Patient Navigator- OLG Access Center- Full Time

Ochsner Health; Lafayette (LA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Ochsner Health in Lafayette, LA is seeking a friendly, detail-oriented Scheduler to handle appointment scheduling, registration and insurance data entry. You will manage requests across a patient-facing CRM, ensure accuracy, and assist with training and workflow improvements in a fast-paced, healthcare setting.

The role emphasizes HIPAA compliance, patient communication, and collaboration with multiple departments to maintain smooth scheduling operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Preferred Associate degree in related field.
• Minimum one year of experience in healthcare, customer service, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Completes all appointment scheduling, cancellation, and confirmation requests within scheduling guidelines.
• Documents interactions in the customer relationship management system.
• Registers patients with basic demographic and insurance information accurately.
• Schedules patient appointments system-wide with physician-specific guidelines.
• Addresses patients’ urgent needs per Telephone Receptionist protocol.
• Supports training for new hires and helps meet contact center metrics.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Customer service

Multitasking

Epic knowledge

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree

Tools

EPIC

Job description

Exceptional care starts with exceptional people. For us, this is more than a job– it’s a calling. It’s waking up each day, looking for ways to make a difference with a compassionate, inclusive and talented team. Ochsner empowers you to discover your passion, reach your potential, and Pursue Your Purpose. Exceptional care starts with exceptional people and teams. Together we are leading the way.

This job answers incoming calls and makes outgoing calls to schedule patients in technology systems, ensuring a match of physician–specific scheduling guidelines with patient appointment preferences system–wide. Collects and maintains accurate, basic patient information relating to registration and insurance in compliance with HIPAA guidelines. Answers general inquiries or provider questions and directs non–scheduling calls to the appropriate department.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all–inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Education

Required – High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Preferred – Associate degree in related field

Required – One year of experience in healthcare, customer service, or related field

Knowledge Skills And Abilities

Preferred – Experience in EPIC or other electronic medical record

• Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and professionally to diverse range of people using appropriate tone and inflection.
• Must be proficient with advanced Windows–style applications, various software packages specific to role and keyboard.
• Interpersonal skills to establish and maintain friendly and cooperative work relationships.
• Ability to adapt to regional or system changes.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and coordinate multiple work assignments in a fast–paced environment.
• Excellent customer relation skills and ability to maintain a professional demeanor.
• Ability to utilize multi–functional systems.
• Demonstrate proficiency in Epic during introductory period.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other departments and functional areas.
• Able to multi‑task.
• Able to demonstrate critical thinking skills.
• Must have transportation to travel to designated organizational facility, as needed.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

Job Duties

• Completes all appointment scheduling, cancellation, and confirmation requests within scheduling guidelines to provide the first available appointment in conjunction with patient preferences for time, date, and location and documents interactions in the customer relationship management system.
• Accurately completes basic registration, demographic and insurance information, avoiding duplicate accounts, to ensure timely and accurate payment for services while scheduling appointments.
• Schedules patient appointments system–wide for providers, including specialty and ancillary services, providing proper prep instructions for ancillary and diagnostic procedures and tests using physician specific and department guidelines.
• Appropriately addresses patients’ emergency/urgent needs utilizing and adhering to the company’s Telephone Receptionist Emergency/Suicide Protocol.
• Processes messages from sources including voice, live chats, patient portals, and texts related to patient and physician requests such as appointments, referrals, prescriptions, and complaints ensuring that all information contained in the message is accurate.
• Assists with training initiatives for new hires and completes daily work assignments to contribute to contact center metrics and performance expectations, including providing one–call resolution.
• Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, including but not limited to: respect for privacy, method of introduction to the patient, adapting explanation of services or procedures to be performed, requesting permissions and communication style.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.

This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance–related concerns. The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Physical and Environmental Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sedentary Work – Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Normal routine involves no exposure to blood, body fluid or tissue and as part of their employment, incumbents are not called upon to perform or assist in emergency care or first aid.

The incumbent has no occupational risk for exposure to communicable diseases.

Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

Individuals who reside in and will work from the following areas are not eligible for remote work position: Colorado, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.

Ochsner Health endeavors to make our site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website, or if you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact our HR Employee Solution Center at 504-842-4748 (select option 1) or [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquiry about the status of applications.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.