Sr Patient Scheduler

Sr Patient Scheduler

The Sr Patient Scheduler reports to the Manager Medical Imaging for The Miriam Hospital or the Diagnostic Imaging Center. These duties include preparation of patient records; registration and pre-registration activities; problem resolution; appointment scheduling, and co-payment preparation and collection. In addition, ancillary duties performed provide tracking and status of follow-up care as it pertains to specific diagnostic coding, billing/payment resolution, and generation of system reports, which reflect scheduling activities. Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors which tell us how we work together and how we get things done. The core Success Factors include: Instill Trust and Value Differences Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

Responsibilities:

• Maintains standards of professional and ethical conduct.
• Greets and directs all patients and visitors upon arrival to the Miriam Hospital's Diagnostic Imaging Department and/or outpatient locations (Providence and East Providence).
• Answers telephonentercom calls; routes calls or takes messages and initiates telephone calls, as requested.
• Enters and edits all patient information into computer, including patient type, patient activity, and charge entries.
• Practices in accordance with all Physician Order Management policies and procedures.
• Follows all clinical informatics downtime procedures for entering data into patient's electronic profile.
• Obtains missing patient data from nursing units or outside facilities, as needed.
• Schedules appointments for diagnostic imaging examinations as appropriate for modality using LifeChart.
• Obtains written physician orders from physicians, physicians' offices and patients, as needed.
• Inspects orders for completeness.
• Scans all pertinent paperwork on each patient in LifeChart.
• Calls the physician office or appropriate location to obtain required patient's history and physical information, if appropriate.
• Schedules biopsies and surgical cases with physicians' office staff and OR scheduling staff.
• Obtains outside images and assures that history and physical and laboratory results are available.
• Obtains approval by the physician assistant and/or radiologist.
• Completes pre-registration and registration process using the on-line billing system.
• Verifies demographic data, insurance authorization information, co-pays, and physician.
• Collects co-payments and provides patients with receipts.
• Photocopies front and back of insurance card.
• Confirms patient eligibility with insurance carriers and obtains visit authorizations as necessary.
• Provides mature, quality customer service to patients, their families and/or their representatives.
• Routes consult order, as needed, to the Radiologist/Physician Assistant to be protocoled and converts interventional consult to scheduled exam.
• Any discrepancies are brought to the attention of the technologist, manager, and/or physician/PA, as needed.
• Places orders for outpatient exams in LifeChart if paper order.
• Screens patient, answers questions, and gives routine instructions to patient, physicians' offices, and hospital personnel regarding various preparations for examinations.
• Distributes exam preparations, as appropriate.
• Places confirmation calls to outpatients and instructs on proper registration procedure and exam prep, as needed.
• Instructs patients/physician office on proper registration process and exam prep.
• The Miriam Hospital's Scheduling Clerk contacts nursing unit to screen inhouse patients for proper exam prep, as needed.
• Retrieves prior images required for comparison for Diagnostic Radiology, MRI, Ultrasound, Bone Densitometry, Mammography, CT Scan, Nuclear Medicine and Vascular Interventional Radiology sections, as needed.
• Ensures patient's file is complete prior to treatment/clinic visit including appropriate records, lab test results and x-rays.
• Evaluates file prior to schedule visit and follows up with other Hospital departments to obtain missing data.
• Cross-trains to become proficient in covering in all modalities (Diagnostic Radiology, Ultrasound, VIR, CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine).
• Maintains knowledge and skill in all modalities.
• Scans required documents, such as paper orders, outside lab / radiology results and screening forms, as well as other patient information required for medical/legal purposes into LifeChart.
• Verifies that outpatients have been registered, have appropriate paperwork, ID wristbands, and are properly prepped.
• Verify patient ID by asking for two forms of identification (name and date of birth).
• Practices TPESR+ appropriately.
• Monitors inpatients, emergency room patients and/or outpatients to ensure that their stay in the designated Diagnostic Imaging Department and / or MDIC area is as comfortable and safe as possible.
• Releases preliminary examination reports via telephone or fax to authorized personnel, including physician offices or other hospital while maintaining ethical conduct.
• Notes and verifies identification prior to releasing films or CD.
• Maintains quality assurance, safety, environmental, and infection control in accordance with established hospital department policies, procedures, and objectives.
• Troubleshoots any routine problem or issue that arises.
• Assists Manager in coordination, securing, and assigning necessary coverage for all modalities to ensure adequate staffing level at all times.
• Assists in the orientation and training of new clerical staff to ensure consistency in practice among all modalities.
• Provides input regarding scheduling staff progress, work habits, and/or other work-related issues.
• Maintains inventory for schedulers and notifies Manager promptly of supplies/equipment that require ordering through the Purchasing Department or the Internet.
• Communicates effectively with all Brown University Health Diagnostic Imaging schedulers, including TMH, MDIC, Brown University Health Medical Imaging and the Diagnostic Imaging Business Center.
• Participates in the monthly staff meeting and may record minutes, as assigned.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Basic Knowledge:

• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development, and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• High school graduate plus one-year formal training.
• Typing/data entry required.
• Knowledge of medical terminology required.
• Detail oriented.
• Interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with patients, visitors, physicians, and hospital staff of all levels.

Experience:

• One year experience in Diagnostic Imaging.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

• Normal office environment.
• Requires standing, bending, and sitting.
• Sufficient visual acuity and manual dexterity to use computer keyboard and other common office equipment.
• Reliable transportation needed for coverage at outpatient locations.

Independent Action:

• Under the supervision of the Manager, Special Imaging for The Miriam Hospital Clerical Services, incumbent functions according to established policies and practices; generally, refers specific problems to manager.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• None.