Communications Clerk Nu

Company Description
Located in Largo in the heart of Prince George's County, our new state-of-the-art regional medical center (UM Capital Region Medical Center) will provide improved access to primary and ambulatory care services, and serve as a tertiary care center for critically ill patients. In addition, our new space will allow us to expand our offerings as a community partner to help improve the health status of Prince George's County residents.
Job Description
Under the supervision of the Manager, Communications, the Communications Clerk NU answers incoming calls and promptly transfers calls to requested department or provides requested service. A key responsibility is to respond to and act upon the communication needs for emergency codes and provide a positive customer experience to everyone. Operates various telecommunications equipment including: Spok, ACD, Medical Emergency Code telephones, and other emergency service requests. Provides paging services and location systems as well as maintains on call schedules according to established policies and protocols. Incumbents in this position are scheduled to work less than 1000 hours per year.
Principal Duties: Switchboard
* Operates central answering telephone equipment. Answers incoming calls, and promptly transfers calls or provides requested service according to departmental procedure.
* Provides telephone paging services for physicians and other designated personnel according to departmental procedure.
* Receives and promptly delivers messages which have a medical urgency or necessity to Physicians, Residents, Staff and Patients according to departmental procedure.
* Answers fire, emergency, or medical emergency calls , activates paging, fax, text messages, desk top notification and overhead alerts according to departmental policy and procedures; calls affected department to get specific information including exact location of emergency in order to contact the appropriate emergency service. Ensures that appropriate Code teams respond to emergency calls.
* Maintains logs of, all emergency calls. Records date, time, caller, and operator responsible for activating emergency call protocol. .
* Uses Siemens query patient information and provides information to public according to departmental procedures and HIPAA guidelines.
* Performs data entry of changes in department numbers, pager numbers, and medical and surgical schedules.
* Performs monthly Test Pages according to departmental policy and procedure
* Reports all system malfunctions immediately to appropriate personnel, vendors and management
* Monitors and makes daily changes to on-call schedule for medical staff, AOC, PA's, ICU consults, Respiratory, Cath Lab (Stemi), OR, Ortho attending, Vascular lab, Psychiatrist, Echo Techs, Dialysis, Biomedical Engineering and Interventional Radiology.
* Makes appointments for patients in need of translation services for admissions, hospital stays, discharges, legal, Human Resources, outpatient service and all other stakeholders
* Monitors fire alarm system in conjunction with Clinical Engineering
* Contacts clergy at the request of patient, family or nursing unit
* Monitors Huggs security system
* Proctors new hires
Principal Duties: Information Desk (Guest services)
1. Greet visitors to the hospital
2. Patient look-up
3. Provides "way finding "
4. Answers Information line as well as transfer calls to appropriate patient room
5. Directs "outpatients" to patient access for registration
6. Notifies transporter to provide wheelchair services to visitors and patients
7. Assists visitors with public transportation access
8. Activates alerts for Regulatory agency unannounced visits
9. Maintains clergy log and validates clergy parking passes
10. Answers guest, staff and patients questions or directs to the appropriate personnel when necessary
Customer Service:
1. Greets customers in courteous, friendly, respectful and professional manner at all times, including maintaining eye contact when appropriate.
2. Follows communication protocols to both internal and external customers, including introducing him/herself with job title and experience, asking open ended questions, such as "How may I be of help to you?" using the customer's name as soon as it is learned.
3. Responds promptly and appropriately to customer questions/concerns/complaints and attempts immediate resolution.
4. Keeps customer's information confidential, including public places such as elevators or the cafeteria.
5. Provides assistance and offers help immediately, including finding someone else to meet the request, if unable to do so him/herself. Introduce other staff to customers when a hand-off occurs and explain that the person will provide excellent service.
6. Demonstrates commitment to excellent service recovery when a customer's expectations have not been met.
Commitment to Co-Workers:
1. Offers assistance to colleagues and other departments when needed.
2. Takes responsibility for solving problems regardless of origin; completes assignments, and respects deadlines.
3. Resolves conflict directly with colleagues and seeks assistance from others if the issue cannot be resolved. Refrains from criticism in public.
4. Refrains from criticism in public.
5 Mindful and respectful of others' time and schedules. Attends meetings on time and communicates any absences.
6. Provides co-workers with a status report for continuity of workflow when planning to be out of the office, off the unit, or away from the department.
