Being a patient access representative is an interesting job and can be very fulfilling if you enjoy helping people.
A patient representative can work in hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, and doctors’ offices.
They are usually the first person the patient sees when they enter a medical facility.
It’s the representative’s job to greet the patient and make them feel welcome.
Then you must ask them to fill out any needed forms, get insurance information, and input that data into your system.
It’s also the patient access rep’s job to explain procedures and policies to patients to ensure they understand and follow the steps needed to obtain medical care.
Other duties may include relaying information to other staff members, making phone calls, and scheduling appointments.
Some vital skills to be successful at this job include strong communication and interpersonal skills, great organizational skills, computer and data entry experience, compassion, and patients.
The industry is expected to grow by 22% over the next 5 years.
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Steps To Becoming A Patient Access Representative In Florida
The only major requirement to become a patient Access representative in Florida is to have a high school diploma or GED.
There is no state requirement to be certified, licensed, or have a degree.
However, this doesn’t mean that it’s not helpful to have certain skills and knowledge, as individual employers may require them.
Some skills include knowledge of medical terminology, prior experience in healthcare or customer service, and strong data entry skills.
In addition, a willingness to learn new skills and attend training is important.
Though it’s not required, it looks great on a resume if you have a degree or have even taken some courses that are relevant to the job of patient access representative.
They could be in healthcare administration, nursing, business, or any number of areas.
Below is a list of schools that offer courses related to the patient access representative profession.
Schools In Florida For Patient Access Representative Programs
1. Ultimate Medical Academy
About The School
This school is located in beautiful Clearwater and classes can be taken in person or online.
They offer certificate and associate degree programs in health and human services, medical office management, health information systems, and healthcare management.
All of these are helpful when applying for a job as a patient Access representative.
They offer one on one academic support, 24/7 tech support, job coaching, laptops, and financial aid for qualifying students.
Course Offering
Student courses will include instruction in greeting and checking in patients, understanding paperwork and forms, insurance claims, scheduling appointments, medical terminology, transcription, office management, and healthcare computer programs.
The course takes about 18 months to complete.
Address: 1255 Cleveland St. Clearwater, Florida 33755
Phone: (727) 298-8685
Website: https://learn.ultimatemedical.edu/online/healthcare-training-programs-wpht
2. Florida Technical College
About The School
With over 40 years of experience educating medical and business professionals, Florida Technical College offers students individualized attention, flexible class schedules, small classes, and job assistance.
They offer courses in several areas of healthcare, including allied health management.
Prospective students must have a high school diploma or GED to apply.
Course Offering
The allied health management program will prepare students for the position of patient access representative.
Courses include instruction in managing administrative areas, medical law and terminology, coding, patient forms, data entry, managing medical software, and more.
This is a 4-year degree program.
However, classes may be taken individually for enrichment and professional development.
Please contact the school for prices and to develop a program that’s best for you.
Address: 12900 Challenger Pkwy Orlando, Florida 32826
Phone: (855)2014759
Website: https://www.ftccollege.edu
3. Broward County Community College
About The School
Broward County Community College is a public institution that was opened in 1959.
It’s a 2-year college that offers students certificates and associate degrees in a variety of programs.
Most students attending receive financial aid.
The college is proud of its large, 4-story library, its athletics department, and its academic success center.
They believe in getting students involved and providing support to give a well-rounded college experience.
About The Program
The healthcare management program at Broward will prepare students to work as patient access representatives.
Students will learn how to interact with, and provide excellent service to patients, keep organized records, both in a hard copy file and on the computer, and communicate with other staff.
Students will also learn how to ensure the medical facility is up-to-date and compliant with all safety standards.
Insurance claims, coding, and billing are also covered. The cost of the program is approximately $16,000 before financial aid.
A high school diploma is required to apply to the college.
Address: 111 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316
Phone: (954)3555989
Website: https://www.broward.edu
Patient Access Representative Schools in Florida – Summary Table
Top 3 Schools in Florida
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Medical Academy | 1255 Cleveland St. Clearwater, Florida 33755 |
| Florida Technical College | 12900 Challenger Pkwy Orlando, Florida 32826 |
| Broward County Community College | 111 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 |
Salary
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Patient Access Representatives in Florida
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $32,345 |
| Tampa | $32,379 |
| Miami | $33,016 |
| St. Petersburg | $32,386 |
| Hialeah | $32,862 |
| Orlando | $32,315 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $33,036 |
| Tallahassee | $30,651 |
| Hollywood | $33,036 |
| Pembroke Pines | $32,821 |
Regional Salary in Florida
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 440 | $50,270 | $24.17 | $68,600 | $36,210 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 160 | $49,530 | $23.81 | $75,540 | $32,180 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 470 | $42,300 | $20.34 | $64,700 | $30,000 |
| Gainesville, FL | 340 | $55,890 | $26.87 | $79,090 | $34,310 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 40 | $44,100 | $21.2 | $80,030 | $29,830 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,410 | $48,380 | $23.26 | $74,750 | $34,540 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 300 | $47,630 | $22.9 | $65,760 | $32,610 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,270 | $50,160 | $24.12 | $77,440 | $31,030 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 140 | $48,590 | $23.36 | $67,230 | $33,180 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 440 | $51,500 | $24.76 | $76,750 | $35,880 |
| Ocala, FL | 170 | $44,780 | $21.53 | $78,170 | $29,990 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,890 | $48,840 | $23.48 | $75,320 | $31,200 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 390 | $51,840 | $24.92 | $80,840 | $32,540 |
| Panama City, FL | 120 | $41,640 | $20.02 | $60,660 | $29,680 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 360 | $44,260 | $21.28 | $64,200 | $29,600 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 250 | $47,920 | $23.04 | $71,610 | $30,530 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 80 | $46,000 | $22.11 | $74,890 | $31,390 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 70 | $52,990 | $25.48 | $90,950 | $30,070 |
| Sebring, FL | 50 | $41,410 | $19.91 | $64,040 | $28,180 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 380 | $47,360 | $22.77 | $68,440 | $29,640 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,950 | $56,170 | $27 | $92,070 | $34,790 |
| The Villages, FL | 60 | $41,670 | $20.03 | $66,910 | $30,180 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some other names that are used for patient access representatives?
Other names for a patient access representative include patient advocates, patient access specialists, medical service coordinators, and patient service representatives.
How can you advance your career as a patient access representative?
If you’re working as a patient access representative but would like to expand your career prospects, the easiest way is to take classes toward a degree in healthcare administration or management.
What are the essential skills one should have before applying to be a patient access representative?
A patient access representative must be patient and have excellent communication skills, conflict resolution, and mediation skills, as well as exceptional organizational and computer skills.
What do patient access representatives wear to work?
Patient access representatives will usually dress according to a business casual format.
However, depending on the environment, they may be required to wear scrubs.
