Telecommunications Representative

The Telecommunication Representative is responsible for making positive first impressions, as they maintain focus on the overall safety of our patients, guests and hospital employees. They work closely with hospital and health system departments, physicians, employees, patients and their family members regarding a variety of hospital and health system services. The employee will be responsible for a customer-friendly approach to the delivery of services using their technical capacities to provide a communication gateway between our patients and the health system. The position will consistently demonstrate positive interpersonal and interdepartmental relationships and create a positive and professional working environment for new employees.  Is responsible for the review and maintenance of ongoing communication tools used by the entire department, while assisting with the training and development of new employees.

Essential Job Functions

• Prepare electronic documentation that are complete, professional in nature and uses correct grammar, punctuation and format.
• Intercept internal and external calls with a customer-friendly approach.
• Maintain a positive attitude with callers, coworkers, health system employees and physicians.
• Assure that customer needs are met in a timely fashion.
• Keep the mission, vision and values of the organization in mind with each patient contact.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Independence Health System Health code processes and other emergency plans using supporting department policies and procedures on the successful initiation of emergency codes.
• Immediate response to emergent situations while gathering information from physicians and/or clinicians.
• Efficient and accurate initiation of emergency codes in critical situations using Lynx, overhead paging, and Microsoft Office.
• Accurately records detailed information about all emergent situations using Microsoft Office.
• Answer telephone calls promptly, efficiently and courteously using a positive voice image to callers, keeping in mind the tone, inflection, and enunciation to all callers.
• Foster a “one stop shop” culture by listening to callers intently to determine the nature of the call to see if the call must be transferred or if it can be handled by a Switchboard Operator.
• Screen calls to ensure authenticity and make sure that any messages are communicated to the correct recipients in a time-efficient manner.
• Create and process messages, schedule and log that legible, accurate and communicated to the other staff.
• Provide call processing support to multiple departments and hospital physicians to maintain a pathway for necessary communication between patients and their clinicians after business hours.
• Collect, communicate and document confidential patient information using PerfectServe, MediCall, Spok, and Microsoft Office.
• Answer queries pertaining to admitted patients by following confidentiality protocols using McKesson STAR.
• Awareness of hospital campuses to accurately direct visitors to appropriate departments or patient rooms.
• Responsible for accurate individual performance outcomes for all applications used in the department, including but not limited to PerfectServe – physician communication, MediCall – information database, McKesson STAR – patient information, Spok – alternate paging services, Cisco Jabber – dept. to dept. communication, Lynx – emergency notification system, Microsoft Windows – PC Operating system, Microsoft Office – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Internet Explorer – internet provider, PA system – overhead paging, API – time and attendance and UltiPro – benefits, compensation, performance management.
• Operational knowledge of hardware used to support department operations, including by not limited to Cisco telephony – phones, conference calls, Emergency panels – alarms, emergency codes, Simplex – LH fire system, and Wireless devices – cell phones, one-way pagers.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Manage the issuance of pagers and assist employees with user guidelines.
• Maintain central database of all paging devices using Microsoft Office.
• Contact vendor for device exchanges and various troubleshooting needs.
• Review and revise necessary emergency code contact information on an as needed basis.
• Review department processes for necessary updates and revise as needed.
• Responsible for the day-to-day training of new employees and escalate training concerns to management.
• Create a professional working environment for new employees so that effective training and development can be fostered.
• Ensure new employees are directing callers professionally, correctly, promptly and courteously.
• Consistently review individual emergency code processes with new employees and conduct mock code situations to ensure that employees are prepared to work alone.
• Assess and verify call accuracy for new employees to include scripting and call connections
• Consistently review patient transfer process with new employees and conduct mock scenarios as part of the learning process.
• Ensure new employees are mindful of physician protocols and can accurately process calls.
• Review patient privacy codes with new employees and audit processing of patient information calls to ensure patient confidentiality.
• Review new employee long information for all applications to ensure successful access.
• Daily review of all call logs to ensure complete and accurate information.
• Monthly creation of new call logs to replace previous month’s tracking sheet.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED, or Higher Level of Education.
• Previous experience in customer service.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) year experience in hospital switchboard.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Independence Health System Health locations.

LEAN

• Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Independence Health System’s missions, vision and values.

AAP/EEO

• Independence Health System Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Independence Health System Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Independence Health System Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.