Emergency Transport Coordinator

Oregon Health & Science University; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 52,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is seeking a dedicated transfer coordinator and emergency communications professional for the ECC. The role manages calls for the OHSU/DCH Emergency Communication Center, coordinating transfers, triage, and telemedicine connections with OHSU physicians for urgent care and pediatrics.

The position requires handling multiple critical communications events, dispatching the PANDA team when needed, and maintaining accurate incident records while supporting

Qualifications

• Requires EMS dispatching experience or 2 years in a similar hospital access role.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high-stress, high-acuity setting.
• Excellent customer service, typing speed, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate complex transfers of acutely ill patients and initiate EPIC intake.
• Dispatch PANDA team and coordinate transport with EMS vendors.
• Answer and triage calls to ED and manage emergency page requests.
• Answer stat lines and provide rapid information to callers.
• Manage OHSU/trauma MRH radio channels and disseminate patient information.

Skills

Customer service

50 WPM

Multi-line phones

Radio communications

Medical terminology

Verbal communication

High call volume

Team oriented

Education

EMS dispatcher training

Some college

Tools

EPIC intake

Database skills

Job description

Department Overview

Acts as a transfer coordinator, dispatcher, and specialty operator for the OHSU/DCH Emergency Communication Center (ECC), a multi-functional call center for OHSU/DCH emergency operations and Mission Control. This position manages calls to the OHSU System Transfer Center and other selected OHSU/DCH access numbers designated for health care providers throughout the region, and facilitates telephone and/or telemedicine connection between regional health care providers and OHSU/DCH physician staff for the purpose of advise, transfer, pediatric direct admissions, and/or emergency team activations. This position is responsible for answering incoming calls to the OHSU/DCH Emergency Department (ED) and coordinating calls and pages on behalf of ED staff. This position also documents and disseminates ambulance reports received via the OHSU and Trauma EMS radio channels, and supports area EMS functions including MCI patient distribution and hospital communications, Area Zone Management (AZM), stat POLST requests, and manages the Medical Resource Hospital (MRH) stat phone/radio lines.

Function/Duties of Position

• Coordinates complex transfers of acutely ill patients to OHSU/DCH from outside hospitals. Collect accurate patient information, initiates EPIC intake, conducts initial cursory triage for possible transfer to partner hospitals, page appropriate OHSU physician(s), and connect ref provider to OHSU providers on a recorded telephone line and/or telemedicine link. ETC is responsible for scribing key information discussed in call, activating specialty teams, and disseminating information to clinical staff. This position collaborates with the bed flow manager, physician on duty, transfer center RN, and patient placement to secure appropriate bed placement for transfer patients.
• Dispatches the Pediatric and Neonatal Doernbecher Ambulance team (PANDA) at the discretion of authorized physicians. Communicates with air 5% and ground transport vendors to secure transportation for PANDA team to and from referring hospital, and tracks PANDA team at all stages of transport. Activates emergency protocols and secures assistance for the PANDA team when required.
• Answers and triages incoming calls to OHSU/DCH ED, facilitates page requests, and manages emergency team activations on behalf of ED staff.
• Answers stat lines and gathers accurate information quickly to assist callers in a timely fashion. These include but are not limited to: POLST registry and Rapid Response Team lines; may include OHSU operator stat lines in case of internal emergency.
• Responsible for answering OHSU, trauma, MRH, and MCI radio channels, and the MRH phone line. This position documents ambulance reports for OHSU and trauma communications, disseminates information about patient condition quickly and accurately to relevant clinical teams, and activates specialty teams as required. In case of regional mass casualty incident (MCI), this position serves in the capacity of Regional Hospital and will be called upon to disseminate information to area hospitals and manage patient distribution. This position will be responsible for activating and managing Area Zone Management (AZM) to evenly distribute ambulance traffic for geographic regions in which all EDs are on ambulance divert.

Required Qualifications

• One year EMS dispatching, hospital transfer center coordination or hospital bed placement coordination required. As an alternative, management may consider 2 years of Patient Access Services Specialist or similar administrative experience in a complex hospital or outpatient environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high stress high acuity setting, to adapt to rapidly changing work environment, and to direct and control multiple critical communications events simultaneously.
• Requires excellent customer service skills, database skills, type 45 wpm, multi-line phones, radio communications, medical terminology, and high skills in verbal communications.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills And Abilities (Competencies)

• Demonstrated ability to work in a high stress, high acuity setting
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to rapidly and constantly changing work environment
• Demonstrated ability to direct and control multiple critical communications events simultaneously
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team oriented, high stress environment with competing priorities, while alsoworking independently
• Demonstrated exceptional customer service skills; highly proficient inverbal communications with widely diverse interactions
• Experience with multiple phones with multiple lines and extremely high call volume
• Type 50 WPM

Preferred Qualifications

• Some college; formal EMS dispatcher training
• Emergency radio communications experience
• medical terminology
• database skills

Additional Details

• Shift work including weekends and holidays, scheduled and unscheduled overtime.
• Ability to hear and understand verbal communication, ability to remain at a workstation, whether sitting or standing, for 10+ hours per day, ability to read, write, and type accurately.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center.

In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome.

OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation, contact [e-mail]