Emergency Transport Communication Specialist, Full Time, Nights, AFSCME-MC

UC Health•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

The Emergency Transport Communication Specialist is a member of UC Health’s transport team and works in the communications center. The specialist triages patients to the appropriate level of medical transport care; coordinates air and ground transport; communicates with ground and flight crews; tracks units and provides flight following; assists with quality improvement; helps plan day-to-day staffing and coordinate resources; and supports short- and long-term projects. The role works collaboratively to provide safe, high-quality, patient- and family-centered transport care and follows governing and regulatory standards, the aviation vendor’s operations manual, and Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations. The specialist screens transport requests, gathers and communicates relevant clinical and referral information, determines an appropriate transport response, and documents transport information using established systems. The position also supports emergency procedures, regional disaster ambulance coordination, operational staffing, customer service, and professional development. Work is full-time on nights.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 3 years of EMS or equivalent communications or dispatch experience.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
National Association of Air Medical Communication Specialist (NAACS) Certified Flight Communicator certification or equivalent course required within 2 years after hire.
Maintain job-specific licensures, certifications, and competencies as required.
Computer literacy and ability to reliably enter predetermined information into a computer-aided dispatch system.
Ability to communicate professionally and accurately with transport teams, healthcare providers, and other customers.
Knowledge or ability to maintain competence in medical transport operations, safety procedures, radio communications, weather interpretation, and navigation.

Nice To Haves

Associate's degree or bachelor's degree.
Five years of EMS or equivalent communications or dispatch experience preferred.
Current Ohio or National Registry EMT or Paramedic certification is strongly encouraged.

Responsibilities

Prioritize safety in transport communication and dispatch decisions, monitor transports using tracking systems, and communicate emergencies according to established protocols.
Maintain competence in medical and ground EMS radio frequencies, weather interpretation, navigation and GPS, emergency procedures, and applicable safety policies.
Keep the communications-center work area safe, clean, and organized, and conduct operations safely.
Receive and screen calls for air and ground medical transport, triage requests, determine the appropriate level of care, and dispatch the appropriate team.
Collect, document, and communicate complete and timely referral and patient information to transport teams and receiving facilities while following privacy and confidentiality requirements.
Track transport units, including air and ground teams and other listed vehicles, to support patient and crew safety.
Coordinate with referring and receiving providers, transport teams, the RN Coordinator when available, and other healthcare professionals to support appropriate resource utilization and meet patient transport needs.
Coordinate regional disaster ambulance distribution as the greater Cincinnati dispatch lead and assume net control from Hamilton County Communications during regional disasters.
Document transport data in real time using the computer-assisted dispatch system and participate in quality assurance and review.
Maintain computer literacy and competence with dispatching software and other relevant systems.
Follow aviation vendor operating requirements and applicable aviation and ground EMS rules, regulations, and safety standards; attend required vendor training.
Communicate with department leadership about operational needs and help ensure adequate staffing, including reviewing schedules and identifying coverage for open shifts.
Attend required meetings and education, read and respond to work communications, complete assigned projects, and maintain scheduling flexibility to cover department needs.
Demonstrate UC Health and department values and provide excellent service to patients, families, coworkers, and organizations requesting transport coordination.
Support customer service, marketing, and outreach initiatives for the program, hospital, and industry; use appropriate phone etiquette.
Stay current with medical transport standards, regulations, licensure, certifications, and competencies; complete assigned learning and training by due dates.
Educate healthcare professionals and other customers about the transport program and share knowledge and experience with peers, including serving as a preceptor when assigned.
Complete daily logs and review communication and pass-on books as described in the posting.