Patient Services Coordinator - Oncology

Hartford Healthcare•Hartford, CT

About The Position

The Patient Services Coordinator ensures patients are cleared for specialty-services office visits and serves as the point of contact for hospitals, departments, and other healthcare facilities regarding questions or concerns about provider orders and referrals. The role supports clinical staff with the administrative components of referrals for a range of services. The coordinator gathers information from insurance carriers, financial counselors, and ancillary staff to clarify patients’ financial obligations; processes new-patient paperwork; verifies insurance coverage; obtains authorizations as needed; and resolves pre-certification, registration, and case-related concerns before appointments. The role also tracks patients receiving services outside the practice, monitors referral processes, documents referral activity in an information system, coordinates specialty appointments and recommended tests, and helps patients and families navigate orders and referrals. In collaboration with team members, the coordinator provides care-management services for high-risk patients.

Requirements

Associate’s degree or equivalent knowledge in an ambulatory environment.
Five years of experience working with referral processes.
Familiarity with the EPC EHR system.

Responsibilities

Gather information from insurance carriers, financial counselors, and ancillary staff to clarify patients’ financial obligations for services.
Process new-patient paperwork efficiently and according to protocols.
Verify insurance coverage and obtain authorizations from insurance carriers when needed.
Resolve pre-certification, registration, and case-related concerns before patient appointments.
Track patients when they receive services outside the practice, including at emergency departments, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.
Monitor and meet PCMH referral-process requirements.
Enter referrals and document communications, actions, and other data in an information system.
Ensure referral requests are properly signed and filed.
Assist with specialty appointments and obtain tests recommended by specialists.
Communicate constructively with team members and referral teams to reduce conflicts and resolve issues.
Serve as a system navigator and point of contact for patients and families with questions or concerns about orders and referrals.
Work collaboratively with team members to provide care-management services for high-risk patients.
Obtain insurance referrals and prior authorizations for diagnostic imaging, and send referrals to specialist offices for cardiac and preventive screenings.
Serve as a point of contact for hospitals, departments, and other healthcare facilities regarding provider orders and referrals.