Patient Care Coordinator - Outpatient General Surgery Clinic

Patient Care Coordinator

Foundation Health Partners is seeking a Patient Care Coordinator with an active Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential to support the clinical operations of our General Surgery department. This position blends patient coordination with hands-on clinical responsibilities, requiring a strong medical foundation, excellent communication skills, and the ability to guide patients through surgical care with clarity, compassion, and efficiency. Ideal candidates will have a solid understanding of clinical workflows and a commitment to delivering high-quality support to both patients and providers in a fast-paced surgical environment.

This position is responsible for providing personalized coordination, clarification, and communication of all administrative aspects of care including patient needs assessments, insurance and authorization verification, registration, maintaining and handling of documentation, and scheduling of appointments. This position partners with the clinical care team to ensure a seamless experience for the patient and their family across the entire continuum of their treatment. This position assists with providing resources to help the patient maintain optimal care. This position performs follow-up tasks identified during the patient needs assessment for management of patients across the healthcare continuum or when the patient is in the continuum and needs additional resource support.

Job Description

• Performs patient intake process, which may include pre-registration/registration. Partners with the clinical care team to determine initial authorizations needed based on the predicted care treatment plan. Obtains patient insurance benefit information for all aspects of the treatment, including, but not limited to, inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, and travel and housing, if necessary. May also answer questions regarding the authorization process and supply information to providers, patients, and third-party payors.

• Acts as a resource for insurance coverage, which may include obtaining authorizations and notifications throughout the patient's treatment. Obtains all necessary signatures and documentation required by the patient's insurance plan. Accurately and completely documents all information into the patient records system to ensure maximum reimbursement. Monitors and updates information regarding insurance data, authorizations, preferred providers, and changes in patient's treatment plan. Partners with the clinical care team and insurance provider to ensure continued coverage of patient's care and maximum reimbursement and minimized financial impact to the patient.

• Provides administrative support in maintaining materials such as documents, proposals, routine correspondence, spreadsheets, composing and preparing routine reports, and maintaining records in a variety of business software and database applications for electronic medical records, billing, data management.

• Schedules physician appointments, tests, procedures, and surgeries and may provide patients with necessary preparation instructions. Prepares, processes, and manages patient documentation to department database. Acts as a liaison between the patient, billing department, and payor to enhance account receivables, resolve outstanding issues and/or patient concerns.

• Optimizes patient experience by using effective customer service. Communicates continually with patients, other departments, referral networks, and providers to ensure appropriate plans and protocols are followed. Uses discretion and is attentive to issues of customer confidentiality. Demonstrates skills in pro-active resolution and attempts to resolve scheduling conflicts.

• May manage the medical record for the assigned area, including coordination with hospitals, practice offices, and other ancillary services to obtain needed records. Responds to patient referral requests for tests, procedures, and specialty visits. Follows guidelines and may assist in developing procedures to ensure that medical records are in compliance with all state and federal laws. May also reconcile charge tickets, identifying incomplete tickets, missing charge codes or missing diagnosis codes. Notifies clinical staff as needed.

Performs all functions according to established policies, procedures, regulatory and accreditation requirements, as well as applicable professional standards. Provides all customers of Foundation Health with an excellent service experience by consistently demonstrating our core and leader behaviors each and every day.

Requirements

• High school diploma/GED or equivalent working knowledge.

• Requires three or more years working in a hospital or medical office. Requires knowledge of medical terminology. Must be able to work under minimal supervision and make independent decisions using good judgment. Excellent communication, human relations, attention to detail, and organizational skills are required. Must possess highly developed interpersonal relations and process coordination skills.

• Requires knowledge of payer contract terms and processes. Requires the ability to perform basic math functions and the ability to handle confidential information and sensitive issues. Must be able to work effectively with common office software and hospital software to perform intake and updates to patient medical history in addition to other software used in scheduling and billing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional related education and/or experience preferred.

Pay & Benefits

• Compensation: $23.53 to $36.76 hourly wage based on experience and education

• Additional Pay: Shift Differential, Annual Increases, Paid Time Off

• Benefits: Medical, vision, dental, 401k with employer match

• Education Benefits: FHP Tuition Assistance, Student Loan Forgiveness

• Other Benefits: Onsite Gym, Wellness Programs, Discount programs, The Learning Center (childcare services)

• Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, 5x8 hour day shifts M-F

Community Overview

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is a non-profit facility owned by the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation. A Joint Commission-accredited facility with 152 licensed beds, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is the primary referral center for residents of Alaska's interior with a strong patient-to-nurse ratio and Shared Leadership Infrastructure. In addition to our exceptional clinical environment, our location offers incomparable lifestyle rewards away from work. In Fairbanks, small-town living, spectacular natural beauty, and endless recreation combine to create a one-of-a-kind place to live, work, and play.

About Foundation Health Partners: Beginning January 1, 2017, Tanana Valley Clinic, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, and Denali Center became part of Foundation Health Partners, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation. Foundation Health Partners will operate all three facilities through a 15-member Board of Directors. At Foundation Health Partners, our patients and residents are at the heart of everything we do. Community owned and operated we are dedicated to providing compassionate health care for every chapter in your life story.

About Tanana Valley Clinic: Tanana Valley Clinic (TVC) has provided state-of-the-art medical services to the Fairbanks Community and Interior Alaska for over 50 years. TVC is a 60-provider multi-specialty group. We have an excellent group of physicians and clinical staff, many of whom have been at TVC for 20+ years as a testament to our friendly work environment. Our passionate staff seek to make TVC the Medical Home for the people of the Interior of Alaska.

About Fairbanks Denali Center: Located next to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Denali Center is a 90-bed comprehensive short- and long-term care facility offering uniquely compassionate care to our adult patient population. Following the Eden Alternative, we foster a core belief that aging should be a continued stage of development and growth rather than a period of decline. Within our inviting setting, we provide residents with access to daily activities, visits from friends and family, a place to worship, and on-site shopping options.