SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR/TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPRESENTATIVE

The Telecommunication Representative maintains positive first impressions while ensuring the overall safety of patients, guests, and hospital staff. The role works closely with hospital departments, physicians, employees, patients, and their families to provide a customer‑friendly approach to service delivery. The representative serves as a communication gateway between patients and the health system, consistently demonstrating positive interpersonal and interdepartmental relationships and creating a professional working environment for new employees. Responsibilities also include reviewing and maintaining the department’s communication tools and assisting with training and development of new staff. Essential Job Functions Prepare complete electronic documentation with correct grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Intercept internal and external calls in a customer‑friendly manner. Maintain a positive attitude with callers, coworkers, health system employees, and physicians. Ensure customer needs are met promptly. Represent the mission, vision, and values of the organization with each patient contact. Demonstrate knowledge of the Independence Health System health code processes and emergency plans, initiating emergency codes accurately using Lynx, overhead paging, and Microsoft Office. Respond immediately to emergent situations, gathering information from physicians and/or clinicians. Record detailed information about all emergent situations using Microsoft Office. Answer telephone calls promptly and courteously, using a positive voice image. Act as a “one‑stop‑shop,” listening to callers to determine whether the call should be transferred or handled by a Switchboard Operator. Screen calls for authenticity and ensure messages reach the correct recipients efficiently. Create, process, and schedule messages, logging details accurately. Provide call‑processing support to multiple departments and hospital physicians, maintaining communication pathways after business hours. Collect, communicate, and document confidential patient information via PerfectServe, MediCall, Spok, and Microsoft Office. Answer queries about admitted patients following confidentiality protocols using McKesson STAR. Direct visitors accurately to appropriate departments or patient rooms. Maintain accurate performance outcomes for all applications used in the department (e.g., PerfectServe, MediCall, McKesson STAR, Spok, Cisco Jabber, Lynx, Microsoft Windows, Office Suite, etc.). Operate and troubleshoot hardware supporting department operations (Cisco telephony, emergency panels, Simplex LH fire system, wireless devices). Other duties as assigned. Manage issuance of pagers and assist employees with user guidelines. Maintain a central database of all paging devices using Microsoft Office. Contact vendors for device exchanges and troubleshooting. Review and revise emergency code contact information as needed. Review department processes for updates and make revisions. Train new employees and raise training concerns to management. Create a professional working environment for new employees, fostering effective training and development. Ensure new employees direct callers professionally, correctly, promptly, and courteously. Review individual emergency code processes with new staff and conduct mock code situations. Assess and verify call accuracy for new employees including scripting and call connections. Review patient transfer processes and conduct mock scenarios for training. Ensure new employees understand physician protocols and can accurately process calls. Review patient privacy codes and audit processing to maintain confidentiality. Obtain new employee login information for all applications to ensure successful access. Daily review and monthly creation of call logs to maintain accurate records. Required Qualifications High School Diploma or GED, or higher level of education. Previous experience in customer service. Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice. Ability to communicate complex or controversial topics to a diverse audience. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook and Excel. Preferred Qualifications One (1) year experience in hospital switchboard. Knowledge of medical terminology. License, Certification & Clearances Act 34‑PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system. Supervisory Responsibilities No direct supervisory responsibilities, but serves as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department. Position Type / Expected Hours of Work Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on‑call, etc.). Local travel between Independence Health System Health locations may be required. Lean Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties and encouraging consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, continually seeking work‑process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance, and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with commitment to Independence Health System’s missions, vision, and values.

AAP/EEO

Independence Health System Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The organization prohibits discrimination of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non‑job related disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected class. The company will conform to the spirit and letter of all applicable laws and regulations. Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below. Work Environment Effective March 2020 or during the pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines. When lift requirement exceeds 50 lbs, lift assistance (two people) and/or transfer device is required. #J-18808-Ljbffr Independence Health System