Referral Coordinator- Outbound

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 40,500 - 49,500; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School, is seeking a Referral Coordinator - Outbound to ensure timely coordination of patient referrals across clinics within the healthcare system.

You will track referral status, obtain authorizations, schedule appointments, and maintain complete demographic and insurance information in the EHR, while upholding HIPAA standards and delivering high-quality patient service.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED required.
• At least 2 years of experience in healthcare administration, patient access, or referral coordination.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted.

Responsibilities

• Process and track patient referrals to specialists and ancillary services; document in EHR.
• Coordinate scheduling of appointments and notify patients with preparation instructions.
• Provide excellent customer service; act as liaison between patients, providers, and scheduling teams.
• Complete care documentation in a timely manner and ensure HIPAA compliance.
• Follow up on referral inquiries and escalate issues to appropriate managers.

Skills

Healthcare administration

Patient access

Referral coordination

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Associate's Degree in healthcare administration or related field

Tools

Athena

Epic

Job description

Job Posting Title

Referral Coordinator- Outbound

Hiring Department

Dell Medical School

Position Open To

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours

40

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date

Immediately

Position Duration

Expected to Continue

Location

AUSTIN, TX

Job Details

The Referral Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring timely and accurate coordination of patient referrals across clinics within the healthcare system. Primary responsibilities include tracking referral status, resolving pre-authorization and registration issues, and documenting all actions in compliance with HIPAA standards. This role verifies insurance coverage, obtains authorizations, schedules appointments, and maintains complete and accurate patient demographic and insurance information in the EHR. Acting as a liaison between patients, providers, and scheduling teams, the Referral Coordinator answers referral-related calls promptly and courteously, strives for first-call resolution, and communicates appointment details and expectations to patients. This position supports continuity of care and helps improve patient experience and operational efficiency.

Manage Referral Processing

• Processes and tracks patient referrals to specialists and ancillary services.
• Maintains ongoing tracking and documentation of referrals in EHR (e.g., Athena, Epic, etc.).
• Ensures complete and accurate patient demographic, insurance, and authorization details.
• Obtains referral authorization from insurance carriers and documents authorization numbers.

Coordinate Scheduling

• Assists patients with scheduling appointments and reviews referral details and expectations.
• Notifies patients of scheduled appointments via phone and provides preparation instructions.
• Works as liaison between scheduling department and patient; sends tasks accordingly.
• Resolves pre-authorization, registration, or other referral-related issues prior to appointments.

Communication and Customer Service

• Answers and makes phone calls promptly, courteously, and efficiently.
• Handles referral-related calls and strives for first-call resolution.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with identified service providers.
• Interacts respectfully and collaboratively with patients and families to build trust.

Compliance and Documentation

• Completes all direct and indirect care documentation in a timely manner.
• Ensures patient records are current and complete in EHR systems.
• Adheres to HIPAA and organizational privacy standards.

Issue Resolution and Support

• Follows up on patient referral inquiries not immediately resolved.
• Notifies Patient Access Manager of any issues or concerns from patients or providers.
• Assists other departments or business needs as directed.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED
• At least 2 year(s) of experience in healthcare administration, patient access, or referral coordination.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate's Degree in healthcare administration or related field
• At least 3 year(s) of experience in referral coordination or medical office setting.
• Familiarity with EHR systems (e.g., Athena, Epic, etc.) and insurance authorization processes.
• Certified Medical Staff Coordinator (CMSC) or similar credential.

Salary Range

$45,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Environment/EQUIPMENT

• Standard office equipment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications and disoriented or combative patients, or others.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and may be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031. The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.