Overview

Scheduler, Patient Services Center

PRN/OCC, Variable Hours and Shifts per pay period

Covenant HomeCare is East Tennessee’s largest non-profit homecare and hospice provider. Since 1978, we have provided quality home healthcare to allow patients to live with comfort, dignity, and independence. We care for more than 6,300 patients in our HomeCare and Hospice program every year. Covenant HomeCare is a proud member of Covenant Health, our region’s top-performing healthcare network.

Position Summary:

Directly responsible for scheduling visits and communicating with field staff, patients, physicians, etc. to maintain proper care coordination and continuity of care for assigned team (teams may contain up to 200 patients and up to 50 staff of any discipline). The PSC also assists the Clinical Supervisors with day-to-day office and staff management.

Recruiter: Bradley Sparks || bsparks2@covhlth.com || 865-374-5382

Responsibilities

• Maintain established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance program and safety standards.
• Manages schedules for all agents (visiting staff). Edits schedule for agents calling in sick or using CTO, ensuring patients are reassigned timely. 
• Receives calls from patients and agents. Covers Clinical Supervisor calls during lunch, weekly Case Conferences, and other busy times. Escalates calls to appropriate coordinator, supervisor, or manager as necessary.
• Assists Coordinator to maintain the on-call schedules.
• Completes requested schedules for all add-ons and applicable orders:
  • Schedules discharge visit / OASIS Collection or recert visit following case conference when task appears on action screen.
  • Reschedules declined or missed (if appropriate) visits.
  • Processes reassigned and rescheduled visits.
  • Ensures Supervisory Visits are scheduled according to agency protocol and regulatory mandates.
• Runs all scheduling reports.
• Receives lab reports and if clinical, assesses for normality. Faxes a copy of lab to doctor, and routes to the Medical Records Department.
• Prepares weekly Agent Schedules. Performs initial review of weekly schedule for productivity/geographic issues and forwards schedule to Clinical Manager for approval prior to distribution to staff.
• Verifies visit paper notes in scheduling console as needed.
• Assists with internal transfer of patients between branch offices.
• Resolves scheduling protocol issues, interaction and integration of new and established patients.
• Participates regularly in monthly staff meetings and periodically in physician meetings.
• Maintain professional growth and development through seminars, workshops and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends in field of expertise.
• Collaborate with the patient, agent and other care team members as part of the team based approach to overall patient care.
• Monitors workflow and/or Patients Served (eTHIN) report for current and pending patients that are receiving treatment at participating facilities and completes follow up work as appropriate.
• Oversees and keep track of visiting staff, notifying all parties of any changes and answering questions from surgeons in timely manner.
• Answer phones regarding:
  • Follow up
  • New Patient
  • Assisting agents
  • Assisting hospitals/facilities
  • Assisting patients
• Assist with hospital transfers for home health and hospice patients, including respite and general inpatient levels of care (speaking with hospital, notifying proper parties, and entering information in computer). Arranges rapid access transfer from one hospital to needed facility.
• Arranges all scheduling for outpatient visits for both home health and hospice for:
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech Therapy
  • Social Work
  • Home Health Aides
  • Chaplains
•  Oversees and keeps up with all supervisory visits (bi-weekly and monthly) scheduling those appointments and follow ups as required by discipline.
• Collaborate with agents and supervisors to make schedules and work flow more efficient for meeting patient’s needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

None specified; will accept any combination of formal education and/or prior work experience sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skill and ability needed to perform the essential tasks of the job, typically such as would be equivalent to a high school diploma or GED. Preference may be given to individuals possessing a HS diploma or GED.

Minimum Experience:

Three (3) years or more of home health or health related experience. Requires basic understanding of general office procedures. Previous experience in medical office supervision preferred. Requires effective human relations and communications skills.

Licensure Requirement:

None