Referral Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Referral Assistant, under the guidance of the Referral Coordinator, will be responsible for coordinating and tracking patient’s referrals to other service providers, when the patient’s needs are beyond the scope of practice for our primary care providers.  The Referral Assistant appropriately and efficiently gathers needed information and arranges external specialty services for established patients and internal referrals as appropriate.  The Referral Assistant works closely with the Providers and Clinic Managers to evaluate patient satisfaction and outcomes of care and to provide coordination of services for patients of all ages within an integrated health care delivery system.    Promote a friendly environment by creating an atmosphere in which our patients feel safe, secure and empowered in the decision making processes concerning their health care.

POSITION-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Coordinate referrals from designated primary care providers for specialty and ancillary care in a timely manner, prioritizing the referrals according to defined levels of urgency, scheduling patient appointments as necessary and communicating referral information to patients.
• Performs referral follow-up within established time parameters as outlined in referral tracking protocols.
• Maintain ongoing tracking and appropriate documentation on referrals to promote team awareness and ensure patient safety.
• Assemble information concerning patient's clinical background and referral needs. Per referral guidelines, provide appropriate clinical information to specialist.
• Serves as liaison between Primary Health Care and community service providers.  Establish and maintain relationships with identified service providers.
• Demonstrate respect for the privacy and confidentiality of patient’s protected health information.
• Ensure consultation/specialty reports, are received from the consulting provider to ensure continuity of care.
• Follow-up with patients that no-show for referral appointments, per established guidelines.
• Monthly reporting of referral activities.
• Performs all duties in compliance with all federal and state regulations.
• Serve as a positive, enthusiastic, professional, and proactive member of the Health Care Home team.
• Other duties as assigned

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum 1-year experience in medical scheduling or reception.
• Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
• Familiarity with an Electronic Practice Management (EPM) and/ or Electronic Health Record (EHR).
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and excellent communication skills both written and verbal, as well as, exhibiting strong organizational skills and work ethic.
• Demonstrates a professional demeanor when responding to patients/customers.
• Hearing - must be able to respond to telephone calls and face to face interactions. Near vision - to type on computer.
• Hours of Work: Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30. Expect to work 40 hours a week. Over-time is not encouraged.
• Travel: Some travel may be required, when participating in outreach events.  
• Exposure: The exposure characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. For example, while performing the essential functions of this job, the employee rarely is exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals. Additionally, the employee may occasionally be exposed to bloodborne and other hazardous chemicals. Finally, the noise level in the work environment can rarely be quite loud. In all cases personal protective equipment will be provided to the employee in combination with adequate ventilation and other engineering controls to minimize the risk of exposure or other hazardous occurrence.
• Physical: Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with special challenges to perform these essential functions