Referral Coordinator- Work from Home

Department Overview The Referral Coordinator is responsible for the intake, triage, validation, and accurate processing of externally referred patient care requests received for OHSU ambulatory clinics and diagnostic services. This role is often the first step in the care process for patients beginning care at OHSU, serving as a critical point of entry into the health system and supporting timely, accurate, and appropriate access to care and services.

The Referral Coordinator reviews referral documentation submitted by external providers, which may include medical diagnoses, procedures, imaging or diagnostic testing requests, urgency indicators, and supporting clinical records. Using established intake criteria, diagnosis and referral matrices, and department workflows, this role independently determines referral completeness, urgency, and appropriate routing within OHSU’s electronic medical record (Epic).

This position requires regular interpretation of medical terminology and ICD10 diagnosis codes, application of intake rules, and precise documentation to support patient safety, regulatory compliance, and continuity of care. While this role does not provide direct clinical care, the work performed directly impacts patient access, clinic workflow, and the timely delivery of care.

The Referral Coordinator functions as a member of the Ambulatory Access Services department, supporting centralized access, outpatient clinics and diagnostic services from the point an external referral is received through referral entry and routing for scheduling and clinical review.

Function/Duties of Position Referral Intake, Triage, and Processing

Receive, review, and process incoming referrals and related documentation from external providers using Epic and various referral sources.

Validate referral completeness, including required patient demographics, referring provider information, diagnoses and/or procedures, requested services, and supporting documentation (as needed).

Interpret referral documentation containing medical terminology, diagnostic language, urgency indicators, and procedural requests.

Apply established intake, diagnosis, and specialty specific referral matrices to determine appropriate clinic, specialty, diagnostic department, or program routing.

Assess and assign referral priority levels (routine, urgent, emergent) based on referring provider documentation and intake standards.

Create and manage referral records in Epic, ensuring accurate selection of referral type, department, location, and point of service.

Attach referral documentation to the correct Epic referral, confirming accurate patient identification using required identifiers.

Communicate with referring providers, clinic staff, internal stakeholders and rarely patients to obtain missing clinical information, diagnoses, procedure, or demographic details required to complete referral intake.

Clarify referral intent, urgency, or destination when documentation is unclear or conflicting.

Document referral intake actions, decisions, and discrepancies using standardized Epic communication notes and documentation tools.

Support the centralized access model for referral intake and scheduled patient care, contributing to efficient coordination and timely access to services.

Monitoring, quality, and continuous improvement

Identify trends, workflow barriers, and quality concerns impacting referral accuracy, timeliness, or patient access

Report issues, challenges, and potential risks to leadership to support operational improvement and patient safety efforts.

Participate in discussions related to optimizing intake workflows, referral accuracy, and Epic system performance.

Referral routing matrix maintenance

Participate in the review and recommendation of updates to intake, diagnosis, and referral matrices to ensure accurate routing and alignment with clinic criteria.

Perform additional duties in support of Centralized Access Service operations as assigned.

Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree plus 2 years’ experience working in an ambulatory clinic,

High School diploma plus 6 years’ experience working in an ambulatory clinic.

Preferred Qualifications Completion of a medical terminology course.

Experience working in a centralized access center or medical referral management role

Epic electronic medical record experience in an ambulatory or access-focused workflow.

Demonstrated experience reviewing, interpreting, and processing medical documents, with the ability to identify document types, understand their purpose, and route them appropriately.

Working knowledge of medical terminology, diagnoses, procedures, and diagnostic testing.

Ability to interpret ICD10 diagnosis codes and clinical referral documentation.

Proficiency in Epic referral workflows, including referral creation, appointment requests, diagnosis entry, documentation, and attachment management.

Understanding of ambulatory specialty clinic structures and diagnostic referral workflows.

Commitment to patient-centered access, service excellence, and equitable care delivery.

Additional Details Monday-Friday business hours, shift to be determined. This is a work from home position. Prolonged computer use and electronic data entry. No regular exposure to hazardous materials.

This position requires prolonged sitting and sustained computer use throughout the workday. Sustained visual focus on computer screens and electronic documents for the majority of the workday, requiring continuous attention to detailed information. Ability to maintain concentration and attention to detail throughout the workday.

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