Patient Access, Travel & Health Information Specialist

Yakutat Tlingit Tribe • Yakutat, AK

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Access, Travel & Health Information Specialist provides centralized support for patient scheduling, medical records, referrals, and patient medical travel coordination at Yakutat Community Health Center (YCHC). This position serves as an important point of contact for patients and works closely with clinical staff, Purchased/Referred Care (PRC), outside healthcare facilities, travel vendors, and other departments to help ensure patients can access needed healthcare services in a timely and coordinated manner.
The position is responsible for maintaining accurate and confidential patient health information, coordinating appointments and provider schedules, processing medical records requests, and assisting eligible patients with medical travel arrangements in accordance with YCHC, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, Indian Health Service, HIPAA, PRC, and applicable federal and state requirements.
This position requires strong organization, confidentiality, attention to detail, customer service, and the ability to manage multiple time-sensitive responsibilities.
This position requires compliance with Health Center’s compliance standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures. Such compliance will be an element considered as part of the position’s regular performance evaluation.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience on a year-for-year basis.
• Possession or ability to readily obtain a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Alaska with a clean driving record.
• Must successfully pass a criminal history and background check.
• Must present vaccination documentation or submit to immunity testing for Tdap, hepatitis B, measles, varicella, and influenza within 3 months of hire.
• Knowledge of patient confidentiality and HIPAA requirements.
• Knowledge of computers and job-related software programs.
• Knowledge of customer service principles.
• Ability to provide compassionate, respectful, and culturally responsive patient service.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and time-sensitive requests in a rural healthcare environment.
• Ability to appropriately handle sensitive patient and medical information.
• Ability to coordinate complex travel arrangements and respond to unexpected changes.
• Ability to work collaboratively with healthcare providers, patients, outside facilities, airlines, hotels, government programs, and Tribal departments.
• Ability to learn and effectively use electronic health records, scheduling systems, travel systems, Microsoft Office, email, and other organizational technology.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and recognize when an issue requires clinical, supervisory, PRC, privacy, or administrative review.
• Ability to organize the multiple demands of the job.
• Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner; gather and analyze information skillfully; and develop alternative solutions.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to meet the organization’s needs/demands.
• Ability to work with personal computers and utilize a variety of software applications.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, using tact and sensitivity.
• Skilled in organizational and time-management skills.
• Skilled in excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Skilled in strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Skilled in oral and written communication.
• Skilled in problem solving, mediating and resolving disputes, and interpersonal relations.
• Skilled in problem solving, critical thinking, organization and time management.
• Skilled in maintenance of files and records.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Alaska rural healthcare systems, Tribal healthcare, IHS, PRC, Medicaid, and medical travel processes is preferred.
• Experience coordinating Alaska patient medical travel.
• Experience with Purchased/Referred Care or Indian Health Service programs.
• Experience with medical records or health information management.
• Experience scheduling healthcare appointments and coordinating referrals.
• Knowledge of Medicaid travel, ANMC, Alaska Native healthcare systems, and rural healthcare referral processes.
• Experience working with Alaska Native or Tribal communities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates patient appointments for primary care, specialty services, dental, behavioral health, and other YCHC services as assigned.
• Schedules, reschedules, and cancels appointments while maintaining accurate provider and clinic schedules.
• Communicates appointment information, preparation instructions, arrival times, and other relevant information to patients.
• Assists with coordinating internal and external referrals and follow-up appointments.
• Works closely with providers, nursing staff, specialty services, PRC, and other departments to support continuity of care.
• Monitors schedules for cancellations, openings, conflicts, and opportunities to improve patient access.
• Maintains accurate patient demographic, contact, insurance, and appointment information within the electronic health record.
• Supports appointment reminders and follow-up efforts for missed or overdue appointments.
• Provides professional, respectful, and culturally responsive customer service to patients and families.
