Referrals - Referral Coordinator

Unicare Community Health Center Inc, Recruiter•Los Angeles, CA

136d•$25 - $30

About The Position

The Referral Coordinator I coordinates care between medical providers and specialists to help ensure patients receive appropriate care. The role processes referrals across all queues and manages the referral lifecycle, including submission, approval, patient notification and follow-up, and securing medical records within established timeframes. The coordinator follows insurance requirements, communicates with clinicians about clinical needs, tracks referrals and documents them to support team awareness and patient safety, and keeps patient registration and primary care records current. The coordinator gathers and sends relevant clinical information to specialists, contacts review organizations and insurers to meet prior-approval requirements, and provides information to financial services to support reimbursement. The position also reviews referrals with patients, helps resolve barriers such as interpretation, transportation, financial, social, or prescription-assistance needs, and serves as a point of contact and navigator for patients and families. The coordinator may advocate with carriers for timely approval of needed services or supplies, uses cultural and community resources, maintains relationships with service providers, and reminds patients of appointments. The role requires reliable transportation and travel to other clinic locations for cross-coverage as needed. Work is generally scheduled Monday through Friday, with start times between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and end times between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., according to operational needs; occasional Saturdays may be required. The work environment may involve non-ionizing radiation, chemical exposure such as latex, and infectious hazards. The organization’s mission is to provide community health care with dignity, respect, and cultural sensitivity.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
One to two years of referral experience.
Bilingual in English and Spanish required.
Reliable transportation required.
Excellent people skills and ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.
Integrity, credibility, and commitment to the organizational mission.
Flexibility, ability to multitask in a fast-moving environment, and ability to set priorities and work toward clarity and solutions.
Strong customer service focus.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Teamwork orientation.
Organization and ability to manage competing priorities.
Good judgment and resourcefulness in problem solving.
Ability to take and follow through on delegated tasks and maintain accountability.
Ability to push and pull objects up to 25 pounds and lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
Frequent wrist, hand, and finger dexterity for fine motor functions without tremor; full range of body motion, including twisting, pushing, and pulling; and ability to reach, bend, stoop, handle objects, talk, hear, and see.

Nice To Haves

Medical assistant certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Process referrals submitted by health care providers in all referral queues.
Complete the referral lifecycle, including submission, approval, patient notification, follow-up, and securing medical records within identified time periods.
Follow insurance requirements and communicate with clinicians about clinical care needs related to referrals.
Track and document referrals to promote team awareness and patient safety, including through an EHR database.
Ensure patient registration is complete and accurate, including demographic and current insurance information.
Assemble information about patients’ clinical backgrounds and referral needs and provide appropriate clinical information to specialists.
Contact review organizations and insurance companies to meet prior-approval requirements; present relevant medical information such as history, diagnosis, and prognosis.
Provide specific medical information to financial services to support reimbursement to the hospital and physicians.
Review referral details and expectations with patients.
Help patients address potential health care system, financial, or social barriers, including arranging interpreters, transportation services, or prescription assistance as appropriate.
Serve as a system navigator and point of contact for patients and families; raise concerns and questions and, when needed, advocate with carriers for timely approval of necessary supplies or services.
Identify and use cultural and community resources and establish and maintain relationships with service providers.
Ensure referrals are addressed in a timely manner.
Remind patients of scheduled appointments by mail or phone.
Keep the patient’s primary care chart current with information about specialist consultations, hospitalizations, ER visits, and community organizations related to the patient’s health.
Perform other duties as assigned, including related or necessary tasks directed by the Referral Supervisor to achieve organizational and programmatic goals.
Adhere to the dress code and maintain a neat, clean appearance; protect patient confidentiality; report to work on time and as scheduled; and maintain regulatory compliance.
Represent the organization professionally, follow organizational policies and ethical business standards, communicate its mission, ethics, and goals, and participate in performance and continuous quality improvement activities.
Travel to other clinic locations as needed for cross-coverage support.