Scheduling Coordinator - Liver Acquisition - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Non-Exempt) (Union)

The Scheduling Coordinator schedules patient appointment/follow ups and/or surgeries as appropriate in the assigned unit/clinic. He/She closely monitors patients throughout various phases to assure completion of required testing and services, validating financial clearance for services being scheduled, providing stellar customer service when interfacing with patients in person and over the phone to establish appointments, alerting clinicians when patient testing is complete or when patients are non-compliant in completing medical services, coordinating collection of testing results and provider notes, coordinating care with ancillary departments as needed. . Obtains authorizations and pre-authorization for services to be rendered. Schedules ancillary appointments as necessary for patients. Ensures patient charts are prepared prior to appointments/follow up and/or surgery including x-rays and pertinent lab work. Makes arrangements for any special equipment as needed. Reviews and codes charge slips for patient care services and/or surgical services rendered. Maintains files and records, including supporting documentation for insurance claims. Maintains master appointment/surgery calendar for physician(s). Oversees equipment and office supply inventory. Reads all incoming mail, prioritizing and distributing as appropriate. The Scheduling Coordinator acts as a liaison with other departments and physician office staff and arranges for all necessary support services and equipment needed for a case.

The scheduling coordinator fulfills a variety of roles to provide continuity of care for patients. The scheduling coordinator is an essential component of the transplant team and works in conjunction with clinical, financial and data management colleagues to assure patients are scheduled and authorized for services in a timely and efficient manner to minimize scheduling complications and coordinate services with the least amount of visits to Keck Medical Center. Duties include: closely monitoring patients throughout various transplant phases to assure completion of required testing and services, validating financial clearance for services being scheduled, providing stellar customer service when interfacing with patients in person and over the phone to establish appointments, alerting clinicians when patient testing is complete or when patients are non-compliant in completing medical services, coordinating collection of testing results and provider notes, coordinating care with ancillary departments as needed.

The scheduling coordinator is also expected to problem-solve in real time and provide appropriate direction and support to patients and staff as they relate to appointment scheduling and monitoring the completion of requested/required services. The scheduling coordinator will participate in team meetings and discussions related to complex cases, advancing operational throughput and process improvement to benefit patient care. S/he should possess analytic skills and be able to evaluate/analyze information, patient charts and physician notes to effectively schedule patient care and convey/communicate outcomes as needed to others. S/he should have excellent verbal and written skills and an ability to easily learn hospital and transplant IT systems as they relate to scheduling and record retrieval. The scheduling coordinator acts as the non-clinical patient care coordinator to assure patients are being effectively cared for, and managed, to be compliant with transplant requirements and physician-directed care. Bilingual fluency is strongly preferred.

Essential Duties:

• Follows all HIPAA related compliance by keeping patient clinical/personal information private. This includes, but is not limited to: Confirming a minimum of two patient identifiers prior to discussions with patients and staff, sending written or electronic communications and/or entering new information into electronic systems or paper charts. Prior to speaking with any patient representatives confirm the representative is noted in the EMR, or transplant EMR, to receive HIPAA related information. If a HIPAA violation occurs, communicating immediately with a supervisor, quality department representative and entering the violation into the risk management system.
• Acts as a business professional in interaction and appearance by providing superior customer service when interfacing with patients, peers, physicians, superiors and hospital personnel/leadership. Represents the transplant department in a positive and proactive way to others when discussing role and duties.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of the transplant process and the role of the scheduling coordinator to assist and guide patient care through the various phases of transplant, including, but not limited to: oversight of timely scheduling based on clinical needs, escalating acute medical information and issues to appropriate staff when notified verbally or in writing by a patient, family member or outside medical facility, following up per established individual/team metrics with patients and clinical staff so patient care is not delayed/stalled; acting as the non-clinical patient care coordinator to assure patients complete testing and physician-directed care within established programmatic guidelines; maintaining an ability to problem-solve and self-navigate workload, and throughput, to maximum efficiency and productivity without errors/mistakes.
• Maintains advanced proficiency of the electronic scheduling systems and ancillary scheduling duties with less than 5% inaccuracy when scheduling patient appointments. When scheduling patient appointments, verbally confirms with patient and/or patient representative and/or ancillary departments the following information: verifies patient demographics; confirms patient understanding of specific appointment date, time, location; confirms active authorization available for scheduled appointment date; confirms/assigns appropriate insurance registration (particularly Medicare when applicable), enters appointment into the scheduling database; verifies clinical orders are in place prior to appointment.
• Provides follow-up appointment call to patients three days prior to appointment. Reviews complete clinic schedule the day prior and validates all patients have been confirmed. Ensures clinic physician schedules maximize utilization and coordinates appropriately with the outpatient clinical team. If a patient is added, or eliminated, last-minute from the schedule, provides additional communication to clinic staff and patient to ensure smooth patient experience the day of the appointment.
• Establishes a sense of comradery among peers and with supervisor/lead schedulers to facilitate teamwork with others and throughout the department. Works well with others to problem-solve, provide coverage when necessary and assist clinical and non-clinical staff during acute and unforeseen circumstances to advance patient care.
• Maintains intermediate knowledge of OPTN/UNOS policies and timetables, and the role of CMS, in transplant as they related to duties and responsibilities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Req High school or equivalent
• Req Demonstrate excellent customer service behavior.
• Req Ability to become proficient in EMR and various IT systems required.
• Req Demonstrated ability to problem-solve and provide effective resolution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pref Associate's degree Associates or Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• Pref Specialized/technical training Graduate from an accredited Medical Assistant Program. (*Preferred for Transplant units)
• Pref Experience in the medical field, including scheduling and transplant
• Pref Bilingual strongly preferred; if bilingual certified department translator strongly preferred.
• Pref Content knowledge of medical terminology and transplant process preferred.

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

The hourly rate range for this position is $22.00 - $37.40. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, .education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.