Position: Referral Specialist
Reports to: Practice Manager and Providers
Job Summary: Under the direction the Providers or Office Manager, performs and coordinates all aspects of the patient referral process, adhering to established timelines and departmental procedures. Referral Specialist will carry out all activities of patient referral services in a professional and confidential manner. This individual must be able to handle a complex work load that requires daily deadlines.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensures all medical records, referral forms, and required documentation are complete and submitted to the referral entity in a timely manner.
- Obtains authorizations needed for testing or referral.
- Responds to incoming telephone calls regarding pending referral, including timely response to voice mail messages.
- Ensure accurate timely communication with patients, providers, and other staff.
- Maintains an updated list of approved facilities/providers
- Coordinates all patient referrals at the request of the provider within 3-5 business days from when documentation is complete.
- Stat referrals will be completed before patient leaving office
- Urgent/Emergent referrals will be completed with 24hrs of order.
- Schedules all appointments, coordinating with the patients and the outside providers.
- Notifies patients of appointments and gives any pertinent instructions.
- Logs all patient referrals in the excel spread sheet
- Collaborates with the providers concerning problems encountered in referring the patient.
- Tracks/monitors all referrals to ensure that all are complete, completed is defined as the service was received or all communication attempts with specialist and/or patient have been exhausted yet the service was not completed.
- Data entry of referral into the EMR
- Sends all applicable data/information to the outside provider/facility where patient is being referred.
- Performs other Medical Assistant tasks as assigned by the Office Manager.
Education, Experience and Other Requirements
- High School diploma and completion of accredited CMA/RMA training.
- Three years' experience in medical clinic setting.
- Proficiency in working with EMR's
- Checking Office email at least once per work day since primary source of communication
- Good customer service skills
- ICD-10 experience/understanding
- Good understanding of medical terminology
- Microsoft Word/Excel experience
- Excellent telephone etiquette
- Excellent organizational skills.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT:
Ability to handle complex workload that requires meeting daily deadlines, detail oriented and well organized. Must be able to prioritize workload, make sound decisions and handle inherent stress.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS:
Ensures that own daily behavior reflects and meets the intent and expectation of the Mission Statement. Employees must be able to problem- solve for patients and visitors, have a positive attitude and be able to work together as an effective team. Must strive to greet patients and families by name, introduces self to new patients, and respects privacy and confidentiality at all times.
ACCIDENT OR HEALTH HAZARD:
Requires exposure to communicable disease and/or bodily fluids, toxic substance, medicinal preparation and other conditions common to a clinic environment. The tasks performed on the job produce exposure to injuries obtained in use of equipment, hazardous material or health hazards (communicable diseases) that could result in permanent or long –term illness or injury.
PHYSICAL DEMAND/ WORKING CONDITIONS:
Agreeable office environment, duties may include light to moderate exertion of manual effort in transporting materials, equipment, and /or transporting patients; long periods of time spent in the sitting position.
