Patient Communication Representative
Department: Clinic Operations
Reports To: Clinic Manager
Position Summary
The Patient Communication Representative is a clinic-based position responsible for managing incoming phone calls and helping ensure patients receive timely, professional, and appropriate assistance.
Working under the direction of the Clinic Manager, this position serves as an important connection between patients and the clinic team. The primary responsibility is to answer incoming calls, understand what the patient needs, provide basic information when appropriate, and connect the patient with the correct person or department.
This position is dedicated primarily to incoming phone coverage and patient communication, while also serving as a flexible member of the clinic team. As operational needs require, and after appropriate training, the Patient Communication Representative may cross into front desk and scheduling responsibilities to support patient flow, staff coverage, and clinic operations. These additional duties do not replace the position’s primary responsibility for phones and patient communication.
The goal of every interaction is to ensure that every patient feels heard and knows what will happen next.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Phone & Patient Communication
- Answer incoming clinic calls promptly, professionally, and consistently.
- Listen carefully to determine the reason for each patient's call.
- Provide basic information within the scope of the position.
- Direct calls to the appropriate clinic employee, department, or centralized team.
- Warmly transfer callers whenever possible rather than simply redirecting them.
- Take clear and accurate messages when the appropriate employee is unavailable.
- Minimize unnecessary transfers and make every reasonable effort to get the patient to the correct resource the first time.
- Maintain a professional, patient, and helpful tone during every interaction.
Patient Follow-Through
Answering or transferring a call does not always complete the responsibility. The Patient Communication Representative is expected to help ensure that patient needs are appropriately communicated and addressed.
Responsibilities include:
- Accurately document patient messages and requests.
- Ensure messages are sent to the appropriate employee or department.
- Follow up internally when a patient has been waiting for a response.
- Notify the Clinic Manager of concerns that are not being addressed appropriately or timely.
- Escalate urgent, sensitive, or unusual patient concerns to the Clinic Manager.
- Help close the communication loop so patients are not repeatedly calling because they do not know the status of their request.
Basic Patient Assistance
With appropriate training, the Patient Communication Representative may answer basic questions regarding:
- Clinic location and hours.
- Imaging services available at the clinic.
- General appointment information.
- Where patients should check in.
- Basic approved exam preparation information.
- How to reach scheduling, authorizations, medical records, billing, or other departments.
- General company and clinic processes within the employee's training.
When the answer is unknown or outside the scope of the position, the employee should not guess. The responsibility is to identify who can appropriately answer the question and help connect the patient with that resource.
Clinic Support
When phone volume and clinic workflow allow, the Patient Communication Representative may assist with front desk, scheduling, and other clinic administrative duties as assigned by the Clinic Manager.
These duties may include:
- Assisting with patient check-in and check-out.
- Helping with routine patient paperwork, scanning, and document organization.
- Assisting with routine scheduling, rescheduling, and appointment-related tasks within established protocols.
- Supporting front desk coverage, patient flow, and basic payment collection when trained and assigned.
- Assisting with order, fax, medical records, or other routine administrative workflows as trained.
- Performing other front desk, scheduling, or clinic support duties assigned by the Clinic Manager.
These responsibilities are secondary to phone coverage. The Patient Communication Representative is expected to remain available for incoming calls and shift back to phone responsibilities whenever call volume or clinic needs require it.
May
The Patient Communication Representative may:
- Answer and route incoming clinic calls.
- Provide approved basic information.
- Take and document patient messages.
- Contact clinic employees or centralized departments on behalf of a patient.
- Follow up internally regarding unanswered patient requests.
- Escalate concerns to the Clinic Manager.
- Assist with front desk and Medical Office Receptionist duties when trained and assigned.
- Assist with routine scheduling duties within established workflows and protocols when trained and assigned.
May Not
The Patient Communication Representative may not:
- Provide medical advice.
- Interpret imaging results or answer clinical questions outside approved training.
- Make independent decisions regarding patient care.
- Independently handle complex insurance or authorization issues
- Make payment arrangements or financial exceptions without authorization.
- Make scheduling exceptions or override established scheduling protocols without authorization.
- Promise authorization approval, pricing exceptions, appointment availability, or other outcomes outside their authority.
- Independently make operational decisions for the clinic.
- Leave patient concerns unresolved without appropriate documentation, communication, follow-up, or escalation.
Relationship With the Medical Office Receptionist
The Patient Communication Representative and Medical Office Receptionist work together as part of the clinic team. The roles may overlap in day-to-day duties, but the Patient Communication Representative remains primarily responsible for incoming phones and patient communication.
The Patient Communication Representative primarily focuses on:
- Incoming phone calls.
- Basic patient questions.
- Call routing.
- Message documentation.
- Patient communication and follow-through.
- Front desk and scheduling support as needed.
The Medical Office Receptionist has broader primary responsibility for clinic front office operations, including patient check-in and check-out, payments, insurance-related responsibilities, order and documentation workflows, and other administrative functions. The Patient Communication Representative may perform many of these duties when trained and assigned, but phones and patient communication remain the primary focus of the role.
Phone coverage remains the primary accountability of the role.
Both positions work under the direction and authority of the Clinic Manager.
Performance Expectations
Performance should be evaluated based on both efficiency and the quality of the patient experience.
Employees are expected to:
- Answer incoming calls consistently.
- Maintain professional and compassionate communication.
- Listen before transferring a caller.
- Route calls accurately.
- Minimize unnecessary transfers.
- Document messages clearly and accurately.
- Follow through on patient requests.
- Recognize when escalation is necessary.
- Work collaboratively with the Medical Office Receptionist, scheduling team, and other clinic staff and step into those workflows as needed.
- Follow the direction of the Clinic Manager.
- Maintain patient confidentiality and follow HIPAA requirements.
- Demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
Patient Communication Standard
Every patient should feel that their concern matters.
Employees should avoid simply telling a patient to “call another department” whenever reasonable. The goal is to help the patient reach the appropriate resource, communicate what will happen next, and ensure appropriate follow-through.
A successful interaction ends with the patient knowing what will happen next.
Key Competencies
Patient Focus
Treats each patient with patience, respect, and professionalism and makes an effort to understand what they need.
Communication
Communicates clearly and appropriately with patients, coworkers, and other departments.
Ownership
Takes responsibility for helping the patient reach the appropriate resource rather than simply passing the problem along.
Follow-Through
Recognizes when a patient request requires additional action and ensures it is communicated or escalated appropriately.
Teamwork
Works closely with the Medical Office Receptionist, technologists, centralized departments, and other clinic staff.
Judgment
Understands the boundaries of the position and recognizes when assistance from the Medical Office Receptionist, Clinic Manager, or another department is needed.
Professionalism
Maintains a positive and respectful attitude toward patients and coworkers at all times.
Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- When would you be able to start?
- What's the best way to contact you for an interview?
Experience:
- office or medical: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
