Mercedes Gilchrist

Highly skilled Team Lead operations professional with experience streamlining patient registration workflows, reducing registration wait times, and improving overall patient flow. Adept at supervising and training teams of 6-8 Patient Access Specialists, balancing workloads, and ensuring adherence to organizational policies, HIPAA regulations, and regulatory standards such as CMS and the Joint Commission. Demonstrates strong leadership and communication skills by overseeing daily workflows, assigning duties, representing management, and serving as a key liaison between staff and cross-departmental partners. Proven ability to investigate and resolve departmental issues—such as insurance verification inaccuracies, billing denials, and workflow bottlenecks—by implementing quality improvements, correcting Epic work-queues, daily audits, and ensuring accurate coverage and eligibility checks. Experienced in training new employees to adapt quickly to the fast-paced ER. Also, calculating patient financial obligations such as deductibles, co-payments, and insurance coverage for requested services. Maintains high accuracy in completing daily cash drawer balances, assists patients with financial assistance processes, and can consistently adapts to new technologies and software while remaining calm and effective under pressure.

Experienced Patient Access Service Representative with a solid background in ER operations, patient intake, and coordinated care support. Skilled in streamlining admissions through accurate collection of demographic and medical information, insurance verification, and complete, compliant documentation for efficient billing. Known for maintaining smooth patient flow by clearly communicating essential details to registrars, nurses, and clinical staff to support timely care transitions. Brings professionalism, empathy, and a patient-centered approach while serving as a dependable liaison between administrative teams, healthcare providers, and patients. Recognized for fostering a positive, team-oriented environment and delivering clear communication that enhances both patient experience and operational performance.

As a Patient Access Representative in an outpatient doctor’s office, I handled all patient registration, arrival, and check-in processes while streamlining appointment scheduling to enhance the patient experience and boost daily appointment capacity. I delivered prompt, professional customer service both in person and over the phone, supporting the needs of patients and clinical staff. My responsibilities included calculating patient financial obligations such as deductibles, co-payments, and insurance coverage for requested services. I also managed the master provider calendar, scheduling appointments according to clinician availability and optimal patient flow.

Experienced 911 Call Taker skilled in handling emergency and administrative calls, determining appropriate Public Safety responses, and accurately entering and updating information in the CAD system. Works closely with communication officers to relay critical details and properly processes GCIC/NCIC data in accordance with Georgia law. Demonstrates strong crisis-intervention and calming abilities, excellent written and verbal communication, and effective multitasking under pressure. Maintains and inspects communications equipment, applies knowledge of governmental operations and procedures, and consistently performs independently while delivering high-quality customer service.