Job Title: Care Coordinator
Reports to: Hospital Director
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Summary of Job Purpose and Function
Under policy direction from the Hospital Director, the Care Coordinator performs a wide range of difficult to complex tasks related to the hospital provide excellent client communications and perform superior patient care.
Essential Responsibilities and Tasks
The following is a list of essential job requirements. This list may be revised at any time and additional duties not listed here may be assigned as needed. Job Functions and Job Responsibilities include overseeing that the following occur within the hospital.
EXEMPLIFY AND EMBODY CARA’S CULTURE EVERY DAY
All employees are expected to exemplify Cara’s five pillars daily: Put Pets First. Trust the Parent. Authentically Human. Good Neighbors. Shake Things Up. Employees should also be willing and capable of multi-tasking, confidently navigate various types of technology throughout the practice, and use mathematical skills accurately throughout their daily tasks. Employees must also mentally and physically stay organized to help ensure the clients and patients receive the best possible experience. Cara employees are also required to be mentally flexible, adaptable, and resilient to working in a stressful and demanding work environment. All Cara employees are expected to always conduct themselves in a professional manner. They are also expected to be independent while working in their role, show integrity, be willing to collaborate with others, and to always be a team player and show initiative.
CLIENT HOSPITALITY
- Ability to create a calm and comfortable environment
- Awareness of body language
- Knowing when and how to show empathy
- Skills in creating a personalized experience
- Communication on proactive problem solving
- Ability to support and motivate others
WELCOMING CLIENTS
- Knowing client and patient names and the reason for their visit
- Smile and be empathetic and comforting
- Make it personal
PHONES
- Place priority on answering the phone before the 3rd ring
- Ensure that appropriate coverage exists so phones are never left unanswered
- Check and process voicemail
- Triage phone calls and degree of urgency
- Process all client phone requests and document all phone conversations with
clients in the medical record Smiling while talking
OUTPATIENT CARE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Understanding of hospital S.O.C (standard of care)
- Client education specialist
- Appropriate history questions knowledge
- Case presentation at rounds (signalment)
- Rooming and admitting patients/ clients
- TPR (temperature, pulse, respiration)
- Medication administration
- Filling prescriptions including drug/medication information
APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
- Scheduling new and existing patients on the phone and in person
- Understanding of appointment schedule and reason times
- Scheduling rechecks appointments at the time of check-out
- Tracking and rescheduling cancelled appointments
- Scheduling rechecks appointments, surgeries, and dental procedures
PATIENT HANDLING DUTIES
- Techniques in handling patients for procedures, exams, ultrasound, x-ray, sample collection, etc.
- Using safety equipment such as muzzles, cat bags, nets
- Monitor patients for needing to go out for elimination
PATIENT LIASON DUTIES
- Recording all client conversations, patient procedures, patient observations, etc. in medical records
- Reviewing medical chart with clients including drop off and surgery forms
- Calling clients to update on patient condition
- Communicating drop off and pick up times
- Creating and executing reminder phone calls
- Assisting the veterinarian with client phone calls and questions
- Maintaining/creating client information packets
- Discussing pre-anesthetic lab work with clients
- Communicating post-operative and at home medical care instructions to clients
- Educated in phone triage
- Understanding of medication refill protocol, how to record, request and approve medications
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collection and processing of blood, urine, tissue, or fluid samples
- Placing IV catheters
- In house differentials
- Performing diagnostic procedures, such as ear cytology, impression smears, running lab machines
- Multiple X-RAY images and understanding the patient positioning and alignment for radiological studies
PATIENT BILLING DUTIES
- Knowledge of all charging systems (credit, cash, care credit, check)
- Creation of estimates and invoices for all services rendered
- Assist clients with filing out CareCredit applications
- Settle merchant credit machine at the end of each day
- Maintain accurate financial records regarding the cash drawer, compile daily checks and credit card reports
MEDICAL RECORDS
- Knowledge of medical terminology and body systems
- Ability to navigate medical charting and entering in patient exam notes and plan
- Recording all conversations with clients in the medical records, recording messages and patient updates
- Obtaining medical records from referring practices
- Fax and email records when requested by clients or referral veterinary practices
INVENTORY AND SUPPLY DUTIES
- Maintaining a clean and orderly practice
- Knowledge of machine maintenance and services
- Checking inventory supplies, maintaining supply lists
- Stocking of rooms, treatment rooms, front office etc.
- Assisting in maintaining the controlled drug log per DEA requirements
Hiring Qualifications
Special Working Conditions
- Employee should expect to spend nearly all of their workdays standing, sitting and typing at a computer.
- They should have a physical strength and the ability to safely lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds without assistance.
- Able to assist in lifting patients weighing more than 50 pounds.
- Must possess sufficient strength and assertiveness to effectively restrain patients and ensure the safety of clients and personnel.
- Ability to be confident around pets (ex: dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.)
- The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.
- Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form and to solve problems involving several variables.
- Requires ambulatory skills sufficient to perform duties while at hospital.
- Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50 pounds.
- Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to reach and grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read information.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
- Staff is routinely exposed to pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.
Experience, Education and/ or Training
- This position requires a high school diploma or further education.
- Previous back and/or front office work experience preferred.
- Possesses excellent client service skills. Preferred experience in customer service and/or hospitality
- Proficiency in technology and typing skills is preferred.