Referral Supervisor - Southpark

Position Overview

A growing healthcare organization is seeking an experienced Referral Authorization Team Supervisor to lead the daily operations of a centralized referrals department. This position will manage a team of approximately 11 employees responsible for coordinating referrals, obtaining payer authorizations, and helping patients access specialty services without unnecessary delays.

The supervisor will guide team performance, manage daily workflows, maintain quality and compliance standards, and help improve referral processes across the organization.

Schedule: Full-time, Monday Friday, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Location: On-site in the South Charlotte area

Key Responsibilities

Department Operations

• Direct daily referral and authorization activities to ensure requests are processed accurately and on time
• Distribute assignments and adjust priorities based on referral volume, urgency, and patient needs
• Track outstanding referrals and assist with resolving authorization or scheduling delays
• Maintain provider routing lists and staff assignments
• Ensure the team follows established procedures, documentation guidelines, and insurance requirements
• Help remove workflow barriers that could delay patient access or referral completion

Team Leadership

• Provide day-to-day leadership for a referral team of approximately 11 employees
• Manage employee schedules, attendance, and timekeeping
• Hold regular one-on-one meetings and complete performance reviews
• Coach employees on productivity, accuracy, customer service, and procedural expectations
• Participate in interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training new team members
• Partner with department leadership and Human Resources to address performance concerns and implement corrective action when necessary
• Encourage employee engagement through recognition, communication, and a positive team environment

Quality and Compliance

• Review productivity and quality indicators, including errors, rework, and audit results
• Coordinate referral-related audits and help maintain readiness for internal or external reviews
• Confirm that referral records are complete, accurate, and compliant with payer and organizational guidelines
• Identify recurring performance concerns and assist with developing corrective action plans
• Monitor adherence to established referral and authorization standards

Problem Resolution and Department Support

• Respond to questions or concerns from providers and clinic teams regarding referral procedures
• Research and resolve issues involving authorizations, referral status, documentation, or workflow
• Escalate complex concerns to the appropriate department or leadership team
• Serve as a knowledgeable resource regarding referral procedures, insurance guidelines, and internal policies

Training and Process Improvement

• Assist with creating and updating referral procedures, job aids, and training resources
• Ensure new and existing employees are trained on current systems, workflows, and expectations
• Identify opportunities to improve turnaround times, accuracy, and patient access
• Implement operational changes in partnership with department leadership
• Reinforce consistent processes to reduce errors and prevent unnecessary rework

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Experience in a healthcare or medical office environment involving referrals, scheduling, authorizations, or patient access
• Working knowledge of insurance referral and prior-authorization processes
• Experience using an electronic medical record or electronic health record system
• Strong communication, organization, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to manage competing priorities and address workflow concerns promptly

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree or a comparable combination of education and relevant experience
• Previous experience within a centralized referrals or authorization department
• Lead, supervisory, or team-management experience
• Experience using the athenahealth electronic medical record system
• Exposure to quality assurance, auditing, performance monitoring, or process-improvement initiatives

Physical and Work Requirements

• Ability to remain seated and work at a computer for extended periods
• Ability to maintain focus and accuracy while reviewing detailed information
• Regular walking, standing, sitting, reaching, bending, stooping, pushing, and pulling
• Ability to lift or support up to 35 pounds