Patient Navigator

We've made a lot of progress since opening the doors in 1942, but one thing has never changed – our commitment to serve, heal, lead, educate, innovate. Every award earned, record broken, and patient helped is because of the dedicated employees who fill our hallways. At Ochsner, whether you work with patients every day or support those who do, you are making a difference and that matters. This job answers incoming calls and makes outgoing calls to schedule patients in technology systems, ensuring a match of physician‑specific scheduling guidelines with patient appointment preferences system‑wide. The role also collects and maintains accurate, basic patient information relating to registration and insurance in compliance with HIPAA guidelines, answers general inquiries or provider questions, and directs non‑scheduling calls to the appropriate department. Education High school diploma or equivalent (Required) Associate degree in a related field (Preferred) Work Experience One year of experience in healthcare, customer service, or a related field (Required) Experience in EPIC or other electronic medical record systems (Preferred) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to present information clearly and professionally to a diverse range of people. Proficiency with advanced Windows‑style applications, various software packages specific to the role, and keyboard shortcuts. Interpersonal skills to establish and maintain friendly and cooperative work relationships. Ability to adapt to regional or system changes. Skill to prioritize, organize, and coordinate multiple work assignments in a fast‑paced environment. Excellent customer service skills and the ability to maintain a professional demeanor. Ability to utilize multi‑functional systems. Demonstrated proficiency in Epic during the introductory period. Capacity to work collaboratively with other departments and functional areas. Multi‑tasking ability. Critical thinking skills. Transportation to travel to designated organizational facility, as needed. Knowledge of medical terminology. Job Duties Complete all appointment scheduling, cancellation, and confirmation requests within scheduling guidelines to provide the first available appointment that meets patient preferences for time, date, and location, documenting interactions in the customer relationship management system. Accurately complete basic registration, demographic, and insurance information, avoiding duplicate accounts to ensure timely and accurate payment for services while scheduling appointments. Schedule patient appointments system‑wide for providers, including specialty and ancillary services, providing proper preparation instructions for ancillary and diagnostic procedures and tests using physician‑specific and department guidelines. Appropriately address patients’ emergency/urgent needs utilizing and adhering to the company’s telephone receptionist emergency/suicide protocol. Process messages from sources including voice, live chats, patient portals, and texts related to patient and physician requests such as appointments, referrals, prescriptions, and complaints, ensuring all information contained in the message is accurate. Assist with training initiatives for new hires and complete daily work assignments to contribute to contact center metrics and performance expectations, including providing one‑call resolution. Adapt behavior to the specific patient population, respecting privacy, method of introduction, adapting explanation of services or procedures, and communication style. Perform other related duties as assigned. Physical and Environmental Demands Prerequisite sedentary work with occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds. Exposure to bodily fluids and hazardous medications is minimal, and no risk of communicable disease exposure is expected. The role is conducted in a healthcare setting with typical office tasks. Ochsner Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. #J-18808-Ljbffr