Clinical Access Specialist

Columbia University in the City of New York; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in the City of New York is seeking a Clinical Access Specialist in Psychiatry to handle patient intake, screenings, and referral management across programs. You will record histories in EMR, coordinate follow-ups, and liaise with program directors to ensure timely access to care.

The role emphasizes data tracking, compliance with HIPAA and related policies, and contributing to continuous improvement in intake processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with three years of related experience.
• Preferred: degree in psychology, counseling, social work, or mental health field.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administers clinical screenings to assess mental health status and program suitability.
• Records clinical history in EMR and follows intake protocols.
• Performs follow-up coordination: scheduling evaluations and triage.
• Responds to online inquiries about clinicians and programs.
• Maintains knowledge of programs/sites and builds relationships with program staff.
• Tracks intake metrics and assists in data reporting.

Skills

Patient intake

Referral management

Data tracking

Relationship management

Regulatory compliance

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree preferred

Mental health field degree preferred

Tools

EMR system

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $67,300 - $68,958

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Clinical Access Specialist in the Department of Psychiatry is responsible for patient intake by administering clinical screenings, accurately recording clinical history, and performing follow-up coordination. The incumbent will also be responsible for referral management by building and maintaining knowledge of program needs of assigned programs(s) and site(s).

Responsibilities

Patient Intake (55%)

• Administers clinical screenings to prospective patients to assess mental health status and appropriateness for available clinicians and programs across the Faculty Practice Organization, in accordance with Departmental and team standards and protocols.
• Accurately records clinical history and background information in electronic medical records (EMR) system, as per intake protocols and standards.
• Performs all follow-up coordination for clinical screenings: communicating with program directors and clinicians for review and triage, scheduling evaluations, and other administrative duties.
• Responds to online inquiries from prospective patients and/or caregivers about Columbia Psychiatry clinicians and programs.
• Serves as subject matter expert on assigned program(s) and site(s). Attends program meetings, builds relationships with clinical directors and program faculty, and maintains regular correspondence with programs to ensure up-to-date information.
• Maintains assigned internal intake resources and updates team on any changes.

Referral Management (25%)

• Builds and maintains knowledge of clinical offerings, provider expertise, and program needs of assigned program(s) and site(s) to facilitate appropriate clinical referrals.
• Applies expertise to connect prospective patients with appropriate internal and external resources, serving as liaison between callers, clinical services, external referral sources, and treatment programs.
• Conducts outreach to and build relationships with external and community organizations to develop referral resources, in service of holistic patient support.
• Maintains referral resources and educates the team on available referral opportunities.

Strategy (10%)

• Tracks, monitors, and reports on assigned metrics, such as intake volume, screenings, evaluations, conversion rates, and new faculty onboarding caseloads, internally and to program directors.
• Supports research efforts by entering data and assisting in the maintenance of a computer database to track program trends, screening outcomes, and general data.
• Participates in a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities, proposing project ideas, and collaborating on projects and initiatives to meet team goals and improve team processes and procedures. Utilizes tools and reporting mechanisms to track progress and ensure timely communication of issues and status. Provides administrative support for projects as needed.

People (5%)

• Contributes to a culture of professionalism, high performance, continuous learning, and mutual support by modeling behavior and accountability, demonstrating best practices, and sharing knowledge with others.
• Demonstrates self-development and keeps current on intake and referral best practices and other relevant topic areas.
• Mentors new team members and assists with training as assigned.

Other (5%)

• Complies with all regulatory, departmental, and organizational policies and procedures.
• Keeps current on all organizational, regulatory compliance, and patient privacy training policies (e.g., infection control, public safety, EH&S, HIPAA, OSHA, etc.) and successfully completes all required trainings.
• Performs all other duties as assigned within scope of practice and/or training.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in education and experience, plusthree years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in psychology, counseling, social work, or other mental health-related field strongly preferred
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience with direct patient care, assessment, and referral management

Other Requirements

• Must successfully complete all online systems training requirements.
• Ability to stay organized and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in an accurate and timely manner. Ability to work independently and follow through.
• Ability to build rapport with and communicate effectively in both oral and written form with patients, professional staff, and providers. Strong customer service orientation, with the ability to deliver consistently exceptional service.
• Excellent relationship management skills including, but not limited to, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, empathy, and ability to handle situations with respect, tact, and sensitivity.
• Proficiency in problem assessment and collaborative problem solving in interdisciplinary settings.
• Comfort working with data and contributing to reports and presentations.
• Ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and respectful manner while appreciating the unique contributions of an inclusive workforce that brings together the talents of people across multiple identities.
• Strong commitment to fostering diversity and equity.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) or similar software is required and an ability and willingness to learn new systems and programs.
• Must be a motivated individual with a positive mindset and exceptional work ethic.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.