Referral Coordinator

Serve the People, Inc.; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Serve the People, Inc. is seeking a Referral Coordinator to manage referrals and coordinate care among primary care providers, specialists, and patients. The role emphasizes ensuring timely communication, pre-visit preparation, and post-visit follow-up to support patient adherence to care plans.

The position involves facilitating appointments, updating care plans, and protecting patient privacy. Applicants should have a high school diploma and 1 year of relevant experience, with preferrred EHR

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 1 year of experience in customer service/referral coordinator.
• Experience working with common health care programs, preferred.
• Experience working with underserved and diverse populations, preferred.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology, preferred.
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) experience, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate patient appointments, including labs, diagnostics, and specialty visits.
• Follow up with referral providers to obtain notes and ensure test completion or follow-up.
• Participate in team huddles to review care plans and anticipate workflow.
• Review and update care plans with patients and families during visits.
• Provide resources to connect patients with specialists or services.
• Notify patients of referral status updates and ensure proper EHR closure.
• Identify gaps in care and coordinate needed services.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA in all communications.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

EHR (Electronic Health Records)

Job description

Description

Reporting to the Patient Support Services Supervisor the primary function of the Referral Coordinator (RC) is to process referrals and coordinate care for designated patients between the primary care provider, specialists and other entities involved in the patient’s care. The RC communicates with primary care providers, specialist offices, the patient/caregiver, and family to assist with the receipt of needed services, ensure communication across the care team and reinforce patient adherence with the care plan. The RC works collaboratively in pre-visit preparation, working with care team during and after the patient visit. The RC facilitates patient appointments, including but not limited to those made with labs, diagnostic areas, and specialty physicians. The following statements for this position reflect only some specific responsibilities and are considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered a detailed description of all duties required that may be inherent in the position:

Pre-Visit Preparation

• Facilitate patient appointments, including those made with labs, diagnostic areas, and specialty physicians where special assistance is needed.
• Follow-up with referral provider to obtain consult notes, follow-up with patient/family if test was not done or appointment was not kept and facilitate receipt of test or provider visit.
• Participate in team huddle prior to clinic session to review needed care plans and anticipate work flow.

During Patient Visit

• Review prior care plan goals and progress towards goals with patient/family. Update care plan as appropriate.
• Reinforce care plan with the patient/family in the case of initial visit or initial care plan development.
• Provide patient with resources, as needed, to assist connecting patient to specialist or services.
• Between Patient Visits
• Notify patients of referral status updates.
• Update referral status to ensure proper closure of loop within EHR system.
• Identify gaps in care for designated patients and facilitate coordination of needed services.
• Communicates frequently with the care team regarding patient requests, scheduling issues or other aspects of duties and prepare referral updates for next days scheduled patients.
• Effectively maintains and protects the confidentiality of all medical records and patient information while maintaining accuracy of patient demographics and encounters.
• Adhere to HIPAA regulations and other relevant laws to protect patient privacy and confidentiality in all communications.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the executive leadership and administration.

Requirements

Education, Certification, and Experience Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 1 year of experience in customer service/referral coordinator.
• Experience working with common health care programs, preferred.
• Experience working with underserved and diverse populations, preferred.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology, preferred.
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) experience, preferred.

Language Requirements

• Spanish speaking required.