Communication Etiquette:
1. Respectful, courteous and professional in all forms of communication and follows facility's service communication protocol in all interactions.
2. Refrains from use of personal cell phone in patient care areas and keeps usage to a minimum at all other times while on duty.
3. Does not text or use e-mail during meetings (except for exigent or emergency situations).
4. Limits use of business cell phone during meetings (remain on vibrate and/or calls go to voicemail).
5. Makes every effort to answer telephone calls within three rings, introducing him/herself, department and title (if appropriate). Asks permission before placing the caller on hold or using the speakerphone. If caller is transferred, gives the caller the extension number of the person he or she is being transferred to. Offers further assistance to the caller upon completing the conversation.
6. Maintains an appropriate voicemail message and when away from the office has an out-of-office email message that is brief, current, and includes name and department and offers the caller options if possible.
7. Returns email and voicemail messages promptly but no later than within one business day (24 hours).
8. Always mindful of voice and language in public.
Self Management:
1. Reports to work appropriately groomed and in compliance with the Hospital's dress code. Wears identification badge at all times at chest level and facing outwards so identification is clearly visible.
2. Complete all assignments within deadlines or negotiates alternative actions and time frames in order to achieve desired outcomes.
3. Completes mandatory, annual education and competency requirements.
4. Follows UMCAP safety, infection control and employee health standards.
5. Demonstrates responsibility for personal growth, development and professional knowledge and competency.
6. Adhere to all UMCAP and department policies and procedures, including Code of Conduct and professional behavior standards. Does not exceed Hospital guidelines in reference to attendance, punctuality, and use of sick and unplanned absences. Provides notification of absences, lateness and vacation requests according to department guidelines. Respects length of time for lunch and break times.
7. Reviews, signs, and adheres to UMCAP and/or departmental confidentiality statement
Education/Knowledge
* Attained Level: High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED) is required
Applicable Experience
* Experience (years): Required: 1 to 3 years
* Preferred: Medical Terminology
* Experience (describe required & preferred): One year experience as a Telephone Attendant/Operator using computerized equipment
Qualifications
Education/Knowledge
* Attained Level: High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED) is required
Applicable Experience
* Experience (years): Required: 1 to 3 years
* Preferred: Medical Terminology
* Experience (describe required & preferred): One year experience as a Telephone Attendant/Operator using computerized equipment
Microsoft Office Suite Skill Level :
* Word: Basic
* Standard Office Equipment (list): Computer, facsimile, Answering Machine
* Other: PBX
Communication Skills & Abilities - Bilingual: X Required Language: English
Problem Solving/Analytical Skills & Abilities :
Entry level services: Work requires the skills to read and understand instructions, add and subtract numbers, and make comparisons between numbers and letters.
Level of Supervision Required : Minimal supervision
Contacts Inside & Outside Facility/Corporation :
Within/Outside Company with Tact & Discretion: Frequent contacts, within or outside of the Company. Requires tact, and discretion.
Working Conditions :
* Lifting and/or carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds
* Stooping and bending
* Reaching and grasping objects
* Using a keyboard to interact with computer system
* Sitting for extended periods of time
* Ability to communicate verbally
* Color Vision
* Ability to hear
Position Requirement Explanations
EDUCATION
* Entry Level: Equivalent to a High School diploma or GED; basic employment skills
* Formal Education/Training: equivalent to an Associate's degree (2 years college); requires knowledge and experience of a specialized field.
* Professional: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree; working knowledge of theory and practice within a specialized field.
* Advanced Professional: Equivalent to a Master's degree; knowledge in more than one discipline.
* Expert: equivalent to PhD, M.D., J.D., Specialized knowledge often requiring license or certification.
MICROSOFT WORD
* Not Applicable
* Basic: Perform daily word processing tasks, such as, producing routine letters, memorandums, and informal reports. Able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page set-up.
* Intermediate: Use and create a variety of templates, complex tables, merges; manage table data, sort and filter merges, and also performs basic work in existing Macros. Able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports.
* Advanced: Produces very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements. Able to use and create a wide range of graphic effects and has full mastery of Macro commands.
MICROSOFT EXCEL
* Not Applicable
* Basic: Performs tasks and work with data in worksheets. Able to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions.
* Intermediate: Work with multiple worksheets, filter data, use integrate functions, and manipulate databases. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel.
