Enrollment specialists usually work at healthcare facilities such as hospitals and medical centers.
In order to hire one, a rigorous interview process is followed to ensure credibility, and suitability.
During the Healthcare Enrollment Specialist interview process, a candidate will be asked several questions to determine if they know the work inside out.
Specific questions may pertain to patient services as they relate to enrollment, such as how well-versed you are in providing the right kind of information, and how able you are to qualify patients for the enrollment process.
In addition, you will be judged on your ability to enter, update, and review data and records.
Apart from job-specific questions, you will be tested on your ability to handle issues and problems related to patients, records, and administrative oversight.
Here is a set of healthcare enrollment specialist interview questions and answers that you can go through to prepare:
Healthcare Enrollment Specialist Interview Questions and Answers
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
5 years ago, I started out as an intern in the enrollment department of a hospital. Within 6 months, I was promoted to the position of an enrollment officer. And I have been working in a specialist position for 3 years now. I find the work interesting, and I am quite an expert at it.
2. What specific duties have you performed in this role?
As an enrollment specialist, I have performed many duties, such as answering patients’ and family members’ questions, collecting information, and qualifying prospects. Also, I have been involved in ensuring that applications are completed accurately. Moreover, my work involves ensuring that supporting materials are provided on time. In addition, my work includes providing guidance and recommendations to applicants, and assisting them with their applications.
3. What skills do you possess which make you an excellent person to hire as an enrollment specialist?
I am extremely competent at my work. Specifically, I am well-versed in obtaining accurate information, and correctly posting it into the system. Furthermore, my skills include proactively monitoring assigned files, and understanding errors so that they can be corrected immediately. In addition to this, I am able to run data, and ensure that insurance information is properly collated, and verified on time.
4. What do you like most about this work?
I love working in enrollment primarily because of how busy I remain. There is so much to learn and do, which is just the way I like work to be.
5. What do you dislike about this work?
I do not usually have the time or opportunity to dislike a particular area of enrollment work. I work in an organized manner, which leaves no space for anything except solid work processes.
6. What is the most difficult part of working as an enrollment specialist?
I believe that the most challenging part of working as an enrollment specialist is coordinating with insurance companies. But then, challenges are not something that I shy away from.
7. What is your method of working on extremely busy days?
Since I am an inherently organized individual, too much work in a day is actually quite a welcoming thought for me. I organize my tasks perfectly, and even leave some time in-between to ensure that additional tasks can be accommodated.
8. How do you maintain a high level of accuracy in your work?
I am an extremely systematized individual. Making sure that I check and recheck my work constantly is all in a day’s work for me. And that is how I maintain accuracy in my work.
9. Are you technically savvy?
Yes, I am well-versed in operating a wide array of systems and programs. And I am competent in using and maintaining databases specific to the healthcare industry.
10. How would you communicate with a patient or a family member that is not suitable for services that the hospital offers?
This situation is not usually prevalent. But on the odd occasion that I have come across such an incident, I have made sure to calmly and clearly inform patients and family members that they are not suitable for service. Providing them with reference information helps too.
11. Are you willing to work on a shift system?
I am presently working on a shift system, and have no issues with it.
12. Why do you think that you are the right person for this job?
I am an experienced enrollment specialist, who has a great knowledge of how the healthcare enrollment system works. I believe that the mix of experience and skill that I offer is an excellent reason to hire me.
13. What is your greatest strength?
My greatest strength is my ability to work on rotating shifts, without compromising on the quality of services that I provide.
14. What is your biggest weakness?
My biggest weakness is my efficiency. I say this because I tend to go overboard where my work is concerned, which leaves me little or no time for myself.
15. What motivates you?
I am motivated by well-placed systems. The fact that my efficiency can be doubled if the system is properly handled makes it easy to motivate me.
16. What are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about giving the best possible services to patients, and their families.
17. What do you like most about your current position?
I love the challenges that are prevalent in my present position. There is a lot to do, and I love the fact that I never sit idle.
18. What you dislike most about your current position?
I wouldn’t mind if they reorganized the patient database system, as I feel that it hinders efficiency.
19. How do you handle stress?
I can handle stress very well. For me, a stressful situation just means another opportunity to show my best side.
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?
Recently, I handled enrollment procedures for 100+ patients in one day, during a time when a huge percentage of the enrollment staff was not available.
21. What is your ideal work environment?
My ideal work environment is one in which there is no micromanagement.
22. Tell me of a time when you handled a stressful situation with great competence.
A patient had come in for enrollment into an aesthetics program –a nose job to be specific. Since cosmetology is not a priority at my present place of work if there is another patient needing immediate medical care, I asked her politely to let me enroll another patient. She got extremely angry and threatened to report me if I did not register her immediately. Both my training and experience dictated that I needed to calm her down, which I did by explaining the position of the other patient. Initially, it was difficult to handle, but 10 minutes into the conversation, she realized what was a priority. And we didn’t lose her as a patient either.
23. Why do you want to work for us specifically?
I have heard great things about the way you handle patient enrollment services and would like to contribute as part of your facility.
24. When have you been most satisfied with your work?
I am satisfied with my work every single day. I work hard, so job work satisfaction is a constant for me.
25. What was your biggest failure, and how did you deal with it?
I do not have a failure story to tell pertaining to my work as an enrollment specialist. However, I did start a home-based ecommerce business once, which nose-dived. While I was initially upset about this failure, I soon realized that it is all part and parcel of the business game. After moping about it for 3 days, I jumped back and decided to move on.
26. How do you handle adversity at the workplace?
I am an extremely calm individual. So, when an adverse situation takes place, I either do not become part of it or try to resolve it in as simple a manner possible.
27. Tell me of a time when you went well beyond the call of duty.
I have worked on 3 back to back shifts recently. 5 other members of my team were down with the flu, so I had no choice but to do this. It was tiring to say the least, but I got my work done.
28. Tell me a little about your educational background?
I have a degree in healthcare, from one of the best universities in the country. Apart from this, I possess 5 healthcare training certificates.
29. What are your interests when you are not working?
I love camping. Whenever I have the chance, I make sure that I go on a solo camping trip to the woods.
30. If we hire you, when can you join us?
The facility where I work has a strict 60-days’ notice policy, which I have to abide by. Once I hand in my notice, I can join you within 2 months.
31. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
While I love what I am doing right now, I would like to eventually climb the ladder to the position of an enrollment director.
32. Do you have any questions for me?
I would love to know more about your patient enrollment procedures.