Assessment and Referral Coord

• Area of Interest: Patient Services

• FTE/Hours per pay period: 1.0

• Department: Administration- CR

• Shift: 40 hours/week, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm

• Job ID: 188573

Overview

Location: Cedar Rapids Admin- 800 First Ave NE Ste A- Cedar Rapids, IA

Shift/Hours: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

We're seeking a Referral Center Representative to join our clinic team! In this role, you'll coordinate patient referrals, schedule specialty exams, obtain insurance pre-authorizations, and ensure accurate documentation to ensure timely and accurate healthcare access. The role acts as a liaison between patients, healthcare providers, and third-party payers to facilitate seamless communication and care coordination. The role also supports administrative tasks, maintains compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, and enhances workflow efficiencies through referral tracking and quality improvement initiatives.

In addition, the team member will be cross-trained to assist with patient documentation, ensuring accurate and up to date records in the electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Why UnityPoint Health?

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options focused on your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in. Here are just a few:

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.

• Dental, health and vision insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience.

Join our team of experts and make a difference with UnityPoint Health!

Responsibilities

• Works on patient referrals by coordinating appointment scheduling and ensuring the timely and accurate processing of referral requests, initiating referrals within 24 hours on business days, and documenting all stages in Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems.

• Coordinates and schedules specialty exams, diagnostic tests, and outpatient services as needed, ensuring proper authorization and documentation.

• Obtains and documents insurance pre-authorizations and approvals from Third-Party Payers (TPP) for services as required .

• Tracks and monitors referrals, ensuring proper documentation and follow-ups for injury cases, and maintains accurate referral reports for management. Acts as a liaison between patients, providers, employers, insurance companies, attorneys, and healthcare facilities to ensure seamless communication, care coordination, and timely notification of appointments and procedure instructions.

• Monitors and distributes incoming faxes, voicemails , and messages, forwarding them to appropriate personnel as required .

• Completes necessary forms and requisitions for referrals and diagnostic testing, ensuring accurate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) / International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding for billing and insurance purposes.

• Maintains current knowledge of payer-specific prior authorization requirements, attending virtual workshops and reviewing updates from insurance providers.

• Registers patients, verifies demographic and insurance information, and assists scheduling of office staff to optimize patient flow.

• Supports quality improvement initiatives by tracking referral trends, identifying delays, and implementing workflow optimizations.

• Ensures adherence to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, maintaining patient confidentiality while handling sensitive information.

Qualifications

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required

• Medical Administrative Secretarial course, a health care related course or degree preferred

Experience:

• One (1) to two (2) years of experience in a clinical office setting preferred

• Previous experience in a clinical office setting for occupational health, primary care, orthopedics, pain management, or neurology preferred

• Previous experience with referrals and prior authorizations in a clinic setting preferred

License(s)/Certification(s):

• Certified Medical Assistant preferred

• IA /IL Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter Training in state(s) where providing care required within 90 days of hire

• IA /IL Dependent Abuse Mandatory Reporter Training in state(s) where providing care required within 90 days of hire