Melissa Torres
Palmdale
Summary
Seeking a position with opportunities to grow within the Respiratory Care department. Looking to add a career in Respiratory care, in which I can grow in critical care and deliver the utmost care to the community of the Antelope Valley. Strong willed, hard working and reliable with an emphasis on communication in which I will apply to my career on a daily basis. Looking to contribute to a high performing healthcare team. Current registration representative with 16+ years in acute care settings, experienced in admissions verification, insurance authorization, and patient safety processes. Skilled at matching clinical documentation and coding to payer requirements to reduce delays and denials while maintaining accurate electronic records.
Overview
1
1
Certification
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Admitting Representative
Antelope Valley Medical Center
LANCASTER
04.2015 - Current
- Verified patient insurance eligibility and benefits at check-in, reducing claim denials and delays.
- Collected and entered accurate patient demographics into Cerner for admissions and procedure scheduling.
- Prepared and distributed signed consent forms and identification wristbands to maintain patient safety compliance.
- Verified identity and matched patient records in Cerner before admission to prevent duplicate chart creation.
- Trained new oncoming staff.
Insurance Verification Specialist
Palmdale Regional Medical Center
PALMDALE
12.2010 - 04.2015
- Verified insurance Secured outpatient prior authorizations for scheduled procedures, reducing delays in surgical scheduling.
- Reviewed medical records and matched CPT/ICD codes with insurer policy to prevent claim denials.
- Contacted payers by phone and fax to obtain authorizations, reducing scheduling hold times for patients.
- Trained registration staff on authorization policies and documentation, lowering subsequent denial rates.
Education
Associates degree - Respiratory Care
Antelope Valley College
LANCASTER06-2026
Skills
- Critical Thinking, Hard worker, Reliable, Attention to Detail, Team Player, Medical Terminology, Data Entry, Problem Solving, Time Management, Customer Service, Adaptability, Quality Assurance
Certification
- Respiratory Care Practioner, National Board For Respiratory Care
- BLS, American Heart Association
- ACLS, American Heart Association
- PALS, American Heart Association
Clinical Sites
- Antelope Valley Medical Center 2025-2026
Completed clinical hours in Telemetry, PCU, Med/Surg, CCU, ER and NICU
- Palmdale Regional Medical Center 2025-2026
Completed clinical hours in Telemetry, PCU, Med/Surge, ICU and ER
Timeline
Admitting Representative
Antelope Valley Medical Center
04.2015 - Current
Insurance Verification Specialist
Palmdale Regional Medical Center
12.2010 - 04.2015
Associates degree - Respiratory Care
Antelope Valley College