* Advanced: Use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data in Excel. Use customized functions (Names, VLOOKUP, IF, IS) and work with Pivot Tables. Able to automate some operations, manage Macro commands, and create MS Excel applications.
MICROSOFT ACCESS
* Not Applicable
* Basic: Design, create, and modify databases, tables, queries, forms, and reports. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and indexing techniques.
* Intermediate: Use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms.
* Advanced: Develop an application and tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code.
COMMUNICATION
* Simple Written and Verbal Instructions: Work requires the ability to understand and respond to simple written or verbal instructions. Incumbents must respond appropriately to instructions, questions, or requests for information. Work occasionally requires contact with patients and/or visitors which involves courtesy.
* Exchange Information on Factual Matters: Work requires the ability to exchange information on factual matters, schedule appointments, greet visitors, explain hospital/corporate policies, and/or relay messages to appropriate personnel. This type of interaction requires courtesy and tact when dealing with patients, visitors, and/or hospital/corporate employees. More sensitive situations may be referred to others as appropriate.
* Effective Oral/Written Skills and Provide Empathy: Work requires the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and provide empathy in difficult interpersonal situations.
* Conflicting Issues; Mediate; Strong Writing Skills: Work requires communication skills in order to effectively deal with conflicting views or issues and mediate fair solutions or well-developed writing skills
* Persuade and Negotiate on Important Matters: Work requires communication skills in order to persuade and negotiate with others on important matters, such as negotiate contracts, appeal reimbursement decisions and writing grants.
* Manage Staff and Persuade/Negotiate with Peers: Work requires the communication skills necessary to effectively manage the employees within assigned department and to persuade and negotiate with peer-level managers on issues and programs that impact the department. Work requires effectively dealing with conflicting views or issues and mediating fair and workable solutions.
* Advanced Skills & Ability to Represent Hospital /Company: Work requires advanced interpersonal/communication skills in order to present the hospital/corporation in legal proceedings, negotiate in extremely important and sensitive situations, persuade members of senior management on issues and programs that impact the assigned department, represent the hospital/corporation to external parties, or perform other duties requiring a comparable level of communication sills.
PROBLEM SOLVING
* Entry Level - Service: Work requires the skills to read and understand instructions, add and subtract numbers, and make comparisons between numbers and letters.
* Administrative Support: Work requires the analytical skills to gather and interpret data in situations in which the information or problems are relatively routine.
* Technical: Problems resolved through well developed processes and procedures and requires basic scientific, mathematical or technical level training.
* Professional/Supervisory: Problems resolved mostly through defined processes and procedures, application of in-depth knowledge usually acquired through professional level training.
* Management: Problems solved through independent interpretation of department and company guidelines, processes and procedures and application of in-depth, experience-based knowledge.
* Advanced - Professional/Management: Complex problems involving various analyses, summarizing of information and data in order to solve problems through defined processes and procedures or independent interpretation of guidelines, application of in-depth knowledge usually acquired through advanced professional level training. Problems and situations may cross departmental/divisional lines.
* Senior Management: Highly complex problems requiring the application of scientific or technical principles, theories and concepts and in-depth, experience-based, cross-functional knowledge.
* Executive Management: Work requires the analytical skills to identify and resolve extremely complex strategic and operational problems which require innovative solutions based on extensive, cross-functional knowledge.
CONTACTS INSIDE & OUTSIDE FACILITY/CORPORATION
* Outside the Department but Within the Company: Regular contacts outside the department, but generally within the company, to give or get information.
* Outside Company to Give and Receive Information: Regular contacts outside the Company to give or get information. Requires courtesy, tact, and some knowledge of Company procedures.
* Within/Outside Company with Tact & Discretion: Frequent contacts, within or outside of the Company. Requires tact, discretion, and working knowledge of Corporate procedures and policies.
* Within/outside Company; Considerable Tact/Discretion: Contacts, within or outside the Company, as a Company representative in a specialized area of knowledge or technical field. Requires considerable tact and discretion, and some persuasion to obtain approvals, consent and action.
TRANSPORTATION (Work Related)
* Not applicable.
* Required: Valid driver's license with access to transportation. Must be insured for his/her state's minimum personal injury and property damage liability.
* Required - Use Company Vehicle: Valid driver's license (Class C) in good standing.
* Preferred: Valid driver' license with access to transportation. Must be insured for his/her state's minimum personal injury and property damage liability.
Additional Information
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.