Referral Coordinator

Universal Community Health Center; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Universal Community Health Center in Los Angeles seeks a Referral Coordinator to manage patient referrals, coordinate with providers, and verify insurance to ensure timely access to services.

The role requires bilingual English/Spanish, strong communication, and experience with electronic medical records; will serve as liaison across departments and external partners to improve continuity of care.

Qualifications

• High School or equivalent education.
• Current Medical Assistant certificate or one year Referral Coordinator experience may substitute.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a diverse environment.
• Able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• One-year experience working in a community clinic or other medical office is required.
• Familiar with electronic medical records preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and process medical referrals for services not provided within the clinic, ensuring timely access to specialty and ancillary care.
• Facilitate specialty care referrals, including scheduling appointments and communicating with external providers and partners.
• Obtain, track, and manage pre-authorizations in accordance with payer and managed care requirements.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date referral documentation and electronic patient tracking systems.
• Provide appointment reminders and ensure patients receive copies of approved referrals and necessary documentation.
• Coordinate pre-operative orders with external clinics and schedule required appointments within the organization.
• Monitor referral status and follow up with patients, providers, and payers to ensure completion of services.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, payer guidelines, and regulatory requirements related to referrals and authorizations.
• Serve as a liaison between patients, providers, and external partners to support continuity of care.
• Identify and address barriers to care, supporting patients in navigating the referral process effectively.

Skills

Referral coordination

Insurance verification

Prior authorization management

EHR proficiency

Documentation accuracy

Customer service

Organization and multitasking

Communication skills

HIPAA compliance

Team collaboration

Adaptability

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

High School or equivalent

Medical Assistant certificate or Referral Coordinator experience substitution

Tools

EMR systems

Job description

Description

Job Title: Referral Coordinator

Department: Referrals

Reports to: COO

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Prepared by: Human Resources

Last Modified: 02/13/2018, 02/18/2026, 08/14/2026

Summary

A Referral Coordinator in a nonprofit healthcare setting manages the coordination of patient referrals to ensure timely access to medical, behavioral health, and social support services. This role serves as a liaison between patients, providers, specialists, and community-based organizations, facilitating accurate documentation, insurance verification, appointment scheduling, and follow-up care. The Referral Coordinator maintains compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements while prioritizing patient-centered care, particularly for underserved populations. By tracking referral outcomes, addressing barriers to care, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, the Referral Coordinator helps improve care continuity, health outcomes, and overall service efficiency.

General Accountabilities

• Coordinate and process medical referrals for services not provided within the clinic, ensuring timely access to specialty and ancillary care.


• Facilitate specialty care referrals, including scheduling appointments and communicating with external providers and partners.


• Obtain, track, and manage pre-authorizations in accordance with payer and managed care requirements.


• Maintain accurate and up-to-date referral documentation and electronic patient tracking systems.


• Provide appointment reminders and ensure patients receive copies of approved referrals and necessary documentation.


• Coordinate pre-operative orders with external clinics and schedule required appointments within the organization.


• Monitor referral status and follow up with patients, providers, and payers to ensure completion of services.


• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, payer guidelines, and regulatory requirements related to referrals and authorizations.


• Serve as a liaison between patients, providers, and external partners to support continuity of care.


• Identify and address barriers to care, supporting patients in navigating the referral process effectively.

Requirements

Job Qualifications

• Education: High School or equivalent


• Current Medical Assistant certificate or one year of Referral Coordinator experience may substitute for the Medical Assistant certificate.


• Good verbal and written communication skills.


• Ability to work in a diverse environment.


• Able to handle multiple skills simultaneously.


• One-year experience working in a community clinic or other medical office is required.


• Familiar with electronic medical records preferred.

Skills

• Referral coordination and specialty scheduling.


• Insurance verification and prior authorization management.


• EHR and referral tracking system proficiency.


• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.


• Effective communication and customer service skills.


• Organization, multitasking, and time management.


• Follow-up and referral status tracking.


• Problem-solving and critical thinking.


• Knowledge of medical terminology and workflows.


• HIPAA compliance and confidentiality.


• Team collaboration and coordination.


• Adaptability in a fast-paced environment.

Skills: Language

• Bilingual-English/Spanish

Physical Requirement

• Physical effort which may include occasional light lifting to a 25 pound limit, and some bending, stooping or squatting. Considerable walking may be involved. The ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time is required.


• Flexibility to work in multiple locations throughout the week.


• 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.


• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to travel to all UCHC facilities as needed.


• Occasionally required to sit and walk.


• Finger dexterity required.


• Hand coordination required.


• Specific vision abilities required for this job include: close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust or focus.

Work Environment

• Exposure to adverse conditions.


• Exposure to extreme heat.


• Exposure to extreme cold.


• Exposure to wet and/or humid conditions.


• Exposure to moving mechanical parts.


• Exposure to high, precarious places.


• Exposure to fumes or airborne particles.


• Exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals.


• Exposure to outside weather conditions.


• Possible risk of electrical shock.


• Exposure to explosives.


• Possible risk of radiation and vibration.


• Protective clothing or equipment is required including: gloves, helmets, steel-toed boots, protective eyewear.


• The noise level in the work environment usually is high.

Acknowledgement:

I understand that I may be asked to perform job-related duties not listed in the description and that my duties may change at any time, according to the UCHC needs. Nothing in this position description is intended to create a contract of employment of any type. Employment is strictly on an at-will basis.