Position Description: HMS, Project Specialist

This position is no longer open, but you are welcome to submit your information so that we have it on hand for future similar positions. Also, if you haven't already, please be sure to set up a notifier so you will be alerted when there are new positions that meet your criteria.

Opportunity Snapshot

This position offers you the opportunity to be part of the ground floor team launching a new program on contract with Massachusetts' Medicaid program and contribute in a fast-paced environment. As we ramp up this project we will welcome process improvement suggestions, giving you the chance to make an impact. If you're looking to advance your career in healthcare, this is a great place to do it: not only is Permedion a recognized leader in the assessment of healthcare services, but our parent corporation, Health Management Services (HMS), recently ranked #3 on Fortune's 2009 FSB 100 list of America's fastest growing small public companies.

You will join a team of Project Specialists tracking and driving a high volume of medical records through review processes, ensuring we meet deadlines and goals. To be a good fit for this opportunity you will have three to five years of administrative support experience, ideally in healthcare or legal environments. In addition to data entry experience, you'll need solid computer savvy and familiarity with database programs. We're looking for a professional with the interpersonal skills to interact diplomatically with nurses and physicians.

For 35 years Permedion, an HMS company, has provided external medical peer reviews and independent health care review services for government agencies and large health care providers. Permedion is accredited by URAC in both Independent Review and Utilization Management. Founded in 1985, HMS offers one of the broadest portfolios of service to help government-sponsored healthcare plans recover billions of dollars and save billions more through cost avoidance. While others are cutting back, HMS is growing: our 2008 revenues of $184 million were up more than 20% over 2007, and that rate of growth has persisted through the first half of 2009.

What Else You'll Bring to the Table

In addition to the qualifications detailed above, you'll need:

A high school diploma or general education degree (GED) with post-high school education or training in secretarial, clerical or business-related field and three to five years experience in a secretarial or administrative support position -- OR -- an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge in and successful application of database, word processing, and spreadsheet software.
A demonstrated ability to:
- Coordinate projects with multiple "moving" parts.
- Learn proprietary applications quickly.
- Type accurately at 65 words per minute (WPM) or faster.
- Manage multiple priorities and multi-level tasks effectively.
Outstanding organizational skills with a proven ability to pay close attention to detail.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred but not required:

An associate's or bachelor's degree.
Experience with clinical healthcare language.
Experience with programs related to the Medicare Modernization Act or Medicaid Management Information Systems.

What's in It for You

Professional development -- this is an ideal role whether you are looking for an opportunity to expand your career options or for a position in which you can make an important contribution for years to come. If you're new to healthcare you'll acquire valuable experience and knowledge, such as government contracting. Depending on your performance and aptitude, you might pursue a team lead role or other positions in our organization.

Great work environment -- throughout Permedion we maintain a congenial environment with a collaborative approach to achieving results. Teamwork will be essential for your success.

Clinical sophistication through continuous improvement -- our URAC accreditation requires that we maintain continuous organizational improvement processes, and we never stop learning and growing. This spirit has enabled us to achieve industry recognition for our expertise. For example, we are designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as one of eight Qualified Independent Contractors (QIC) in the US, meaning CMS acknowledges that we have the expertise and capabilities to perform appeals of Medicare claims between the carrier and Administrative Law Judge levels.

No signs of slowing -- Medicaid and Medicare budgets are growing (CMS predicts current Medicare/Medicaid spending levels to double by 2015) and, with billions of dollars at stake, there is a strong emphasis among policy leaders (and the voting public) on cost containment and payment accuracy. Permedion and HMS are taking advantage of this climate to drive solid growth. In addition to posting double-digit growth year over year since 2001, HMS is successfully expanding into new markets, including federal healthcare and managed care.

Excellent compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes all you would expect plus a few pleasant surprises, such as a 401(k) plan with generous employer match, flexible spending plans, and much more.

More About Your Role

On July 15, 2009 Permedion won the Massachusetts Acute Hospital Utilization Management Program contract with the University of Massachusetts, the agent administering the state's Medicaid program. In addition to the 30 professionals (Nurse Reviewers, Intake Coordinators, other Project Specialists, and more) coming on board in facilities in Charlestown, MA, the program will take advantage of support and resources from other areas of Permedion.

The program will consist of three teams led by the Managers of Admissions Screening, Physician Relations and Retrospective Review. You'll join the latter team and your mission will be to help ensure the review process moves forward smoothly and steadily. The team will review thousands of records each month that are sent to us from hospitals around the state. At any given time a hospital may send a couple of records or hundreds.

While we're still working out how the work will be divided among the Project Specialists (three full-time and one part-time), this group will track records throughout the review cycle, which includes logging receipt and entering the data, forwarding the records to a Nurse Reviewer and then ensuring the records come back on schedule, forwarding them to Physician Reviewer and ensuring they come back on schedule, and closing out the review. Your activities also will include data entry in our proprietary databases, generating letters to hospitals, and more.

Keys to Success

An important part of this role will be coordinating among others (such as physicians, nurses and coding specialists) to ensure they are completing their part of the process on time. You'll need to bring a collegial and supportive approach, including the ability to be diplomatically persuasive. In addition, in order to be an outstanding Project Specialist, you will:

Collaborate effectively with the other Project Specialists as well as with administrative professionals in other areas of Permedion.
Bring a deadline orientation and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Pay robust attention to the details but also grasp the big picture and how those details fit in.
Achieve your goals with minimal supervision, while keeping appropriate parties in the loop.
Be flexible as priorities change.
Remain open to learning new skills and processes.

If this sounds like the right mix of challenge and opportunity for you, and you meet the minimum qualifications, we want to hear from you!

Who We Are

Permedion provides external medical peer reviews and independent health care review services for government agencies and large health care providers, helping them control escalating health care costs while providing appropriate medical care. Our three primary areas of service are health care quality measurement and improvement, data analysis and management, and independent medical review.

With a unique combination of statistical and clinical expertise, Permedion works with government agencies, managed care organizations, and other payors to review, measure and improve health care quality. Our staff includes physicians, nurses, epidemiologists and data analysts, systems experts, and health administration experts. Our partners and customers include health plans, physician groups, government agencies, and professional associations.

Permedion is a wholly owned subsidiary of Health Management Systems, Inc. (HMS), providing clinical expertise to all HMS service lines. HMS is an industry leader in the coordination of program integrity and benefits services for government healthcare programs. Since 1985 HMS has focused exclusively on the healthcare industry and during that time we have partnered with more than 45 Medicaid agencies, other state health programs, and more than 50 government-sponsored healthcare plans to help them recover billions of dollars, and save billions more through cost avoidance. Our portfolio of services includes coordination of benefits for Medicaid-Medicare, third-party liability, and pharmacy services; overpayment recovery; provider audits; medical support enforcement; and more.

We are an equal opportunity employer. EOE M/F/D/V

	FROM
Your Name
Your Email
	TO
Your Friend's Name
Your Friend's Email
	MESSAGE
Email subject
Optional note to add
	Submitted Ajax Error

Your Name
Your Email
Your Message
	Submitted Ajax Error