Communications Specialist

PHI Health•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

PHI Health is seeking a Communications Specialist to support its air medical transport operations. The role handles transport requests and communications across transport modalities, including assessing and triaging requests, communicating with crews and aircraft, and maintaining flight following during missions. It also coordinates domestic and international medical transports with aviation, medical, communications, requesting-agency, and other appropriate resources. The position documents patient and transport information, maintains accurate flight and ground transport records, and follows applicable FAA Part 135 requirements and PHI policies. The Communications Specialist also supports long-distance air medical transport quotations and related customer service and billing activities. This includes calculating quotes, explaining transport services, initiating billing processes, following up on quote status and accounts, identifying potential backhaul flight legs, and maintaining transplant patient files. The role is based in Phoenix, Arizona, on a 3-and-4 schedule. Required training includes PHI orientation and academy courses, a King County Emergency Medical Dispatcher certification program, and recurring training.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Computer literacy and working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel.
Ability to learn custom and other software programs.
Excellent customer-service skills.
Ability to remain calm under pressure, think clearly and logically, and make problem-solving decisions based on available information.
Ability to pass pre-placement drug screening and background screening.
Successful completion of the Communications Specialist Academy, PHI New Hire Orientation classes, PHI Destination Zero, and the King County Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certification Program.
Completion of yearly recurrent training courses as required, including HIPAA and Code of Conduct.

Nice To Haves

EMS and/or air medical communications experience.
Experience in public relations, customer service, marketing or sales, and/or healthcare billing and insurance.
Knowledge of medical terminology.

Responsibilities

Assess and triage incoming requests for transport and perform specialized communications for all transport modalities.
Communicate with medical and aviation crew members and aircraft using a multi-channel voting radio system.
Conduct flight following with aircraft during missions in accordance with FAA and PHI Air Medical policies.
Document accurate, detailed medical information about patient condition and transport activity.
Coordinate national and international medical transports with aviation, medical, and communications departments, requesting agencies, and other appropriate resources.
Enter flight and ground transport information into the network database, with regard to FAA Part 135 requirements and PHI policies and procedures.
Maintain working knowledge of applicable FAA Part 135 rules and regulations and comply with current policies and procedures.
Maintain positive relationships with referring and receiving facilities and pre-hospital agencies to support safe, coordinated, and timely assistance and transport.
Use good customer-service practices in performing job duties.
Notify administration personnel or appropriate agencies about incidents, accidents, or emergencies according to established procedures.
Attend designated departmental staff and continuing education meetings.
Receive requests for long-distance air medical transport quotes and calculate prices using software and the closest appropriate fixed-wing base.
Explain the services associated with long-distance air medical transports, including aircraft, medical crew, and ground ambulance arrangements.
Initiate front-end billing for quoted patient accounts and assist Patient Financial Services with account follow-up as needed.
Make daily outbound follow-up calls to requestors about quote status.
Attempt to identify and fill empty backhaul flight legs.
Keep transplant patient files current, including contact, hospital, and case-management information.
Complete other duties as required.