PATIENT SCHEDULER- CASUAL

Job Summary/Overall Objectives

This position acts as an intermediary between the department and the customer to meet the customer's need for information, support, assistance and scheduling of outpatient rehabilitation services. The scheduler helps the organization and department understand customer's needs, expectations, or difficulties by creating positive relationships with the department, therapists, support staff, patients, their families, and referral sources. Using critical thinking skills, the employee will interact with customers to provide and process information in response to inquiries, concerns and requests about Independence Health System services using a vast arrangement of technical resources that will allow the department to maintain focus on the needs of our communities. The employee is ultimately responsible for creating an exemplary customer service experience that encourages ongoing relationship with the department and organization, while focusing on the patient's needs.

Essential Job Functions

• Schedules patient appointments for Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
• Possesses a knowledge of the Outpatient Rehabilitation Staff, including their specialties
• Maintains positive relationship with referral source and outpatient rehabilitation services support staff
• Answers calls quickly, efficiently and with a customer friendly approach
• Affords assistance to customers in finding a therapist, based upon their preferences, needs, and location
• Informs supervisor/manager for problematic situations and demonstrates ability to support recommendations/decisions
• Attempts to convert all therapy referrals into an office visit
• Schedules appointments appropriately using tools available
• Contact user departments to address special circumstances for scheduling
• Takes responsibility for asking for assistance when needed
• Follows chain of command
• Ensures communication with all patients/coworkers
• Interacts professionally with patient/patient representative for obtaining information
• Communicates with departments any add-on, or cancellations for same/next business day
• Demonstrates positive verbal communication skills, including active listening
• Able to maintain professional behavior in difficult situations
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication
• Supports performance improvement initiatives
• Aid in data collection
• Responsible for a number of statistical reports to determine the volume of calls and referrals coming through Centralized Scheduling in the Outpatient Rehabilitation Department

Informational Needs of Customers

• Provides patient with Department and system information to include locations, addresses, parking etc.
• Responds to customers inquiries
• Maintain working knowledge of department applications such as EMR, Allscripts, STAR, IDX, Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Registers scheduled patients
• Obtain patient prescription via Allscripts if available
• Verify insurance and obtain authorization if required, following insurance guidelines
• Verify information in EMR for accuracy
• Call patients to verify information as needed
• Pre-register scheduled patients within department/facility guidelines
• Notify department if information is needed from patient once they arrive for their scheduled appointment
• Able to perform necessary updates in patient record

Competency and Experience [Knowledge, Skills and Abilities]

• Required Qualifications/Experience: High School Diploma, GED or higher level of education. One (1) year of recent experience in patient access, scheduling, cash collections, insurance and/or precertification requirements or directly related experience in a hospital. Knowledge of medical terminology. Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice. Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience. Experience in customer service, telephone experience and Microsoft Office.
• Preferred Qualifications/Experience: Two (2) years’ experience of customer service and scheduling experience. Knowledge of third-party payer regulations and requirements. Previous clinic experience in outpatient rehabilitation services.