[Hiring] Appointment Coordinator @Physicians East

Role Description

The PRN Appointment Coordinator is responsible for providing timely, professional, and courteous telephone support to patients and callers of a large multispecialty healthcare practice. This position serves as an important first point of contact and is responsible for efficiently managing a high volume of incoming calls while maintaining a strong commitment to customer service, accuracy, and patient confidentiality.

The Appointment Coordinator must be able to quickly identify the caller’s needs, obtain and accurately document essential information, and route or escalate calls appropriately. The ideal candidate is calm under pressure, highly organized, dependable, and able to maintain a positive patient experience while working in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Responsibilities

• Call Management
  • Answer a high volume of incoming calls promptly and professionally.
  • Minimize hold times and handle calls efficiently without sacrificing accuracy or customer service.
  • Obtain and accurately document:
    • Patient/caller name
    • Best callback telephone number
    • Reason for the call and specific needs
    • Other information necessary to appropriately route the call
  • Determine the appropriate department, specialty, staff member, or workflow for each call.
  • Transfer or route calls accurately and efficiently.
  • Create clear and complete telephone messages when the caller cannot be immediately connected with the appropriate staff member.
  • Prioritize urgent or time-sensitive calls according to established practice protocols.
  • Avoid unnecessary transfers and ensure the caller is directed to the appropriate resource whenever possible.
  • Follow established workflows for calls involving appointments, referrals, prescription requests, medical questions, billing, records, portal assistance, and other patient needs.
  • Escalate calls appropriately when the request falls outside the Call Specialist’s scope of responsibility.
• Customer Service
  • Provide a consistently positive, professional, and compassionate patient experience.
  • Demonstrate patience and courtesy with every caller, including those who may be upset, frustrated, or anxious.
  • Listen carefully and demonstrate an understanding of the caller’s needs before ending the call.
  • Communicate clearly and professionally while maintaining an efficient pace.
  • Take ownership of the caller’s needs and avoid unnecessarily sending patients from department to department.
  • Maintain a calm and professional demeanor during periods of exceptionally high call volume.
• Accuracy & Documentation
  • Accurately enter caller information and telephone messages into the appropriate system.
  • Verify patient identifiers and contact information according to practice policy.
  • Ensure messages contain sufficient information for the receiving staff member to appropriately respond.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and all applicable privacy and security requirements.
  • Follow established practice policies, procedures, and communication standards.
• Teamwork & Reliability
  • Work collaboratively with Operations, clinical departments, department scheduling staff, and other practice personnel.
  • Maintain awareness of practice specialties, locations, and common patient service needs.
  • Communicate recurring call issues, workflow problems, or patient concerns to the appropriate supervisor.
  • Maintain dependable attendance and availability consistent with PRN scheduling requirements.
  • Be willing to work during high-volume periods and provide coverage when needed.

Performance Expectations

• Answer calls expeditiously and consistently.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy in obtaining and documenting caller information.
• Demonstrate exceptional customer service with every interaction.
• Appropriately identify and route calls based on the caller’s needs.
• Minimize abandoned calls, unnecessary transfers, and incomplete messages.
• Maintain productivity appropriate for a high-volume centralized call environment.
• Follow all established workflows and escalation procedures.
• Protect patient privacy and maintain HIPAA compliance.
• Demonstrate professionalism, dependability, and teamwork.

Key Performance Measures

• Call answer rate, including speed at answering calls
• Call handling efficiency
• Abandoned call rate
• Appropriate call routing
• Accuracy of patient information and telephone messages
• Customer service/patient satisfaction
• Transfer and call hold time rate
• Meet requirements for all team meetings or training
• Attendance and reliability
• Compliance with established workflows and HIPAA requirements

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience in a high-volume customer service, call center, healthcare, medical office, or similar environment preferred.
• Excellent verbal communication and active listening skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work efficiently while managing multiple competing demands.
• Ability to remain professional and courteous under pressure.
• Basic computer skills and ability to learn electronic health record and telephone systems. Meet home internet requirements.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in a multispecialty medical practice.
• Experience with electronic health records and computerized telephone systems.
• Experience handling high-volume healthcare calls.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and common healthcare workflows.

Physical & Work Environment

• Primarily sedentary work requiring extended periods of sitting and computer/telephone use.
• Frequent use of telephone, computer, keyboard, and electronic systems.
• Requires ability to communicate clearly by telephone for extended periods.
• Work is performed in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions and fluctuating call volumes.

Core Competencies

• Customer Service Excellence
• Accuracy & Attention to Detail
• Communication
• Call Management
• Efficiency & Productivity
• Professionalism
• Dependability
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork
• Confidentiality

Position Success Statement

The PRN Appointment Coordinator is successful when patients can reach the practice quickly, feel that they have been heard and treated respectfully, and have confidence that their information and needs have been accurately captured and directed to the right person or department.