Patient Access Representative (Vouchers Included)

A patient access representative (PAR) is an integral part of all hospital and outpatient care practices. Patient representatives act as liaisons between healthcare professionals and patients to improve the patient's experience within the healthcare system. They also have the skills to support both front and back-office staff, which helps prevent gaps in care, administration, and financial activities, allowing them to be one of the top jobs in healthcare administration.

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12 Months / 250 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
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Northern Illinois University

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Patient Access Representative (Vouchers Included)

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Course code: GES1029

What you will learn

  • Discover the role of the patient access representative (PAR) in a medical office and prepare for two national certification exams related to this role
  • Learn about the laws and ethics surrounding the practice of medicine and running a medical office, including HIPAA
  • Describe practice processes for patient-focused communication, including in-person, digital, and telephonic
  • Receive real-world experience using an EHR simulator to execute typical daily tasks in a medical office environment
  • Explain the daily financial responsibilities of a patient access representative working in a medical office, including insurance and patient billing

How you will benefit

  • Develop a foundation of knowledge about the human body that will enable you to be successful in your chosen medical career
  • Jump-start your career in the medical field as a patient access representative, patient services representative, health information management (HIM) representative, medical front office, or call center employee
  • Develop the communication style needed to communicate positively and efficiently with patients and medical workers
  • Establish the appropriate EHR for your practice
  • Get hands-on, practical experience in medical billing and coding
  • Understand how to create positive, efficient experiences for patients to make them more comfortable
  • Obtain a certificate of completion and be prepared to sit for the professional certification that best aligns with your interests and career goals
  • Use your vouchers to enroll to take the national certification exams
  • Receive access to the National Healthcareer Association's (NHA) CEHRS certification exam and CMAA certification exam study materials

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 12 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 250 course hours
  1. Medical Terminology
    1. Getting Started
    2. How to Take This Course
    3. Test-Out Exam 1: Lessons 1–Midterm Exam
    4. Introduction to Medical Terminology and the Human Body in Health and Disease
    5. The Musculoskeletal System
    6. The Cardiovascular System
    7. The Lymphatic and Immune Systems
    8. The Respiratory System
    9. The Digestive System
    10. The Urinary System
    11. Midterm
    12. Test-Out Exam 2: Lessons 8–Final Exam
    13. The Nervous System
    14. Special Senses: The Eyes and Ears
    15. The Integumentary System
    16. The Endocrine System
    17. Mental Health
    18. Male and Female Reproductive Systems
    19. Diagnostic Procedures, Nuclear Medicine, and Complementary Medicine
    20. Final Exam
  2. Patient Access Representative
    1. Becoming a Patient Access Representative
    2. Law, Ethics, and Healthcare
    3. An Overview of EHR and CEHRS
    4. An Introduction to MOSS 4.0
    5. History of EHRs
    6. Steps to EHR Implementation
    7. The EHR Framework
    8. HIPAA Requirements and EHR Systems
    9. The EHR and Record Content
    10. Introduction to Health Insurance
    11. Managing Medical Records
    12. Lists, Treatment Plans, Orders, and Results
    13. Patient Visit Management
    14. Coding and billing Language Overview
    15. Patient Communications
    16. Telecommunications
    17. Managing Stress and Improving Communication
    18. Call Centers
    19. Improving Your Medical Offices
    20. Enhancing the Patient Experience
    21. Practice Reports, Research, and Registries
    22. Personal Health Records and Continuing Care Records
    23. Revenue Cycle Management
    24. Daily Financial Practices
    25. Maximizing Reimbursement
    26. Certification Exam Preparation
    27. How to Find a Job as a Patient Access Representative

Rachael Delekta

Rachael Delekta is an MBA in Healthcare Administration and Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist. Rachael has been in the health care field for over ten years. She has worked mostly on the insurance side of things, as a customer service manager for dental insurance, a claims and customer service coach, and a workers' compensation case management biller and auditor. She works daily with medical records and healthcare software.

Medical Terminology Instructors

Our medical terminology course section is taught by multiple experienced instructors. See here for a full list of these instructors.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:

In order to sit for national certification exams, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent; it is recommended you have this before enrolling in this program.

Certification Requirements:

CMAA exam eligibility:

  • Possess a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency
  • Completed a medical assistant training or education program within the last 5 years
    • OR
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency
  • 1 year of supervised work experience in the medical assisting field within the last 3 years

CEHRS exam eligibility:

  • Possess a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency and
  • Completed an electronic health records specialist training or education program within the last 5 years
    • OR
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency
  • 1 year of supervised work experience in the electronic health records specialist field within the last 3 years

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac. Chromebooks are not compatible.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser for the course and MindTap: The latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari browsers. (Although Firefox or Chrome is preferred)
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment.

The following digital textbook for the Medical Terminology course is accessed via links in the course lessons:

  • Comprehensive Medical Terminology for Health Professions, 1st Edition (eBook)

The following textbooks, workbook, and access codes for the Patient Access Representative course will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment. Two of your textbooks will be available online as an eBook; there is no eBook for the Workbook to Accompany Understanding Health Insurance. Whenever possible, reading assignments in each lesson will be linked to the eBooks for the designated reading.

  • Administrative Medical Assisting, 8th Edition
  • Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billing and Reimbursement 2022
  • Workbook to Accompany Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billing and Reimbursement 2022

You will receive an access code to access MOSS 4.0, which is a simulated EHR.

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

About Certification: National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) has a single goal: to improve the quality of patient care in all medical settings. NHA believes that increasing the knowledge, skills, and competency of healthcare professionals will result in improved patient care as well as better efficiency in the healthcare industry. NHA provides a variety of certifications that work toward achieving this goal. The organization is a nationally-recognized and highly-respected healthcare certification provider.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average patient access representative salary is $36,000. Your exact salary will vary, and jobs will be available everywhere. The areas with the highest paying jobs for patient access representatives include the District of Columbia, California, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon.

As a patient access representative (PAR), you will serve an essential role in healthcare facilities as the liaison between healthcare professionals and patients. You will also need to display excellent customer service skills, communicate effectively (both written and verbal), prioritize tasks based on level of importance, multi-task high-level duties, manage stressful situations, be proficient in computer systems, and handle complex paperwork promptly.

This course prepares you to sit for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam and CEHRS certification exam, both offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). NHA exam study materials and practice exams are provided with this course. You will receive vouchers for the exams after successfully completing the course, coursework and your financial obligation.

Yes. This course includes two, optional, Test-Out Exam features that will allow you to test out of content and graded assessments if your score demonstrates the level of mastery required (80%). It does not count toward your overall score in this course if you do not achieve the minimum score required for mastery. Please note: Third party funded students may not be eligible.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course whenever you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

After you register, you will receive 12 months to complete the course. The time allotted for completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours.

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

Our courses are designed to accommodate various learning preferences. Depending on the course structure, you may get different forms of support. Self-paced courses are designed to be user-friendly and independent, minimizing the need for external support. In courses with instructors, our direct platform support feature includes opportunities for questions, discussions, and remediation, with email and phone support available for select courses. Our student advising team is available to guide you on program requirements and administrative requests, but they do not provide assistance with course content. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary support for success, whether it's through self-paced exploration, direct communication, or guidance from our advising team.

Upon successfully passing the final exam, you will be awarded a certificate of completion from the school or organization that you registered through.

ed2go courses will help you gain the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. However, you should always research the job market in your area before enrolling.

ed2go courses are non-credit, so they do not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA, and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards may provide funding to take our courses. Additionally, you may qualify for financial assistance if you meet certain requirements. Learn more about financial assistance.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us."

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