Director, Patient Financial Experience - The University of Chicago Medicine

Join a world-class academic healthcare system, UChicago Medicine, as the Director, Patient Financial Experience.  We are seeking an experienced professional to direct and lead operational, financial, programmatic and personnel activities within the Financial Counseling and Customer Service functions. This includes establishing, meeting and continuously monitoring goals and objectives while maintaining alignment with the strategic focus. While the range of duties and responsibilities is broad and varied, the successful candidate will be responsible for directing operations, budgeting, financial management, human resource management, and process improvement. The Director is also responsible for monitoring and managing the self-pay accounts receivables for the entire enterprise, integrating and initiating improvements in a range of programs to achieve a seamless patient financial experience, and ensuring that the entire department is performing at or above industry standards in all areas of responsibility. The Director works closely with a variety of stakeholders, coordinating activities to create a remarkable patient financial experience across the enterprise.

The Director of Patient Financial Experience serves as the programmatic and operational leader for the Financial Counseling and Customer Service departments. Reporting to the Vice President of Revenue Cycle, this Director is a strategic business partner with accountability to revenue cycle leadership, as well as other key stakeholders involved in the patient financial experience. Working in a “team” management environment, this position will have 3 direct reports and influence high standards of performance over 30+ indirect reports. They must actively manage human, capital, and operational resources using well-developed metrics and KPIs.

Who you are:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred in Business, Finance, Accounting, or Healthcare.
• Minimum 8 years of progressively increasing management and operational experience in a large hospital financial or financial systems department.
• Extensive knowledge of general hospital software systems, including EPIC.
• Strong knowledge of hospital financial operations required including reimbursement requirements according to managed care contract interpretation.
• Solid understanding of EPIC Single Billing Office structure and best practices, as well as basic insurance industry reimbursement standards.
• Proven ability to interpret, evaluate and communicate policies and procedures as they relate to hospital operations. Must be able to adhere to State, Federal and local requirements.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills. Ability to speak articulately in high-level forums and to answer difficult questions with confidence.
• Proven ability to lead change, organize teams, and delegate responsibility appropriately – using data to drive continual improvements and positive performance.
• Must be able to deal with difficult situations with a high level of tact and diplomacy.

What you’ll gain as Director, Patient Financial Experience: 

• Opportunity to work at a world-class organization, engaging numerous stakeholders, with the mission of providing a strategic, enterprise-wide vision for a superb patient financial experience.
• Chance to make an impact from a total system perspective, focusing on system-wide integration, coordination, and seamless execution by offering technical advice and expertise to help the organization achieve high performance outcomes.
• Transform the patient financial experience in an academic medical center and make a difference in the lives of patients and their families by addressing concerns and service delivery with a relentless pursuit for excellence.

What you’ll do as the Director, Patient Financial Experience: 

• Define and meet revenue cycle performance goals and metrics. Evaluate the performance and effectiveness of management and staff related to the revenue cycle metrics and work to continuously improve performance, outcomes and maximize cash collections. Manages and meets the operating budget.
• Allow documented standards and practices to ensure timely and accurate patient financial experience. Approves write-offs, adjustments, financial assistance and refunds within limits of UCM Policy.
• Maintain appropriate programs and infrastructure to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction that includes patient friendly billing techniques, prompt service recovery and creation of an ideal patient experience. Investigates and promptly resolves any patient problems or reported service dissatisfaction in a timely manner.
• Maintain appropriate programs and infrastructure to ensure a high level of employee engagement and satisfaction. Meet engagement score targets as measured by employee engagement surveys.
• Recommend and facilitate the implementation of new and updated information systems specific to the needs of the revenue cycle; identifies and communicates system problems, enhancements, upgrades to all relevant staff and departments; develops partnerships with vendors to ensure the incorporation of best practices and maximization of current information system applications.
• Stay abreast of changing government billing regulations, new programs and revenue opportunities. Ensure that managers, supervisors, staff and any third-party vendors are current with our patient collection requirements, customer service protocols and documentation rules. Identify performance improvement opportunities and facilitate improvement projects.
• Leading with influence through subordinates, oversee and direct patient billing and collection activities including the self-pay accounts receivable management, third party vendor oversight, proactive financial counseling and prompt and remedial patient account resolution.
• Manage the organization’s financial assistance and/or charity care programs and policies. Oversee the customer service call center(s) to ensure prompt resolution of patient needs.  Interprets and explains to patients and/or patient families the philosophy, policies, and procedures of the organization.
• Demonstrate personal leadership qualities and business acumen essential to operate effectively within the institution.

E4 Leadership (Equity, Engage, Evolve, Excel) is a patient centered management system that empowers teams to improve on a daily basis. This is done through daily readiness huddles, real time process monitoring, performance review huddles and structured problem solving. E4 Leadership is an evolving system where leaders work together to cultivate a culture of equity and continuous improvement that enables:

• Each person to realize their full potential for contribution
• The organization to achieve high performance outcomes
• System-wide integration, coordination, and seamless execution
• Clear focus on exceptional, equitable patient care and experiences.

As part of the leadership team, this position will be instrumental in reinforcing and sustaining UCM’s E4 Leadership Culture.

Must comply with UCMC’s COVID-19 Vaccination requirement as a condition of employment. If you have already received the vaccination, you must provide proof as part of the pre-employment process. This is in addition to your compliance with the Flu Vaccination requirement as well. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered consistent with applicable law. Lastly, a pre-employment physical, drug screening, and background check are also required for all employees prior to hire.

We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, UChicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.

UChicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: UChicago Medicine Career Opportunities.

UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.

Must comply with UChicago Medicine’s COVID-19 Vaccination requirement as a condition of employment. If you have already received the vaccination, you must provide proof as part of the pre-employment process. This is in addition to your compliance with the Flu Vaccination requirement as well. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered consistent with applicable law. Lastly, a pre-employment physical, drug screening, and background check are also required for all employees prior to hire.

Compensation & Benefits Overview

UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits.  The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.

The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.

Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.