Referrals - Referral Coordinator

Unicare Community Health Center Inc, Recruiter•Fontana, 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, completes the referral lifecycle within required timeframes, maintains referral tracking and documentation, and communicates with clinicians, patients, specialists, insurers, and review organizations. The coordinator also helps patients navigate healthcare, financial, and social barriers, supports prior approvals, and keeps primary care records updated with information about specialist consultations and related care. The position requires professionalism, patient confidentiality, regulatory compliance, reliable transportation, and participation in quality improvement activities. The work is generally scheduled Monday through Friday, with variable start and end times, occasional Saturdays, and travel to other clinic locations for cross-coverage as needed.

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 organization’s mission.
Flexibility, multitasking ability, resourcefulness in setting priorities, and ability to work in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment while driving 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 delegated tasks and follow through with 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 to perform fine motor functions without tremor.
Full range of body motion, including twisting, pushing, and pulling; ability to reach, bend, stoop, and handle objects with hands and/or fingers; and ability to talk, hear, and see.
Ability to work around non-ionizing radiation (microwaves) and hazardous chemical and infectious exposures.

Nice To Haves

Medical assistant certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Process referrals submitted by healthcare 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 referrals and maintain appropriate documentation to support team awareness and patient safety, potentially using 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 according to referral guidelines.
Contact review organizations and insurance companies to meet prior-approval requirements, present necessary medical information, and provide financial services with information to maximize reimbursement.
Review referral details and expectations with patients.
Help patients address healthcare-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, answer questions, address concerns, and potentially advocate with carriers for timely approval of necessary supplies or services.
Identify and use cultural and community resources and maintain relationships with service providers.
Ensure referrals are addressed promptly.
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 tasks directed by the Referral Supervisor to support organizational and programmatic goals.
Follow the dress code and maintain a neat, clean appearance; protect patient confidentiality; report to work as scheduled; and maintain regulatory compliance.
Represent the organization professionally, follow ethical business practices and organizational policies, and communicate the organization’s mission, ethics, and goals.
Participate in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement activities.
Travel to other clinic locations as needed for cross-coverage support.