With medical position demand at an all-time high due to a growing population, patient access representatives are needed now more than ever.
A patient access representative is the first contact point when a patient walks through the medical facility door.
Once inside, a patient approaches the check-in desk manned by patient access representatives who gather all information for medical documentation, billing, and insurance purposes.
This is a critical support function since collecting the correct data is essential for treatment.
If you want to enter the medical field and become a patient access representative in Delaware, keep reading to learn more about the process!
Page Navigation
- Steps to Become a Patient Access Representative in Delaware
- Schools in Delaware
- Patient Access Representative Schools in Delaware – Summary Table
- Salary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the main benefits of becoming a patient access representative in Delaware?
- What duties are Delaware patient access representatives required to perform?
- What is one consideration a potential patient access representative should consider?
- What is the biggest challenge of a Delaware patient access representative?
- What skills do the best Delaware patient access representatives possess?
Steps to Become a Patient Access Representative in Delaware
The steps to becoming a Delaware patient access representative can be summarized into three sequential parts, including the following:
Step One: Complete a Training Program
First, complete your high school diploma and then enroll in a training program.
Working with your high school counselor during your senior year is advisable to start the application process.
Once you have narrowed the schools, contact a college advisor for additional assistance.
Given the administrative aspect of the career, Delaware training programs are online, so you have the flexibility to work while going to school.
Almost immediately after graduation, it’s beneficial to take the certification exam.
While Delaware does not require this, it makes you a more marketable candidate in the eyes of potential employers.
Step Two: Gain Firsthand Experience
You should complete an internship during or after training to gain real-world experience.
Potential employers are more apt to hire candidates with some medical experience than those without experience.
In addition, the internship will help you better understand how a medical office operates and the requirements of the career and improve your communication and customer service skills.
Step Three: Find a Job
With a training program, certification, and internship, you’re ready to search for a job.
Depending on the program, the school can help provide job placement resources.
If not, look for jobs online or contact local medical facilities to see if they need entry-level patient access representatives.
Schools in Delaware
Delaware Community College
Although just across the state line in Pennsylvania, Delaware Community College offers a certified medical administrative assistant, which covers becoming a patient access representative.
This program costs around $3,500, and students learn legal and ethical issues, HIPAA requirements, an insurance overview, medical billing and coding, and medical terminology.
This in-class program takes around one year to complete.
Delaware Technical Community College
The Delaware Technical Community College patient access representative program prepares students to pass the CEHRS and CMAA certification exams.
With a tuition cost of $2,700, the program is self-paced, with most students completing it in around 12 months.
The comprehensive curriculum bundles medical terminology of all bodily systems, patient visit management, daily financial practices, call centers, managing stress, improving communication, patient communications, billing and coding language, improving patient experience, reporting, continuing care records, and personal health records.
Also, students are required to complete a certification exam preparation section, and there’s a class on how to find a job in the industry.
Penn Foster
As an online-only vocational school, Penn Foster offers numerous medical programs, including patient access representative training.
The program aims to prepare students to pass the national certification exam post-graduation and for an entry-level role at one of the many medical facility types.
The curriculum includes medical terminology, body systems, electronic medical records, an introduction to Allied Health, medical office procedures, health insurance, medical billing, and medical ethics and law.
The typical completion type is between six and nine months.
Patient Access Representative Schools in Delaware – Summary Table
Top 3 Schools in Delaware
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Delaware Community College | 901 Media Line Rd, Media, PA 19063, United States |
| Delaware Technical Community College | 400 Stanton Christiana Rd d201, Newark, DE 19713, United States |
| Penn Foster | 14300 N. Northsight Blvd. Suite 125. Scottsdale, AZ 85260, United States |
Salary
Delaware boasts an average patient access representative salary of $51,500, ranging from $46,800 to $57,500.
Comparatively, the annual U.S. salary is slightly lower, ranging from $45,800 to $56,300, averaging $50,400.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Patient Access Representatives in Delaware
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Wilmington | $52,910 |
| Dover | $53,052 |
| Newark | $52,870 |
| Milford | $53,318 |
| Seaford | $52,434 |
| Middletown | $52,877 |
| Ellendale | $53,318 |
| Smyrna | $52,932 |
| New Castle | $52,910 |
| Georgetown | $53,318 |
Regional Salary in Delaware
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | 80 | $37,700 | $18.13 | $49,630 | $30,910 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main benefits of becoming a patient access representative in Delaware?
The most significant benefit of entering this field is the ability to help others during their time of need.
While you are not performing surgery, you are ensuring the administrative aspects of the team are accurately fulfilled, so doctors and nurses can adequately do their job.
Also, the educational time commitment to becoming a patient access representative is minimal.
Furthermore, the starting pay is excellent compared to other non-medical positions.
What duties are Delaware patient access representatives required to perform?
A patient access representative’s time is split between administrative functions and helping clients.
Administratively, proper billing, coding, and health insurance claims are essential, as well as gathering and entering patient information into the database.
On the patient side, educating them on different processes, listening to their complaints and issues, and providing excellent customer service and verbal communication is part of their daily duties.
What is one consideration a potential patient access representative should consider?
To put it bluntly, the job is hard. Juggling between systems and patients throughout the day without making mistakes or skipping a beat can be daunting.
However, the more experience you gain, the easier it gets.
Plus, patient access professionals can go home every night knowing they are helping the sick and injured back to wellness.
What is the biggest challenge of a Delaware patient access representative?
Since patient access representatives are front-end employees, data entry and coding are essential functions of the position.
However, some of the biggest challenges are centered around properly gathering
information.
For example, if an incapacitated patient enters the building, gathering the medical billing information can become complicated and consume significant time to get the required data.
What skills do the best Delaware patient access representatives possess?
Custom service is always the best skill a patient access professional can maintain.
Since you will be interacting with customers daily, remaining calm and helpful, answering their questions, and being professional is the best skill you can possess.
Also, you must be highly organized since you constantly multitask and pay great attention to detail.
Finally, this position demands accuracy since the data entered into the system must be correct.
