How to Become a Patient Access Representative in Pennsylvania

To become a Patient Access Representative in PA, you need more than a dream or a vague idea of your career goals–you need a solid plan of action.

That’s why we’ve made a list of the steps to become a patient access representative in PA below.

Once you follow these steps, you will be well on your way to shifting gears from your current path to your preferred role in inpatient services.

Steps to Become a Patient Access Representative in Pennsylvania

1. See if there are many openings for Patient Access Representatives in your area

Before you decide that this career is your goal, you might want to see if it is a viable option.

After all, if there aren’t any openings for Patient Access Representatives in your region, you might want to reconsider going down this path.

The best way to decide if a job is right for you is to see if it aligns with your personal goals and plans for where you want to live.

Even if you can’t find openings in your area at this time, though, you might have better luck discovering remote opportunities for Patient Access Representatives.

Doing your research around job growth and job openings can help you see if this is a realistic, sustainable career choice before you pour time and money into preparing for the job.

2. Try to shadow a current Patient Access Representative

If you ask local hospitals or medical offices if you can shadow a patient access representative because you are interested in this field, some may be more than happy to let you sit in on a day of work in this role.

For those who are in high school, this can be a great method for determining whether this job is right for you.

Even if you are out of high school, job shadowing can be a fun way to test the waters in a new field.

3. Finish a training course for a Patient Access Representative certification

While formal training isn’t usually necessary for Patient Access Representatives, it can be helpful to take a training course if you ultimately plan on going for certifications within the field.

Some higher-level positions may require a certain level of training, experience, or education.

This is why it doesn’t hurt to see if you can get some formal training under your belt before you become a patient access representative.

4. Earn customer service or medical office administration experience

Whether you are flipping burgers at McDonald’s or performing administrative duties in a medical office, customer service experience goes hand in hand with the duties you can expect to complete as a Patient Access Representative.

Since most employers require at least six months of experience in customer service, medical settings, or both, you should start getting that experience as soon as possible so you can transition to your dream job in patient access services as soon as possible, too.

6. Fill out Patient Access Representative applications for openings in your area

Once you have the appropriate amount of experience, it is time to start filling out applications for Patient Access Representative openings.

While you are filling out applications, you should think about the type of setting that you want as your employer.

If you see yourself in a large hospital or busy emergency department, you can skip over openings for small private healthcare practices.

If you would prefer a smaller office, you can opt to apply for small provider offices or even work-from-home opportunities.

You should also think about the types of duties you would prefer to perform on a daily basis.

If you have the gift of gab on the phone, insurance or medical call centers might be right up your alley.

If you would prefer to interact with the general public on a face-to-face basis, a public health clinic might be more your speed.

7. Interview for Patient Access Representative roles

Once you are done applying for patient access representative roles, it’s time to set up interviews.

While you can wait for employers to call you, being a proactive candidate who follows up on interviews over the phone or in person can help you land interviews on the spot.

If you show that you have the initiative it takes to be a great patient access representative before you’re hired, employers will appreciate it.

Then, you can accept a job offer as it comes.

Schools in PA

Penn Foster

For organizations who want to ensure that their patient access representatives are properly trained and skilled in all of the areas this role requires, Penn Foster offers online, self-paced training to get your employees up to speed.

As your employees complete their Patient Access Representative Career Diploma Program, they will become more competent in administrative duties and more.

Whether you run a hospital, insurance company, private office, healthcare facility, or public health clinic, this training is invaluable.

Students who want to take their certification exams such as CMAA and CEHRS will benefit from the structured, specialized training that this course provides.

Patient Access Representative Schools in Pennsylvania – Summary Table

Salary

In PA, patient access representatives make between $45,762 to $56,213 per year on average.

Regional Salary in Pennsylvania