Referral Coordinator

Job Posting Title:

----

Hiring Department:

----

Position Open To:

----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

----

FLSA Status:

----

Earliest Start Date:

----

Position Duration:

----

Location:

----

Job Details:

Dell Medical School is seeking a Referral Coordinator

The Referral Coordinator reports to the Patient Access Supervisor and plays a key role in ensuring timely and accurate coordination of patient referrals across clinics within the healthcare system. Primary responsibilities include tracking referral status, resolving pre-authorization and registration issues, and documenting all actions in compliance with HIPAA standards. This role verifies insurance coverage, obtains authorizations, schedules appointments, and maintains complete and accurate patient demographic and insurance information in the EHR. Acting as a liaison between patients, providers, and scheduling teams, the Referral Coordinator answers referral-related calls promptly and courteously, strives for first-call resolution, and communicates appointment details and expectations to patients. This position supports continuity of care and helps improve patient experience and operational efficiency.

Manage Referral Processing

• Processes and tracks patient referrals to specialists and ancillary services.
• Maintains ongoing tracking and documentation of referrals in EHR (e.g., Athena, Epic, etc.).
• Ensures complete and accurate patient demographic, insurance, and authorization details.
• Obtains referral authorization from insurance carriers and documents authorization numbers.

Coordinate Scheduling

• Assists patients with scheduling appointments and reviews referral details and expectations.
• Notifies patients of scheduled appointments via phone and provides preparation instructions.
• Works as liaison between scheduling department and patient; sends tasks accordingly.
• Resolves pre-authorization, registration, or other referral-related issues prior to appointments.

Communication and Customer Service

• Answers and makes phone calls promptly, courteously, and efficiently.
• Handles referral-related calls and strives for first-call resolution.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with identified service providers.
• Interacts respectfully and collaboratively with patients and families to build trust.

Compliance and Documentation

• Completes all direct and indirect care documentation in a timely manner.
• Ensures patient records are current and complete in EHR systems.
• Adheres to HIPAA and organizational privacy standards.

Issue Resolution and Support

• Follows up on patient referral inquiries not immediately resolved.
• Notifies Patient Access Manager of any issues or concerns from patients or providers.
• Assists other departments or business needs as directed.

MARGINAL OR PERIODIC FUNCTIONS:

• Participates in accreditation and quality improvement activities.
• Provides training to new staff on referral processes.
• Attends departmental meetings and continuing education sessions.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

Organizing

• Marshals resources to get things done; uses time effectively; arranges information and
• Prioritizes multiple referrals and deadlines efficiently.
• Maintains accurate tracking systems for authorizations and appointments.
• Anticipates bottlenecks and adjusts workflow proactively.

Customer Focus

• Meets and/or exceeds the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; acts with patients' best interests in mind.
• Responds promptly and courteously to patient inquiries.
• Communicates clearly about referral requirements and expectations.
• Builds trust through consistent follow-up and resolution.

Problem Solving

• Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems; looks beyond the obvious for solutions.
• Identifies root causes of referral delays or insurance denials.
• Develops alternative solutions when standard processes fail.
• Escalates complex issues appropriately and timely.

Attention to Detail

• Thoroughly and accurately completes tasks; checks work to ensure compliance and correctness.
• Reviews patient demographic and insurance data for accuracy.
• Ensures all authorizations and documentation are complete before scheduling.
• Monitors referral status to prevent missed appointments.

Interpersonal Savvy

• Relates well to all kinds of people; builds constructive relationships; uses diplomacy and tact.
• Handles sensitive patient situations with empathy and professionalism.
• Collaborates effectively with providers, schedulers, and insurance representatives.
• Adapts communication style to different audiences.

Technical Learning

• Quickly learns new technical skills and systems; applies knowledge effectively.
• Learns EHR workflows and insurance portals efficiently.
• Applies system knowledge to streamline referral processing.
• Troubleshoots minor technical issues independently.
• Supports special projects or workflow improvements as assigned.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requires a High School Diploma/GED in with at least 2 year(s) of experience in healthcare administration, patient access, or referral coordination.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Associate's Degree in healthcare administration or related field with at least 3 year(s) of experience in referral coordination or medical office setting. Familiarity with EHR systems (e.g., Athena, Epic, etc.) and insurance authorization processes. Certified Medical Staff Coordinator (CMSC) or similar credential.

$45,000+ depending on qualifications

• Standard office equipment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications and disoriented or combative patients, or others.

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

----

Employment Eligibility:

----

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

----

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

----

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

----

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

----

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

----

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

----

Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.