Cancer Center Patient/Family Assistant

Texas Children's Medical Center•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We’re searching for a Cancer Center Patient/Family Assistant, someone who works well in a fast-paced setting. In this position, you’ll provide administrative support for delivery of patient and family services within the Cancer and Hematology Centers, including requests for patient and family assistance and coordination of patient and family programming such as wish-granting or special events. You’ll communicate effectively with patients, families, visitors, and internal teams to support access to assistance programs, psychosocial resources, and community partners while helping maintain an organized, customer-focused environment.

Requirements

H.S. Diploma or equivalent required
2 years' experience in a healthcare environment (administrative support or secretarial services; working with patients and families in a healthcare environment) required

Nice To Haves

Associate's degree in human development and family studies, social work, business or a healthcare-related field preferred
2 years' experience in a pediatric healthcare environment (administrative support or secretarial services; working with patients and families in a healthcare environment) preferred

Responsibilities

Coordinates communications such as phone calls, pages, and faxes in a friendly, professional, and timely manner
Welcomes and interacts with patients, families, and visitors in a professional, timely, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive manner
Responds to questions with prompt information and service related to transportation systems, requests for assistance, patient and family programming and events, or unanticipated challenges while remaining culturally sensitive
Proactively approaches dissatisfied families and implements service recovery measures
Assists patients and families, when requested, in the completion of forms and documents
Ensures interpreter services are available for patients and families as needed
Engages transportation management or similar entities, at the direction of departmental personnel, to assist patients and families in securing appropriate food and lodging assistance from their insurance provider
Communicates with departmental personnel and patients and families when requests have been submitted and processed within one business day of completing the request
Maintains an organized filing system of referrals and serves as a resource regarding managed care questions relating to transportation and assistance programs
Prepares confidential requests for patient and family financial assistance at the direction of departmental personnel, utilizing appropriate computer applications and processing card and check requests in accordance with established policies and procedures
Ensures required documentation is provided and completed prior to processing assistance requests and maintains prescribed records for those requests
Prepares confidential requests for patient and family psychosocial support letters at the direction of departmental personnel, utilizing appropriate computer applications and processing letters for services such as homebound school services and wish-granting programs in accordance with established policies and procedures
Maintains records related to psychosocial assistance requests and communicates with departmental personnel and patients and families when requests have been submitted and processed within one business day of completing the request
Completes special projects as required within established timelines
Provides basic office support including ordering and maintaining office and clinic supplies, maintaining office equipment, managing correspondence, copying, faxing, mailing, and filing documents, and collecting and distributing mail
Participates, as directed, in performance improvement activities by collecting data, developing annual goals, coordinating improvement projects, and taking part in action planning processes
Attends staff meetings, continuing education workshops, in-services, and quality improvement activities such as committees, teams, and task forces
Ensures a proper environment of care by observing and enforcing infection control policies, promoting safety through written and verbal communication with patients and staff, and communicating with facilities, cleaning services, and other needed services
Performs department-specific customer service functions including daily engagement with patients and families, striving to minimize complaints
Performs other duties in accordance with written policies and procedures as assigned by management within specified time frames
Notifies departmental personnel regarding issues, scheduled changes for departmental meetings, and other information related to coordination of departmental activities
Collaborates with co-workers to monitor workloads and accept assignments and reassignments as indicated, including providing lunch, break, and sick or vacation coverage as needed