Oncology Access Liaison (Referral Coordinator)

Department Overview

This position may be eligible for telecommuting once training and probationary periods are met.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, known as one of the pioneers in personalized cancer medicine, is an international leader in research and cancer treatment. Driven by its mission to end cancer as we know it, the institute is building upon its expertise in targeted treatments to advance the early detection of cancer when the disease is most treatable.

The Cancer Network is a unique collaboration between OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and select regional hospitals, providing cancer prevention and screening, high-quality cancer care, and clinical research services targeted to the specific needs of each community. The goals of the Network are to reduce cancer risks and to improve cancer outcomes across the region.

The KCI Intake Coordinator serves as a liaison and coordinator between patients, community providers, Knight Cancer oncologists, OHSU specialty and surgical practices, advanced practice providers, nurses, oncology clinic care coordinators, Ambulatory Access, and OHSU research associates to ensure coordination of care, care transitions and navigation within OHSU specialties. This position plays a vital role in supporting the work of the clinical teams by independently performing a variety of highly detailed and high-level administrative and technical functions. These functions include not limited to referral processing, facilitating completeness and accuracy of incoming referrals, routing to the correct Oncology or Ambulatory Clinic, new patient scheduling, and new patient and referral data reporting. The Intake Coordinator performs activities that are system-focused, ensuring the care is seamless across providers and the care continuum. The Intake Coordinator will facilitate medical review, tumor board review, maintain a diagnosis database, report on scheduling and disease specific data that will be used to report out to internal stakeholders as well as external throughout the Knight Cancer Network, OHSU Health system, and other external referral sources. Care coordination is the task of bridging gaps between facilities, specialists, researchers, labs, community resources, and primary care. The incumbent has extensive knowledge of scheduling processes in the ambulatory setting. S/he is knowledgeable about the Epic system and current best practice scheduling and referral workflows. This position requires high level attention to detail while providing the highest level of service to our patients, clinical team, referring providers, and Network members.

Function/Duties of Position

Network Responsibilities and Coordination of Care:

• Serves as the Cancer Network's main point of contact for a set group of Network Member practices and their staff with regard to coordination of care at OHSU. This position will be responsible for key areas of the network. Triages Network inquires and referrals to appropriate OHSU contacts, particularly directing clinical calls to appropriate clinic RN or CMA,  and follows up with Knight contact and Network Member to ensure OHSU "closes the loop" with each inquiry and referral.
• As assigned and under the direction of the KCI Program Manager and serves as a liaison between referring providers, Network Members and Knight physicians, clinicians, PAS staff, and care coordinators in the medical practice to support community providers and patients throughout the cancer care continuum (prevention, screening, risk assessment, diagnosis, clinical trials, treatment, survivorship, and end of life care) as appropriate.
• Ensure Network patients follow through with referrals to other specialties, labs, and diagnostic imaging through review of patient records in OHSU Epic and through direct verbal and written communication with representatives from Network Member clinical teams and OHSU clinical and research teams.
• Independently manages workload within service level agreement; Understanding and abiding by agreed upon timelines, i.e. Network Members, Referral processing metrics (2/4 day)
• Maintains a detailed tracking mechanism to track actions that require follow up related to patient and referring office inquires, referrals, records requests, etc.
• Receive and make outgoing phone calls to patients, referring provider offices, or other medical facilities within or outside the Knight Cancer Network regarding new patient scheduling, inquiries regarding oncology related research studies, and inquiries. 
• Assess/coordinate patient and referring office scheduling requests utilizing standard work based on diagnosis, insurance coverage or lack thereof, and previous treatments.
• Facilitate financial counselor review or consultation for patients that do not have insurance or are underinsured per standard work.
• Triage medical treatment questions to the appropriate clinical parties via Epic.
• Coordinate additional supportive appointments, such as labs, treatment, imaging, etc., with other OHSU departments and referring provider practices to achieve optimal care coordination for medical or financially fragile patients.

Clinical Research:

• Serves as a liaison between Network Members and Knight research teams to facilitate enrollment on and adherence to clinical trials. 
• Coordinates with OHSU clinical research nurses/associates/faculty notification to community oncologist and a nurse at the practice when a patient is enrolled on a clinical trial.
• Directs Network Members to the OHSU faculty note and ensure the community practice team is aware of immediate next steps to occur in the community practice.
• Notifies OHSU team if Network Member perceives any barriers and connects the clinical teams involved to resolve, assisting where relevant and within a non-clinical scope.

Referral Processing:

• Process incoming referrals that are faxed, emailed, or verbally given to the KCI department from the OHSU Intake Referral Center, Network Members or referrals directly faxed referrals to the KCI department. 
• Ensure that patient demographics are correct (i.e. address, contact numbers, PCP, referring provider, referred to provider etc.). 
• Create referral shell from faxed referral. Cross-reference referral matrix to identify what additional records if needed are required for medical review or appointment.
• Request medical records including but not limited to, office notes, lab/imaging reports, etc. Enter orders for pathology review, request images be pushed to the OHSU Imaging EMR.
• Separate faxed referral into like categories and create a PDF packet of the medical records information to facilitate medical review.
• Coordinate medical review and with Nurse Navigator or Medical Provider
• Request additional records or schedule additional appointments necessary to be done in coordination of a new visit.
• Communicate with the referring office/ patient throughout the referral process from start to finish informing of delays or additional items needed prior to scheduling up to scheduling.

Managed Care & Financial Coordination:   

Process Managed Care functions to include but not limited to the following:

• Maintain current information on insurance plans and serve as a liaison and information resources for physicians, nursing support staff, co-workers, referring physicians’ offices, patients and insurance companies on authorization requirements.
• Gather and/or verify patient information including demographics, insurance coverage, and financial status in accordance with OHSU and best practices.
• Enter all information accurately into OHSU EMR and /or into the medical record when necessary. 
• Document financial status and make referrals to financial counselors based off key indicators.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 2 years’ experience working in a ambulatory clinic, OR 
• Associate’s degree plus 4 years’ experience working in a ambulatory clinic. OR
• High School diploma plus 6 years’ experience working in a ambulatory clinic. 
• Knowledge of multiple Ambulatory workflows. 
• Experience in a medical office setting, including high-volume scheduling of appointments, multi-line phone system and medical terminology.
• The candidate must have a thorough knowledge of patient scheduling and referral processes in EPIC or other EHR system.
• Experience working with electronic medical records.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced computer skills, including Adobe, MS Word, Excel, OHSU Epic skills and online resource use knowledge.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks at one time.
• Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills: both written and
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving
• Ability to work autonomously, with a high level of accuracy, speed and exhibit a willingness to work with deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and processes
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and processes
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Prior work in a clinical setting, preferably a hematology/oncology clinical
• Experience scheduling in virtual platforms
• 2 years of recent experience as a PASR at OHSU.
• Experience with and electronic health record, preferably Epic
• Basic understanding of medical terminology

Additional Details

This position is located at the Center for Health & Healing Bld. 2 (CHH2) and via teleworking.

When this position works at CHH2, they must be able to share office space with other coworkers and able

to multi-task in a high-volume environment.

Benefits:

• Two raises per year – One at anniversary date and one across the board annual increase
• Healthcare Options - Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents, and $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Vacation- up to 200 hours per year depending on length of service
• Sick Leave- up to 96 hours per year
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
• Additional Programs including: Tuition Reimbursement and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)