The Lead Patient Care Coordinator oversees the daily front-office and care coordination work that supports patients in the Oncology department. In addition to handling complex scheduling, registration, and patient communication, this person leads and trains the Patient Care Coordinator team, monitors workflows for accuracy and efficiency, and is the first point of escalation for patient and staff concerns. The ideal candidate is highly organized and compassionate, communicates clearly under pressure, and can guide a team while keeping patients at the center of every interaction.
Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Workflow Oversight
- Serve as the lead resource for Patient Care Coordinators by assigning daily tasks, balancing workloads, and ensuring phone, front desk, and inbox coverage.
- Train and onboard new coordinators on scheduling, registration, EHR workflows (Aria and DrChrono), and department protocols.
- Provide real-time guidance, answer questions, and support staff through complex or sensitive patient situations.
- Monitor team performance for accuracy, timeliness, and customer service, and share feedback with the manager for evaluations.
- Develop, document, and update standard work procedures for scheduling, authorizations, and records management.
- Identify process gaps or bottlenecks, and recommend and implement improvements.
- Coordinate staff schedules, time-off coverage, and cross-training to keep operations running smoothly.
Patient Communication & Support
- Act as the escalation point for patient concerns, complaints, and complex inquiries, resolving them with empathy and professionalism.
- Respond to inquiries from patients, vendors, insurance companies, and healthcare providers.
- Provide patients with clear information about appointments, procedures, and treatment plans.
- Help patients and families navigate the healthcare system throughout their cancer care, from initial consultation through treatment and survivorship follow-up.
- Oversee phone call handling to ensure accurate messages and appropriate call routing.
Patient Registration & Scheduling
- Oversee and perform new patient intake, including requesting and obtaining outside medical records, pathology reports, and imaging.
- Ensure medical records and insurance cards are scanned and uploaded accurately in the EHR.
- Register new patients in Aria and Practice Fusion, and audit registrations for completeness.
- Schedule and coordinate oncology appointments, including consultations, treatment visits, procedures, and follow-up visits, and coordinate with other departments and outside providers as needed.
- Coordinate imaging and diagnostic appointments and track prior authorizations to prevent delays in care.
- Ensure patients are notified of appointment details (date, time, location, and preparation instructions).
- Request and track CDs of imaging studies.
- Oversee regular insurance verification, especially for patients in active treatment, and escalate coverage issues promptly.
Administrative Support & Compliance
- Ensure consult letters, follow-up notes, and summaries are sent to referring physicians in a timely way.
- Oversee release-of-information requests and ensure records go out only with a valid signed authorization.
- Maintain compliance with HIPAA and department policies for patient privacy and records handling.
- Support general office functions, including data entry, filing, and record maintenance.
- Work with oncologists, nurses, and clinical staff to address scheduling conflicts and improve patient flow.
Qualifications
- Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree or higher preferred.
- Experience: 3+ years of medical office experience, preferably in oncology, a specialty clinic, or a hospital-based department. At least 1 year in a lead, supervisory, or trainer role preferred.
- Leadership Skills: Proven ability to train, guide, and motivate a team, delegate effectively, and handle staff questions and conflicts constructively.
- Language Skills: Bilingual in Russian or Spanish preferred.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). Experience with EHR systems required, with Aria and Practice Fusion strongly preferred. Knowledge of insurance verification and prior authorization processes. Strong computer and typing skills.
- Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication, with strong interpersonal and customer service abilities.
- Organizational Skills: Highly organized and detail-oriented, able to prioritize competing demands and manage multiple deadlines.
- Composure: Remains calm, professional, and effective in high-stress situations, including sensitive conversations with patients facing a cancer diagnosis.
- Teamwork: Works both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced clinical setting.
Novellis Health is a thriving, independently physician-owned and managed private practice—join our stable, growing team focused on community-based patient care.