Critical Care Communications Specialist

Allentown, PA - 1110 American Parkway

Full time

R145872

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.

The Critical Care Communications Specialist is responsible for the coordination, prioritization, and dispatch of critical care, specialty care, neonatal, pediatric, and air medical transport requests throughout the Network. This position serves as the primary communications liaison between requesting facilities, transport teams, aircraft operators, receiving facilities, physicians, and operational leadership.

The Critical Care Communications Specialist provides advanced transport coordination, flight-following operations, resource management, and mission support for critical care transport services while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory, operational, and safety requirements.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Critical Care Transport Coordination:

• Receive and coordinate requests for critical care and specialty care transportation services.

• Evaluate transport requests to determine the most appropriate transport modality based on patient condition, clinical requirements, distance, and resource availability.

• Coordinate ground critical care and rotor-wing transport resources.

• Maintain communication with sending facilities, receiving facilities, transport teams, and medical providers throughout the transport process.

• Facilitate bed assignment, patient transfer logistics, and transport arrangements as required.

Air/Ground Critical Care Dispatch Operations:

• Receive, prioritize, and dispatch air medical transport requests.

• Coordinate helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft utilization in accordance with established operational procedures.

• Collect and communicate information necessary for safe mission planning and execution.

• Track aircraft availability, crew status, and aircraft utilization.

• Coordinate aircraft launch, mission assignment, patient movement, and destination planning.

• Maintain continuous communication with flight crews during active missions.

• Communicate mission updates to requesting and receiving facilities.

• Support pilot and crew operational decision-making by providing relevant information and mission updates.

Flight Following and Mission Monitoring:

• Perform flight-following procedures for all assigned air medical missions.

• Monitor aircraft progress from launch through mission completion.

• Maintain awareness of weather conditions and operational impacts.

• Escalate potential operational concerns, delays, or mission-related issues.

• Activate contingency procedures for aircraft diversions, weather cancellations, communications failures, or operational interruptions.

• Ensure accurate documentation of mission milestones and transport activity.

Communications Center Leadership:

• Serve as a communications resource and subject matter expert for Emergency Communications Operators.

• Support communications center operations during periods of high call volume and complex incidents.

• Assist with training, mentoring, and onboarding of communications personnel.

• Participate in quality assurance, performance improvement, and operational review activities.

• Support department preparedness activities, drills, and emergency operations.

Regulatory Compliance and Documentation:

• Maintain accurate records of transport requests, dispatch activities, mission information, and communications.

• Ensure HIPAA compliance and patient confidentiality.

• Maintain compliance with Network policies, transport accreditation standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Complete incident reports and operational reviews as required.

• Other related duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

Sitting 8 hours per day; 3 hours at a time. Stand up to 1 hour per day; 30 minutes at a time. Walk up to 2 hours per day; 20 minutes at a time. Continuously fingering and handling for data entry, typing, etc. and occasional twisting and turning. Occasionally lift up to 20 lbs. Occasionally carry up to 15 lbs. Frequently stoops, bends, or reaches above shoulder level to retrieve files. Must be able to perceive attributes of an object through touch. Must be able to hear as it relates to normal conversation. Must be able to see as it relates to general, near, far, color, peripheral vision and vision monotony.

EDUCATION:

High School Diploma or equivalent required. Associate's degree in Emergency Services, Healthcare Administration, Aviation Operations, Communications, or related field preferred.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION:

Minimum two years of emergency communications, EMS dispatch, transport coordination, healthcare operations, or related experience required. Experience coordinating critical care or air medical transports preferred. Aircraft Dispatch, Flight Following, CAMTS, or Air Medical Communications training preferred.

Please complete your application using your full legal name and current home address. Be sure to include employment history for the past seven (7) years, including your present employer. Additionally, you are encouraged to upload a current resume, including all work history, education, and/or certifications and licenses, if applicable. It is highly recommended that you create a profile at the conclusion of submitting your first application. Thank you for your interest in St. Luke's!!

St. Luke's University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (http://www.slhn.org/EOE)

Founded in 1872, St. Luke’s University Health Network (http://www.slhn.org/) (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 23,000 employees providing services at 16 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue in excess of $4 billion, the Network’s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke’s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. The Network’s flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Premier 13 times total and eleven years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. In 2021, St. Luke’s was identified as one of the 15 Top Health Systems nationally.

St. Luke’s is the ONLY health care institution in the Lehigh Valley to be named a Top Workplace regionally repeating the exclusive honor for the third year in a row. Also, for the third straight year, St. Luke’s has been a Top Workplaces in the Philadelphia Region by the Philadelphia Inquirer, ranking 9th in the large employer category for 2025 and the only health care system in PA to receive this award. In 2025, St. Luke’s was recognized as a national Top Workplaces by USA Today, three years in a row, including the 3rd best health care system in the nation in 2023 and 2024. Lastly, in 2025, St. Luke’s was named a Top Workplace in New Jersey for the third year in a row.

Learn More Here. (http://www.slhn.org/About)