CEENTA Career Talk: The friendly faces at the front desk

When patients arrive at CEENTA, the first person they usually see is the patient representative at the front desk. Doctor visits can be stressful, especially when people are sick, so patient representatives have to be ready to answer their questions while being sympathetic to their concerns. This makes it a great job for people who love to work with people, like Patient Representative Sandy Vlahos.

What are some of the daily tasks of a patient representative?

Ms. Vlahos checks patients in and out, answers phones, checks faxes, schedules appointments, calls patients to reschedule them when necessary, and performs general customer service.

Not only does effective and efficient front desk work mean patients don’t have to wait longer than necessary before their appointments, but it helps keep the doctors on schedule, too.

Teamwork is always important when working the front desk. There is a lot to know about CEENTA, insurance, and the medical industry in general, and the great team environment means not having to worry if someone doesn’t know everything.

“We all help each other,” Ms. Vlahos said. “One person learns one thing and another person learns another and we all help each other.”

When did you join CEENTA as a patient representative?

Ms. Vlahos started with CEENTA in 2000 after leaving the banking industry. While she didn’t know anything about the medical field when she started, CEENTA was a great environment for on-the-job learning.

“I learned everything on the job,” Ms. Vlahos said. “I like to learn, so the more I learn the better off I’ll be.”

Ms. Vlahos started on the front desk in the posting department in CEENTA’s old Third Street location. From there she moved to CEENTA’s Pineville office. While she was a full-time employee when she started, she switched to part-time after her children were born. After working as a “floater” – going to different offices on an as-needed basis – she was eventually placed in SouthPark permanently.

CEENTA has been a great place to be a working parent, she said.

“The company has been very accommodating, helpful, and understanding about having a family and children,” she said.

What is it like having a front desk job in Charlotte?

A Charlotte native, Ms. Vlahos loves living here and encourages others to do so.

“It’s a growing city with lots of opportunities,” she said. “There’s great weather, good economic growth, and it’s great for a growing family.”

Not only does Ms. Vlahos see herself staying in Charlotte for a while, but she has no plans to leave CEENTA, either.

“They’ll probably have to kick me out of here,” she said.

Visit our Careers page for a complete list of our open positions or to join CEENTA’s Talent Community.