Patient Coordinator – Operator in Call Center

OVERVIEW:  

Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and document calls in patient’s electronic medical records. Ensures that patients requiring an appointment are appropriately scheduled.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Operate multi-line telephone system to greet callers, identify caller needs and triage calls appropriately. 
• Uses customer service principles and techniques to deal with patients calmly and pleasantly.
• Uses manual/computerized system to match physician/clinician availability with patient’s preferences in terms of date and time.
• Document precise and accurate phone messages in existing patient’s electronic medical records.  Potential new patient messages must be documented to be scanned into chart when created.
• Communicates as needed with physicians/clinicians and other staff about any patient concerns/issues related to scheduling. Consult with Office Manager about any system problems and/or patient complaints.
• Confirms appointments.
• Make sure you request transfer phones to answering service for non-service hours and give instructions for reaching the on-call physician to the Office Manager and Practice Administrator.
• Check service for messages, document messages and respond promptly before end of morning for all messages from prior day.
• Cancel, move, and reschedule appointments as needed or assigned.
• Track certain missed appointments as needed or assigned.
• Call patients that have submitted a fax request or email request for appointment and schedule accordingly.
• All self-pay patients calling for appointment will require a GFE to be sent to the patient’s email or fax which needs to be prior to the appointment.
• Insured patients will be required to provide all necessary information in order to check insurance eligibility, need for referral or authorization of services prior to check in on appointment date.
• Appointments made within 2 days of schedule appointment require and email to the referral/authorization patient coordinator to avoid delays or rescheduling upon patient’s arrival.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

There are no supervisory responsibilities for this position.

COMPETENCIES – To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Intellectual

• Demonstrates attention to detail.
• Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner.
• Works well in group problem solving situations.
• Assesses own strengths and weaknesses.
• Pursues training and development opportunities.
• Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills.
• Shares expertise with others.

Interpersonal

• Manages difficult or emotional customer situations.
• Responds promptly to customer needs.
• Responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Meets commitments.
• Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Listens to others without interrupting.
• Keeps emotions under control.
• Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations.
• Listens and gets clarification.
• Responds well to questions.
• Writes clearly and informatively.
• Able to read and interpret written information.

Leadership

• Accepts feedback from others.
• Provides vision and inspiration to peers and subordinates.
• Gives appropriate recognition to others.
• Displays passion and optimism.
• Mobilizes others to fulfill the vision.
• Looks for ways to improve and promote quality.
• Displays passion and optimism.

Organization

• Treats people with respect.
• Keeps commitments.
• Works with integrity and ethically.
• Upholds organizational values.
• Follows policies and procedures.

Self-Management

• Adapts to changes in the work environment.
• Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Is consistently at work and on time.
• Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent.
• Follows instructions, responds to management direction.
• Takes responsibility for own actions.
• Seeks increased responsibilities.
• Asks for and offers help when needed.
• Exhibits sound and accurate judgment.
• Supports and explains reasoning for decisions.
• Observes safety and security procedures.
• Uses equipment and materials properly.

Language, Math and Reasoning  

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos.  Ability to write simple correspondence.  Ability to effectively present information in on and one and small group situations to customers, clients and other employees of the organization.
• Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s.  Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurements, volume and distance. 
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but involved written or oral instructions.  Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and TRAINING: 

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Excellent telephone and communication skills.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: 

• There are no specific requirements for this position.

COMPUTER SKILLS:

• Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment.
• Word processing software.
• Spreadsheet software.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS – The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee must occasionally lift and /or move up to 10 pounds. 
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel and talk or hear.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands or arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

VISION REQUIREMENTS:

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.

WORK ENVIRONMENT – The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• This position works in an environment with moderate noise level. (Examples: business office with computers and printers, light traffic.)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note: Nothing in this job specification restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.  The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.