Job Summary

UT Health San Antonio is broadening its reach in clinical care with the opening of the new UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty & Research Hospital. This eight-story 144-bed facility will offer uninterrupted patient care in one location within San Antonio, TX, the 7th largest city in the U.S.

The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Coordinator is responsible for coordination of the evaluation and preparation of patients for Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) transplantation, cellular therapies, and long-term management of patients post-treatment. The BMT Coordinator is responsible for coordinating patient care across multiple areas –the outpatient clinics, the inpatient nursing unit and the community – in order to provide continuity of patient care across settings.

Job Duties:

• Interacts daily with patients, families/caregivers, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, discharge planners and physicians (both UTSA Health faculty/fellows and referring physicians) to provide and facilitate care.
• Communicates and collaborates with community physicians, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, home health agencies, insurance company case managers and medical directors to ensure a successful continuum of care.
• Prioritize clinical issues and case manage a large number of patients in various stages of the transplant/cellular therapy processes including outpatients pre-treatment, inpatients at UTHSA MSRH and long-term post-treatment patients. Additionally, the BMT Coordinator must integrate the clinical responsibilities noted above, provide assistance and guidance to other program staff, and participate in program development, research and educational activities.
• The incumbent provides direct patient care including education of patients and families/caregivers regarding transplantation/cellular therapy, and assessment, monitoring and management of patients’ pre- and post- treatment course including side effects and complications. Incumbent performs his/her job demonstrating technical ability, understanding of job expectations and compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
• The BMT Coordinator coordinates and promotes the clinical activities of adult and pediatric autologous and allogeneic HSC transplantation, and other cellular therapies.
• Schedule patient appointments with referring physicians, obtaining necessary demographic, financial and medical information. Provide written notification of appointment to both patient and referring physician.
• Conduct pre-treatment interviews with prospective transplant/cellular therapy patients and families. Interpret eligibility criteria for patients, families, physicians and outside agencies. Obtain medical and social histories.
• Schedule and coordinate pre-treatment testing of potential HSCT/cellular therapy candidates and/or donors. Provide written notification of testing schedule to patient/caregiver.
• Conduct pre-treatment evaluation of donors with the provider and educate regarding collection method.
• Secure insurance approval for all services scheduled, including transplant and cellular therapies. Prepare letter of medical necessity and pre-treatment evaluation results and submit to insurer. Work closely with Transplant Financial Coordinators and Case Managers to ensure insurance authorization is obtained for all transplants and cellular therapies.
• Contribute to the collaborative development of the weekly transplant admission schedule, taking into account each patient’s priority status as well as the availability of the Operating Rooms, Infusion Center, Radiation Oncology, Cell Processing Laboratory, nursing units and medical staff.
• Participate in the HSCT patient care conferences, working closely with the outpatient/inpatient medical, nursing and support staff personnel.
• Provide back-up support to peers (BMT coordinators).
• Provide telephone consultation and follow-up support to patients and their families. This requires the ability to recognize and assess patient problems and symptoms, apply appropriate medical interventions in compliance with written transplant/cellular therapy protocols and interpreting these to community physicians and health professionals involved in the care of transplant patients.
• Assist BMT Social Worker with completion and forwarding of insurance and disability forms for HSCT patients.
• Document appropriately in EPIC.
• Provide consultation to UTHSA Medical Faculty, other physicians, nurses and other health care professionals who provide health care to HSC transplant or cellular therapy patients.
• Provide patient status reports to community and referring physicians and third -party payors. 
• Collaborate in the development and update of protocols and guidelines for the Clinical Program SOP Manual.
• Collaborate with HSCT/cellular therapy team members in the development of standardized treatment/admission orders and patient care protocols.
• Along with other Coordinators, develop, implement and evaluate comprehensive patient education literature and programs.
• Participate in the development and execution of quality improvement programs and projects.
• Provide program guidance to other professionals and staff within the HSCT/Cellular Therapy Program.
• Support the enrollment of transplant and cellular therapy patients in clinical trials by working collaboratively with the Research Coordinators.
• Foster continued BMT and cellular therapy research by complying with requests for patient schedules that accommodate research trials and providing data, as needed.
• Complete training required by the Mays Cancer Center and consent patients to trials involving the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR).
• Complete paper or electronic data reporting forms for the CIBMTR and the National Marrow Donor program as needed.
• Participate in teaching activities within UTHSA for interdisciplinary team members and students and in the community for professional groups and referring practices.
• Identify professional strengths and areas for growth and demonstrate professional development in formal and informal learning experiences.
• Participate in professional organizations in the area of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation/cellular therapy and other areas of professional interest.
•  Participate in local, regional and national conferences on HSC transplantation or cellular therapies.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in nursing required

Master’s degree in nursing preferred

Experience:

Two (2) years of clinical experience as an RN caring for acute and chronically ill adults and/or children.

Two (2) years of experience in Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant or Hematology preferred

Two (2) years of experience with clinical research and insurance prior authorization, or transplant contracting preferred

Licensure/Certification

RN License in the State of Texas

Certification as a Blood and Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse (BMTCN) or a Certified Hematopoietic Transplant Coordinator (CHTC) preferred