Referral Coordinator

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Referral Coordinator reports to the Patient Access Supervisor and plays a key role in ensuring timely and accurate coordination of patient referrals across clinics within the healthcare system. Primary responsibilities include tracking referral status, resolving pre-authorization and registration issues, and documenting all actions in compliance with HIPAA standards. This role verifies insurance coverage, obtains authorizations, schedules appointments, and maintains complete and accurate patient demographic and insurance information in the EHR. Acting as a liaison between patients, providers, and scheduling teams, the Referral Coordinator answers referral-related calls promptly and courteously, strives for first-call resolution, and communicates appointment details and expectations to patients. This position supports continuity of care and helps improve patient experience and operational efficiency.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
2 years of experience in a healthcare or patient-facing administrative role.
Experience with medical terminology and insurance verification.
Relevant education or experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration or a related field.
3 years of experience in patient coordination, scheduling, or referrals.
Experience using electronic medical records (EMR) systems such as Epic.
Certified Medical Staff Coordinator (CMSC) or similar credential.

Responsibilities

Manage Referral Processing Processes and tracks patient referrals to specialists and ancillary services.
Maintains ongoing tracking and documentation of referrals in EHR (e.g., Athena, Epic, etc.).
Ensures complete and accurate patient demographic, insurance, and authorization details.
Obtains referral authorization from insurance carriers and documents authorization numbers.
Coordinate Scheduling Assists patients with scheduling appointments and reviews referral details and expectations.
Notifies patients of scheduled appointments via phone and provides preparation instructions.
Works as liaison between scheduling department and patient; sends tasks accordingly.
Resolves pre-authorization, registration, or other referral-related issues prior to appointments.
Communication and Customer Service Answers and makes phone calls promptly, courteously, and efficiently.
Handles referral-related calls and strives for first-call resolution.
Establishes and maintains relationships with identified service providers.
Interacts respectfully and collaboratively with patients and families to build trust.
Compliance and Documentation Completes all direct and indirect care documentation in a timely manner.
Ensures patient records are current and complete in EHR systems.
Adheres to HIPAA and organizational privacy standards.
Issue Resolution and Support Follows up on patient referral inquiries not immediately resolved.
Notifies Patient Access Manager of any issues or concerns from patients or providers.
Assists other departments or business needs as directed.