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What Is an Urgent Care Receptionist and How to Become One


What Does an Urgent Care Receptionist Do?

As an urgent care receptionist, you answer calls and greet patients at an urgent care clinic or a medical facility that offers after-hours services. Your primary duties include checking patients into the clinic, scheduling appointments, and answering questions. You also have insurance verification responsibilities, which involve checking insurance cards and contacting insurance providers to verify coverage if necessary. In most facilities, you document patient information on a computer and calculate and process co-payments. You also give forms and medical questionnaires to patients and collect the necessary information about their visit.

How to Become an Urgent Care Receptionist

The qualifications to become an urgent care receptionist include a high school diploma, communication and interpersonal skills, and basic computer proficiency. Since you typically process patients as they arrive, you need a fundamental knowledge of medical terminology to initially assess the reason for their visit. Some employers also prefer applicants who know about medical coding and billing. Additionally, since you record health information about patients, you need to know the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Additionally, you need to know about different types of health insurance and the procedures for verifying insurance coverage.