CARE Coordinator

Job Summary: Care Coordinators are the front line of the NorthStar Care Community. These individuals must be empathic, professional and knowledgeable in Hospice care, as well as in the broader scope of the organization and its partners.

Essential Functions:

1. Communicates and proactively follows up and interacts with guests, customers, and employees in a courteous and professional manner.
2. Understands and communicates hospice philosophy and hospice services provided, in a manner that is clear and understandable by a variety of different callers.
3. Correctly processes and enters referrals during the day as call volume demands. Processes referrals after hours. Schedules admission visits as needed.
4. Collaborates closely with triage RN's to maintain efficient flow of patient calls and dispatch of field staff, for patients in both the NorthStar Care Community as well as for partners.
5. Correctly updates and manages the content of the Whiteboard for both patient visits and comfort calls. Assists triage RN's as necessary with running daily reports and communicates with partner staff to gather shift reports.
6. Must be able to quickly navigate through multiple electronic medical records in order to assist patients and families in both the NorthStar Care Community as well as its partners.
7. Accurately enters all appropriate information into electronic documentation system(s) in a timely manner.
8. Proactively responds to crisis calls, taking appropriate action to resolve the situation for a positive outcome.
9. Reviews and analyzes patient files, various reports, incoming paperwork and information on a daily basis. Also copies, faxes and/or emails various documents as needed that support the efficient day-to-day operations.
10. Documents conversations with patients, families, interdisciplinary team/support staff and management in the electronic patient record system.
11. Works to effectively address external customer inquiries, complaints and service delivery issues, in collaboration with the department's operations manager(s).
12. Collaborates with the Field Staff Scheduler or designee to identify interdisciplinary team staff, if available, to facilitate patient admissions.
13. Coordinates communication with patients, families, interdisciplinary team/support staff, Contact Center and others in collaboration with the department manager, for the provision of care, including assigning scheduling times/dates and/or changes for the interdisciplinary team/support staff.
14. Accepts incoming calls promptly and courteously and responds appropriately to customer inquiries. Processes messages efficiently, accurately and in a timely manner. Transfers calls appropriately to fully address internal and external customer concerns.
15. Initiates and coordinates the communication and follow-up calls between internal and external customers necessary to ensure a successful admission.
16. Proactively problem solves, anticipates needs, and initiates solutions for internal and external customers that support the successful admission of patients to hospice services and for optimal scheduling of patient and family services, in collaboration with the department's operations manager(s).
17. Processes incoming and outgoing mail on a daily basis.

Qualifications:

1. Associate's degree in a business related or social services field or a minimum of five (5) years of full time health care, hospice care and/or business operations work required; Bachelor's Degree preferred.
2. A minimum of two (2) years of telephone-related experience required; experience within a health care environment highly preferred.
3. Must demonstrate strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products. Intermediate to advanced experience with Excel spreadsheets and database management.
4. Must possess excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgment, effective organizational, prioritization and follow-through skills, attention to detail, tact, dependability, emotional intelligence and the ability to promote positive, constructive relationships with communication and collaboration at all levels with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
5. Must be able to read, write and speak English and be able to effectively communicate orally and in writing in internal and external relationships for all essential job functions.
6. Must be familiar with and have operational knowledge of standard office business machines.
7. Must be able to coordinate several tasks simultaneously while maintaining a high degree of efficiency and accuracy. Must possess the ability to function under stress.
8. The physical demands of the position include: vision, effective speech and hearing for extensive telephone contact; repetitive motion; driving or riding in a motor vehicle; standing, sitting, walking, bending, reaching, and stretching; and lifting up to twenty five (25) pounds unassisted.
9. Must be able to work variable hours/shifts and/or days, including weekends. Must have the ability to occasionally work extended days, as necessary.
10. Must have reliable transportation.
11. Must be eligible to work in the United States