Patient Representative I

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute•South Shore, IL

About The Position

The Patient Representative (PR) is the first point of contact and a key part of patients’ experience and entry into Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Working in a call center environment with a supervisor and other Patient Representatives, the PR provides call center and administrative support for patient care through the Dana-Farber Welcome Center. The role supports multiple disease centers and serves as a primary triage point, connecting patients and referring providers with the appropriate teams. Patient contact is primarily by phone and may also occur in person, by written letter, or through the Partners Patient Gateway. The age population served depends on the assigned clinical area. The PR provides administrative support and coordination across aspects of patient care, answers general questions, and seeks to resolve requests in real time. When unable to resolve a question, the PR triages the issue to the appropriate disease center team or takes a detailed message. The role requires recognizing emergencies and responding according to standard operating procedures, providing information within the scope of knowledge and authority, and collaborating with disease center teams to support seamless coverage and task management. The PR also helps ensure quality clinical care and compliance with standard operating procedures and requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Ability to function as an integral member of a team.
Excellent communication, organizational, time-management, and customer-service skills.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to multitask and solve problems on the spot.
Excellent phone etiquette.
PC proficiency and ability to learn new software quickly.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Administrative and/or customer service experience strongly preferred.
Experience in a call center or phone service setting preferred.
Knowledge of medical terminology is a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the first point of contact and liaison for patients and referring providers by triaging calls and resolving questions when possible.
Provide administrative support and coordination for patient care, primarily by handling incoming telephone calls.
Triage issues, answer general questions, and aim to resolve requests in real time.
Refer unresolved questions to the appropriate disease center team or take a detailed message.
Recognize emergencies and respond using standard operating procedures and critical thinking skills.
Provide general Institute, disease-specific, or program-specific information within the scope of knowledge and authority.
Collaborate with disease center teams to coordinate coverage and task management during full and partial staffing levels.
Support quality clinical care and adherence to standard operating procedures and compliance requirements.
Perform other administrative duties and tasks as requested by the Manager or Supervisor.
Quickly comprehend and implement new concepts or process modifications.