transit Benefit: Lake County partners with Take Care by WageWorks so employees can set aside pre-tax dollars to cover the cost of work-related public transportation and/or parking.
01
Do you live in Illinois or Wisconsin?
- Yes
- No
02
In order to protect HIPPA and PHI, do you have a private and quiet working location with minimal distractions and interruptions?
- Yes
- No
03
What is your level of experience and comfort with computers?
- Beginners
- Intermediate
- Expert
04
Do you have any experience working in a call center?
- Yes
- No
05
Please describe your experience working with health insurance and patients (if any).
06
Do you have experience with any electronic medical records systems; such as NextGen? If yes, explain. If not, lists the systems you have used.
07
Please share why you are interested in working for this program and how your experience directly relates to this opening.
08
Spanish Fluency: Please select your level of communication skills.
- None
- Beginner / Elementary Proficiency
- Intermediate / Limited Working Proficiency
- Professional Working Proficiency
- Native / Bilingual Proficiency
09
How many years of related office/front desk experience do you have?
- None
- 1 Year
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
- 5 or more years
Required Question