Temporary Referral Specialist

OLE Health•Woodland, CA

2d•$27 - $33•Onsite

About The Position

The Temporary Referral Specialist is a nonexempt, hourly, full-time role based in Woodland, California, for up to six months. The position works as part of a multidisciplinary clinical care team and supports patients, families or caregivers, OLE Health staff, payers, and community partners in accessing appropriate specialty and other services. The role helps identify and address gaps in care and supports patients’ self-management and shared decision-making. The Referral Specialist processes and tracks referrals, coordinates with referring providers and specialty offices, assists with prior authorizations, and maintains accurate, confidential electronic health records and other communications. The position also supports patients with referral-related needs such as appointment scheduling, interpretation, and transportation when indicated. The role contributes to referral process improvement and may help train staff and educate clinicians about referral requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience working with diverse populations, with respect and sensitivity to cultural diversity.
Experience working in a community health setting.
Strong collaboration skills and ability to engage effectively with care team members, clinic departments, leadership, and external community partners.
Exceptional communication skills and ability to engage patients, assess their needs and concerns, and ensure appropriate referrals.
Excellent in-person and telephone customer service skills, including ability to manage difficult or emotional patient situations and respond promptly to patient needs.
Ability to adapt to change, approach challenges proactively and innovatively, and investigate available resources.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Bilingual Spanish required.

Nice To Haves

Medical assistant (MA) training preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide courteous, compassionate customer service to patients and colleagues, respond to questions, and manage multiple priorities and heavy workloads.
Communicate referral-related information orally and in writing, and keep the Referral Specialist lead, manager, or other appropriate department leads informed of pertinent matters.
Follow HIPAA privacy and confidentiality requirements, secure protected health information, and dispose of it properly.
Use knowledge of insurance payors and state programs, including Partnership Health Plan, Medi-Cal, Medicare, commercial insurance, and the sliding fee scale, to connect patients with appropriate specialty services.
Collaborate with referring providers to process specialty referrals according to department guidelines and ensure a closed-loop process.
Liaise between external agencies and OLE Health medical providers regarding referrals.
Document telephone calls, letters, MyChart messages, and other approved patient and specialty communications accurately in the electronic health record while maintaining confidentiality.
Inform team members and leadership about specialty provider access barriers or requirements that may affect timely access to care.
Process prior authorizations for specialty services and diagnostic imaging as indicated by insurance networks and department guidelines.
Assist patients with ancillary referral-related services, such as interpretation, appointment scheduling, and transportation, when indicated by department guidelines.
Collaborate with appropriate care team members to provide referral information.
Attend department meetings and training required for professional growth and compliance with department guidelines.
Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining referral processes; recommend process changes to improve quality.
Answer questions about referral documentation, help train new referral specialists, and educate clinicians and other internal staff about referral issues.
Review referrals for completeness, obtain missing records or information from clinicians and care team members, and support completion and closure of referrals.
Create a patient-centered environment that promotes the organization’s willingness to say yes to patients.
Answer calls from patients and specialty office staff and help patients prepare for specialty consultations.
Perform other duties as assigned.