28 Feb We must admit that we couldn’t do it without them!
From L-R: Harney District Hospital Admitting Clerks Charlene Cate, Lisa Rader, Kaitlin Klawitter, Brittany Slocum, and Liz Voegtly. Not pictured, but sincerely appreciated, are Admitting Clerk Rhonda Gunderson and Manager Pennie Peasley.
Harney District Hospital’s (HDH’s) friendly and professional admitting staff are an enormous asset to our organization. They are some of the first faces that patients see when they arrive at the hospital, and they help define the patient’s entire experience moving forward.
“We are at the front line of all incoming patients,” HDH Admitting Clerk Charlene Cate said. “Being some of the first employees to greet/check in the patient, we can set the tone for a good patient experience.”
Even in the face of an emergency, trauma, or severe illness, admitting staff must stay cool and collected to help keep patients (and their families) calm.
Although they’re charged with keeping calm, the admitting team must also remain vigilant. Staff must stay aware of their surroundings and be ready to call a code whenever necessary.
“Admitting has a huge responsibility,” Manager Pennie Peasley said. “If they miss a step, it affects all other processes in regards to a patient, whether it be billing or flow of treatment.”
In fact, a number of essential activities occur when a patient checks in at the admitting desk.
Perhaps chief among them is collecting critical information, such as the patient’s name, date of birth, and demographic information. Cate emphasized the importance of entering this information into the computer system quickly and accurately so that clinical staff can begin attending to the patient’s needs as soon as possible. When necessary, admitting staff also assist with patient care by calling doctors’ offices to obtain patient orders.
All patients must check in at the admitting desk before visiting any of the hospital’s outpatient departments. But the interaction doesn’t end there. Admitting staff continue to guide patients throughout their visit, ensuring they reach necessary departments and/or receive needed tests in a timely manner.
In addition to directing patients, admitting staff direct calls. They are responsible for answering the hospital’s main phone line and ensuring that callers are connected to the correct person or department.
And if all that isn’t enough, the admitting team also handles a considerable amount of paperwork! In addition to helping patients fill out forms, they ensure patients receive a number of important notices.
But wait…There’s more! The admitting team is also tasked with taking patient payments and balancing the cash drawer daily. They also verifying that patients’ insurance is valid and call companies to obtain preauthorization and inform them when a patient is admitted into the hospital.
That’s quite a lot for a day’s work!
Please join us in recognizing and thanking the HDH Admitting Department for seamlessly juggling an array of complicated tasks while providing quality, compassionate care for our community. We must admit that the hospital couldn’t function without these outstanding professionals!
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