RAPID ACCESS COORD I

Covenant Health•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Rapid Access Coordinator is the primary contact for referring physicians and facilities requesting continued or higher-level patient care through Covenant Health. The coordinator gathers clinical and demographic information and coordinates acceptance of patient transfers and direct admissions in accordance with clinical guidelines, protocols, and EMTALA. The role also obtains verbal patient status and admission orders from providers and enters the information into the appropriate systems to ensure timely, accurate classification and registration. The coordinator communicates and collaborates with physicians, hospital staff and leadership, administrators on call, house supervisors, and capacity management staff to address barriers to patient transfers and admissions. The position requires critical thinking, sound judgment, multitasking, and timely action to help patients receive care. It reports directly to the Call Center Manager.

Requirements

At least two years of experience in a health-related field.
Education must be sufficient to meet the standards for achievement of any applicable license or certification; no specific minimum education is specified.
No licensure is required.
Ability to use critical thinking, judgment, multitasking, and clinical decision-making to prioritize patient acuity and coordinate patient flow.
Proficiency with the Patient Checklist, Flowboard, eCare, eCare Schedule Book, STAR, and other office-oriented systems as needed.
Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with physicians, hospital staff, referring facilities, and leadership.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and facilitate patient transfer and consultation requests from referring facilities in accordance with clinical guidelines, protocols, EMTALA, and established timeframes.
Coordinate and facilitate direct patient admissions from physician offices and ambulatory outpatient centers.
Coordinate and schedule telemedicine consultations for emergency departments and inpatient facilities.
Communicate professionally and serve as a liaison among patients, physicians, hospital staff, and referring facilities.
Obtain, document, and communicate relevant patient clinical information; triage and prioritize patient acuity to help assess situations and facilitate patient flow.
Obtain accurate patient demographic information and perform quick registration.
Request bed placement promptly, communicate bed assignments, monitor placement delays, and coordinate placement or escalation when needed.
Monitor and communicate system-wide bed status and maintain an accurate profile of capacity across Covenant Health facilities; elevate capacity issues to appropriate leaders.
Escalate transfer acceptance issues to appropriate system and facility leadership.
Schedule Outreach Link appointments for emergency department patients needing follow-up treatment or mental health or substance misuse resources.
Coordinate air transportation when needed.
Follow shift-change hand-off protocols, including providing patient reports, completing transfer documentation and patient status orders, and logging off the telephone.
During telephone downtime or power outage, open an urgent Help Desk ticket to implement Crisis Link and WiFi phones and initiate downtime procedures.
Complete training, consult and attest to reviews of facility acceptance guidelines and protocols, monitor emails for process changes, and maintain awareness of Covenant Health services and capabilities.
Complete patient follow-up and manage expectations related to transfer requests in a timely manner.
Use the Patient Checklist, Flowboard, eCare, eCare Schedule Book, STAR, and other office-oriented systems as needed.
Complete reports and assignments during call downtime.
Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards; complete annual education; work toward goals and objectives; and participate in quality improvement initiatives.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Call Center Director, Manager, or Team Lead.