ER Registration Clerk (PRN)

Job Description
ER Registration Clerk (PRN)

Position Summary
The PRN ER Registration Clerk serves as the first point of contact for patients, families, visitors, and community members seeking care at Cedar County Memorial Hospital (CCMH). As the face of the organization, this position creates a welcoming, compassionate, and professional experience while accurately registering patients receiving emergency, inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and other hospital services.

Working in a rural Critical Access Hospital requires flexibility, adaptability, and a strong commitment to teamwork. The PRN ER Registration Clerk provides coverage on an as-needed basis for vacations, leaves of absence, staffing shortages, weekends, holidays, evenings, nights, and periods of increased patient volume. Because every employee contributes directly to patient care, this position supports hospital operations by maintaining excellent customer service, registration accuracy, confidentiality, and collaboration with clinical and non-clinical departments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Greets all patients, visitors, and families with courtesy, compassion, professionalism, and respect.
• Registers emergency department, inpatient, outpatient, observation, and surgical patients accurately and efficiently.
• Uses sound judgment to immediately notify clinical staff of patients presenting with urgent or emergent medical conditions.
• Collects, verifies, and accurately enters patient demographic, insurance, financial, and guarantor information into the electronic health record and registration system.
• Verifies insurance eligibility, benefits, authorizations, and certifications and communicates issues to appropriate departments or patients.
• Explains financial responsibility to patients and collects co-pays, deductibles, and other patient payments according to hospital policy.
• Audits registration information for completeness and accuracy to minimize billing errors and claim denials.
• Answers and appropriately directs incoming telephone calls using the hospital's multi-line phone system.
• Maintains patient confidentiality and protects health information in compliance with HIPAA and hospital policies.
• Assists patients and visitors by providing information and directing them to the appropriate department or service.
• Communicates effectively with physicians, nurses, ancillary departments, insurance companies, and outside agencies.
• Demonstrates flexibility by assisting with other registration and Business Office functions as assigned and within the scope of training.
• Completes required education, competency assessments, and mandatory training.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support patient care and hospital operations.

Scope and Accountability

• Maintain a minimum of 95% registration accuracy.
• Meet departmental quality, productivity, and collection goals.
• Demonstrate dependable attendance for scheduled PRN shifts.
• Maintain flexibility to workdays, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and additional hours as operational needs require.
• Deliver exceptional customer service with the goal of minimizing patient complaints.
• Protect patient privacy by adhering to HIPAA and all hospital confidentiality policies.
• Work collaboratively with physicians, nurses, ancillary departments, patients, families, vendors, and insurance representatives.
• Support the operational needs of a rural Critical Access Hospital by adapting to changing priorities and patient volumes.

Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Previous healthcare registration experience preferred.
• Two (2) years of customer service experience preferred.
• Experience in a hospital or emergency department setting is preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Proficiency with computers and electronic medical record systems.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Medical terminology preferred.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, including computers, scanners, copiers, printers, and multiline telephone systems.

Core Competencies
Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Outstanding customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced emergency environment.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Sound judgment and critical thinking.
• Professionalism, integrity, and discretion.
• Ability to maintain composure during stressful situations.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Commitment to teamwork and collaboration.

Working Conditions
The PRN ER Registration Clerk works in a busy Emergency Department within a rural Critical Access Hospital where interruptions, changing priorities, and unpredictable patient volumes are common. Employees must remain calm, professional, and compassionate while providing excellent service to patients and visitors during routine and emergency situations.

As a Critical Access Hospital serving a rural community, CCMH depends on employees who are adaptable, dependable, and willing to collaborate across departments. Employees may be asked to assist with duties within their training and competency to support patient care and hospital operations while maintaining a patient-first approach.

Physical Requirements
The employee must be able to:

• Sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, and move throughout the workday.
• Lift, carry, push, or pull up to 20 pounds.
• Type a minimum of 60 words per minute.
• Operate computers, telephones, scanners, copiers, and other office equipment.
• Communicate effectively in spoken and written English.
• Maintain emotional stability while working with ill, injured, elderly, emotionally distressed, or occasionally hostile individuals.
• Function independently while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Schedule Expectations
PRN employees are expected to:

• Accept shifts based on department staffing needs.
• Work variable schedules, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Provide coverage for vacations, illnesses, leaves of absence, and periods of increased patient volume.
• Maintain competency and availability consistent with departmental expectations.
• Understand that no minimum or maximum number of work hours is guaranteed.

Employment with Cedar County Memorial Hospital is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening, as applicable to the position. Background checks may include verification of employment, education, professional credentials, criminal history, and other job-related information. Drug screening will be conducted in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and hospital policies.

Cedar County Memorial Hospital reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment based on information obtained through these screening processes, consistent with applicable law. Candidates will be provided any required notices and opportunities to respond to information obtained during the screening process.