Referrals Clerk

Asian Health Services, founded in 1974, provides health, social, and advocacy services for all regardless of income, insurance status, immigration status, language, or culture. Our approach to wellbeing focuses on “whole patient health,” which is why we provide more than primary care services, including mental health, case management, nutrition, and dental care to more than 50,000 patients in English and 15 languages: Korean, Lao, Burmese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mien, Karen, Mongolian, Karenni, Tagalog, Khmer, and Vietnamese. We offer medical, dental, and mental health services for all ages.

**LOCATION: ARC-200
**JOB SUMMARY**:
With supervision from the Health Information Manager, assists patients in making referrals and tracking the progress of those visits; provides back-up support for interpretation and phone reception.

**Essential Job Functions**:

- Completes referral form for patients and explains procedures, and inputs the referral into the designated database or referrals management system which may include Nextgen, i2iTracks, or Reftrak. Ensures that referral communications to the specialist include essential information and relevant clinical data.
- These include referrals made to internal/external medical specialists, mental health specialists, as well as important imaging/studies/procedures.
- Uses a referral tracking system to track the progress of specialty appointments to ensure that patients have completed those visits.
- This involves contacting the specialist’s office when reports have not been received by a specified period.
- If patients were unable to make the visiting appointment as scheduled, works with the patient to reschedule the appointment, and ensure adherence.
- Arranges and manages pre-authorization paperwork for specialty care or imaging/studies/procedures. Tracks the timely approval of pre-authorizations and when required, follows up on delays or denials.
- Assists providers in obtaining reports from specialists seen by patients without a referral from the provider and the clinician’s knowledge.
- Participates in team huddles and other meetings to improve the quality of care.
- Perform a variety of duties within the scope of the job with the ability to change from one task to another of a different nature, as necessary, without loss of efficiency or composure.
- Updates medical records, paper and electronic, to reflect referrals activity

**General Agency/AHS Duties**:

- Fosters an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among clients and staff.
- Enforces clinic policies and procedures, including maintenance of client confidentiality under HIPAA privacy rules, to ensure that the principles of AHS are implemented.
- Plays an active role in planning organization-wide activities such as AHS general membership meetings, fundraisers, special clinic days, and other events.
- Participates in general membership meetings, fundraisers, and other public events, as required.
- Participates in outreach activities, agency advocacy, and serves on ad hoc committees, as requested.
- Attends AHS staff retreats and Board of Directors meetings, as required.
- Participates in agency-wide quality improvement program processes and performance improvement teams to ensure excellence in the quality of services provided across the agency.

**Minimum Qualifications**:

- High school diploma or GED
- Two years’ work-related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience

**Preferred Qualifications**:

- Bilingual/bicultural in an Asian language preferred.
- Commitment to working in the Asian community, to community health care with familiarity with community health clinics preferred.

**Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**:

- Computer systems and data entry.
- 2Working knowledge of insurance programs to accurately assess the need for prior authorization for procedures/referrals (beneficial, but not required).
- Medical terminology is sufficient to ensure referral forms are accurately completed and to communicate with outside agencies.
- Providing excellent telephone communication and customer service.
- Organizing schedules and reports.
- Work with mínimal supervision and exercise sound judgment within the scope of authority.
- Work under pressure and in a team environment.
- Work evenings and/or weekends.
- Work at the satellite clinic site and other units as necessary.
- Interact sensitively with patients and providers.
- Collaborate with other members of the health care team on an ongoing basis.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written.
- Ability to communicate effectively, get along with coworkers and management, and deal effectively and professionally under pressure.

**BENEFITS**:
Medical, Dental, Vision premiums 100% paid by AHS

12 Vacation Days

12 Sick Days

12 Holidays and 3 Floati