• Coordinates authorized patient medical travel for eligible patients traveling outside of Yakutat for medically necessary services.
• Works with patients, providers, PRC staff, referral facilities, the ANMC Transfer Center, Tribal travel staff, airlines, hotels, ground transportation providers, and other entities as necessary.
• Confirms required medical appointments and supporting documentation before arranging travel.
• Coordinates airfare, lodging, ground transportation, escorts, and other approved travel arrangements in accordance with applicable policies and authorizations.
• Provides patients with clear travel itineraries, appointment information, responsibilities, and instructions.
• Assists patients with travel changes resulting from medical appointments, weather, flight interruptions, or other approved circumstances.
• Maintains accurate documentation of travel authorizations, itineraries, receipts, appointment verification, and related records.
• Works closely with PRC to ensure travel arrangements are consistent with eligibility, authorization, funding, and patient responsibility requirements.
• Assists with emergency and urgent medical travel coordination when appropriate while following established YCHC procedures and chains of communication.
• Tracks medical travel activity and assists with reconciliation, reporting, and documentation as required.
• Clearly communicates when expenses or travel arrangements are not authorized or are the responsibility of the patient.
• Protects patient confidentiality when communicating with travel vendors and releases only the minimum information necessary to coordinate approved travel.
• Maintains complete, accurate, secure, and confidential patient medical records in accordance with HIPAA, YCHC policies, and applicable federal and state requirements.
• Processes requests for release of medical information and verifies that appropriate authorization is obtained before records are released.
• Receives, scans, indexes, uploads, and appropriately files external medical records, consultation reports, laboratory results, imaging reports, hospital records, and other patient documentation.
• Ensures documents are accurately associated with the correct patient and appropriately routed to clinical staff when review or follow-up is required.
• Assists with obtaining outside medical records needed for continuity of care, referrals, specialty appointments, and medical travel.
• Reviews records for completeness and assists with correcting demographic, indexing, filing, or documentation discrepancies.
• Processes incoming and outgoing requests for medical records in a timely manner.
• Maintains release-of-information documentation and tracks disclosures when required.
• Responds appropriately to subpoenas, legal requests, insurance requests, disability requests, and other specialized records requests by routing them through established YCHC procedures.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of protected health information and follows minimum-necessary standards.
• Supports audits, chart reviews, records retention, and other health information management activities as assigned.
• Serves as a communication link between patients, clinical teams, PRC, specialty providers, referral facilities, and travel resources.
• Answers and routes telephone calls, messages, patient requests, and correspondence as appropriate.
• Documents patient communications and actions in the appropriate system when required.
• Maintains organized electronic and paper documentation in accordance with YCHC records-management practices.
• Assists with tracking referrals, appointments, travel, records requests, and other patient-access activities.
• Identifies delays or barriers affecting patient care and promptly communicates concerns through the appropriate chain of command.
• Participates in staff meetings, training, quality-improvement activities, and organizational initiatives.
• Works collaboratively with other YCHC departments to improve patient access, continuity of care, and the overall patient experience.
• Performs other duties as assigned consistent with the responsibilities and scope of the position.
• Performs related duties.
• This position has routine access to protected health information and confidential organizational information. The incumbent must maintain strict confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, YCHC privacy and security policies, applicable Tribal requirements, and federal and state confidentiality requirements.
• Access to patient information must be limited to information necessary to perform assigned job responsibilities. Unauthorized access, disclosure, or use of patient information may result in disciplinary action.

Benefits

• The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe is a drug free workplace. This position may be subject to random drug testing and criminal history check.
• Preference will be given to qualified Yakutat Tlingit Tribal Member and/or Alaska Native candidates.
• Native American preference will be applied to hiring of this position as defined in Title 25, US Code, Chapter 14, Subchapter V, Subsection 273 and 274. We are an equal opportunity employer with preference given to qualified Native American/Alaska Native applicants in accordance with Federal Law and Tribal Policy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree