Referral Coordinator, Full Time, Days, Cobleskill Health Center

Bassett Healthcare Network•Town of Cobleskill, NY

About The Position

The Referral Coordinator coordinates referrals for patients at regional health centers, from scheduling through confirmation that the visit was completed. The role supports accurate and timely, patient-centered care and serves as a liaison among primary care physicians, specialty providers, patients, and external provider offices. Responsibilities include reviewing insurance requirements, securing medical-necessity documentation and prior authorizations, tracking specialty-care timelines, and keeping referring providers informed about patient follow-through and referral patterns. The coordinator serves as a subject matter expert in referral functions and helps train new staff and orient new clinicians to the referral process. The position also performs registration, appointment scheduling, front-desk support, and related administrative work. It requires accurate demographic and insurance data capture, patient communication, appointment and referral follow-up, report processing, document handling, and maintaining confidentiality and office supplies. The coordinator adapts to changing workflows across the network and maintains proficiency through required training and continuing education. Occasional travel may be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 2 years of office experience.
Skills in accountability, attention to detail, communication, customer service, and facilitation.
Ability to perform sedentary work, including sitting most of the time, with occasional walking or standing and occasional exertion up to 10 pounds.
Ability to perform occasional balancing, climbing, crouching, grasping, kneeling, lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, standing, stooping, and walking.
Ability to perform frequent typing and clerical work, dexterity tasks, hearing, repetitive motion, computer or monitor use, talking, and visual tasks.

Nice To Haves

Two-year or associate degree.
Medical office or billing experience.

Responsibilities

Coordinate referrals from scheduling through receipt of confirmation that the visit was completed, including completing open referrals and working referral-tracking queues.
Work scheduled and unscheduled queues according to department standards.
Follow up with referred-to providers to confirm patients kept appointments and results reached the referring provider's office.
Verify out-of-network referrals and communicate applicable deductibles and coinsurance to patients.
Process urgent referral requests the same day and routine requests within 24–72 hours.
Acquire medical-necessity documentation and obtain prior approvals or authorizations required by insurance.
Collect and accurately enter or scan information needed to complete referrals, including demographic and insurance information.
Communicate referral appointment instructions to patients and referral, insurance, and authorization updates to clinicians.
Act as a liaison among patients, primary care and specialty providers, and external provider offices.
Alert management when missing referral information may create compliance or safety issues.
Inform ordering clinicians when patients do not schedule or attend referrals, or otherwise do not follow through, and take follow-up actions as directed.
Schedule outpatient appointments according to patient needs and department guidelines; offer alternate providers or locations when appropriate and escalate needs that cannot be met by the referring provider.
Maintain accurate registration and scheduling data for reimbursement, regulatory compliance, and patient care.
Complete corrections to demographic and insurance information in the appropriate system within 24 hours of system notification.
Answer questions and calls from patients, insurers, and medical offices; take accurate messages and follow up to address patient needs.
Run and process daily operational reports under supervisor direction, coordinating with the team to complete the work.
Date-stamp and route incoming patient information; complete basic demographic forms and provide patients with forms appropriate to their appointment or specialty.
Mail completed patient information and prepare correspondence as directed, generally within 24 hours of completion.
Prepare outside patient health information for scanning according to document-imaging procedures.
Maintain appropriate inventory of office supplies and required forms.
Help patients navigate all stages of their referrals and communicate patient issues or concerns to providers.
Maintain knowledge and proficiency in referral coordination, front-desk functions, insurance coverage and related systems through training, meetings, in-services, and review of training materials.
Meet with new clinicians to orient them to their role in the referral process and lead training for incoming staff.
Attend 85–90% of staff meetings and review minutes for meetings missed, with no more than one exception per year.
Perform similar or related duties as requested or directed.