Patient Services Coordinator II, Home Base

Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program, is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds – including post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depression, co-occurring substance use disorder, family relationship challenges and other issues associated with Military service – for Veterans of all eras, Service Members, Military Families and Families of the Fallen through world-class clinical care, wellness, education, and research.

Reporting to the Practice Manager, the Patient Service Coordinator (PSC) serves as a key member of the team that provides superior care and exceptional service to its patients. One critical dimension of this service focuses on patient check-in process and improving the human experience upon our patients’ arrival to our practice and throughout the duration of their visit. The Home Base PSC will play an important role in redefining and reinvigorating the patient welcome and check-in experience. The PSC will be the crucial “face and attitude” of this patient-centered practice. While also providing medical scheduling services, the PSC will have the unique opportunity to work within a supportive team setting enabled by systems and technologies that will allow the employee to provide patient care and services at their highest levels. In addition, the PSC will be responsible to assist in special projects when skillset and capacity allow, as deemed appropriate by the Practice Manager.

At Home Base, you are seen, heard, and treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to embodying values of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We recognize and work collaboratively to address disparities. We strive to foster an inclusive team environment in which each person has an experience of being valued and respected regardless of their intersecting identities.

Home Base is part of Massachusetts General Hospital, an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse individuals, skills, perspectives, and ideas, we choose to lead. Applications from protected Veterans and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide a friendly, welcoming, and caring attitude to all patients arriving for visits.
• Possess a “high touch – high service” attitude and expertise, effectively manage incoming
  communications from patients and families, whether by phone or the practice website. In this effort, work effectively to fully investigate, understand, and document the patient’s needs, concerns, and expectations for response, and then communicate back to patients an understanding of these elements and the next steps toward providing the needed care.
• Support the arriving patient in the check in process. Within this effort, support patients with any insurance, billing, or medical administrative questions they may have. Included in this responsibility is the distribution of and documentation of HIPAA information and establishing the correct identity of the patient by checking picture identification.
• Manage and maintain appointment scheduling for patients within various programs.
• Must remain current with the federal and state changes to HIPAA and identity issues that may require front desk workflow changes in the future.
• Be available to work some flexible hours to meet the demands and changing needs of this growing practice.
• Provides support and information to providers to problem solve and manage complex administrative patient issues.
• Triages and manages complex telephone calls, utilizing courteous customer service skills.
• Maintains confidentiality and privacy, consistent with HIPAA guidelines.
• Under the direction of clinical and administrative leadership, execute behavior management protocols for disruptive patients over the phone or in person. Practice de-escalation skills and reframing techniques in a caring, calm, and professional manner.
• Employ awareness and maintenance of proper professional boundaries with psychiatric patients.
• Assist clinicians and managers in emergent situations. Work collaboratively with MGH Police & Security representatives also staffing the Front Desk.
• With a complete understanding and documentation of patient needs, interface with the patient’s team (clinicians, wellness, and outreach staff) to direct messages to those team members that are most appropriate for timely evaluation and response to patient needs. Whenever possible, be proactive in closing the loop with the patient and in supporting the team in whatever way possible.
• Manage incoming “paper” medical records, storage, and access to paper records when needed. Document receipt of outside records in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR).
• Manage/sort and date stamp incoming mail and other paper communications towards ultimate input to EMR system.
• Engage with care teams and support members in all matters appropriate to patient care services needed and skills of this position (e.g., support practice with outreach to patients, faxing and mailing letters supporting patient care).
• Provides support as needed to prepare mailings.
• Provides cross-coverage for other Clinic staff members for absences, vacations, etc. and during variations in workflow, as needed
• Coordinates upkeep of patient files both in paper and electronic form through paper filing and scanning of documents into the electronic medical record as needed.
• Performs all other related tasks which would facilitate the flow of patients through the practice, or which would enhance the quality of service to patients.
• Works on special projects across Home Base program as requested by Practice Manager

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required

• A high degree of initiative and independent judgment
• Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize tasks
• Strong computer skills necessary to use computerized scheduling, billing, prescription ordering and electronic medical record systems; Epic experience preferred
• Knowledge of MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Excellent and effective customer service and communication skills; demonstrated ability to work effectively and courteously with various groups of individuals, including patients (with a broad range of psychological conditions), staff and providers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to function as a member of a team and share knowledge and skills within the team.
• Ability to conceptualize situations, actively resolve problems and complex issues on behalf of providers and patients and appropriately seek guidance and direction when needed.
• Ability to respond patiently and perform in stressful situations and handle difficult calls
• Excellent and effective interpersonal and communication skills, in –person, phone and/or in writing.
• Understanding of medical referral and prior authorization process is preferred.
• Superior patient care and service attitude and correspondence skills.
• Excels within and helps to enable a process improvement and team building environment.
• Works well both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and function as a resource to other members of the team and resolve complex issues on behalf of the providers and the patients.
• Ability to work independently or within a team environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of HIPAA Confidentiality and Privacy Policies.
• Demonstrated understanding of Disaster protocols to include fire, safety, and code calls, per the
  mandatory training, as outlined by MGH and JCAHO guidelines.

Education and Experience

• 2 Years’ experience in a highly clinically customer service focused role
• High school diploma required

Working Conditions

• Office/Ambulatory Care Setting. Some work may be performed remotely.
• Primary Location: MA-Charlestown-MGH OCC

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