Clinical Communications Coordinator

The Clinical Communications Coordinator (CCC) is accountable for the screening, triage, and active management of all organ donor referrals. This multifaceted role includes referral acuity identification, evaluation, coordination of follow-up actions, and completion of all referral-related documentation. The CCC gathers, summarizes, and shares important clinical details that directly inform and support decision-making by internal partners to efficiently assess donation potential and maximize donation performance. Through this process, the CCC plays a key role in identifying donation potential, initiating the appropriate next steps, and facilitating timely action to preserve and maximize donation opportunities.

The CCC ensures consistent, accurate, and proactive communication with hospital care teams, coordinates referral follow-up; and works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to optimize referral management. This position is critical to stewarding and moving referrals forward with donation or closure while maintaining alignment, collaboration, and communication throughout the referral management process.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Referral Management Responsibilities

• Responds promptly and accurately to death notification and referral calls.
• Applies knowledge, experience, and established guidelines to perform the initial evaluation of referrals to determine potential donation suitability.
• Collaborates with hospital staff members to obtain complete and accurate medical information while concurrently assessing donation eligibility requirements.
• Along with information obtained from the health care team, reviews Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) to compile a medical history and current clinical course, transcribing the pertinent referral information into iTransplant.
• Distills and communicates relevant referral screening information to appropriate internal partners and provides additional details as requested.
• Obtains and maintains available access to EMRs at participating facilities in our Designated Service Area with a goal of least 80% of available facilities.
• Uses established guidelines and critical thinking to evaluate clinical information updates to determine context and appropriate escalation path for referrals, if needed.
• Communicates donor information to healthcare teams and indicated LifeCenter Northwest (LifeCenter) staff as updates on active referrals are received to support coordination and resource allocation.
• Follows up with donor hospital partners daily based on active referral acuity to assess for changes that would require an on-site presence or other action necessary to preserve donation opportunities.
• Receives procurement, allocation and other calls and/or recorded messages and processes or re-routes to the appropriate staff member or team.
• Accurately updates medical records and completes chart corrections in iTransplant in a timely manner
• Maintains confidentiality of all donors, recipients, and/or other identifying information.
• Provides exemplary customer services to all callers and stakeholders.

Cross-Collaborative Opportunities & Administrative Responsibilities

• Collaborates with intake service team members (Statline), hospital staff, recovery partners, and LifeCenter teams to facilitate successful donation outcomes.
• Maintains updated EMR access status on the shared EMR Access board for visibility to cross-department staff who may need additional support.
• Contributes to case reviews and process improvement processes with the goal of improving referral management workflows to support optimal donation outcomes.
• Partners with quality assurance, training, and process improvement to enhance team effectiveness and efficiency. Assists colleagues, as appropriate, in all aspects of the referral intake and management process, including strategies to improve donation outcomes.
• Regularly participates in departmental and organizational meetings to ensure alignment with goals and initiatives.
• Supports cross-training and educational opportunities by hosting colleagues from other departments for observation, as determined by leadership.

Supervision

• This position has no formal supervisory responsibilities.

Other Responsibilities

• Completes required training and training modules to ensure compliance, and to remain current on practices and required certifications.
• Satisfies annual Core Competency requirements.
• Demonstrates engagement with the team and the organization.
• Complies with applicable laws, regulations, and LifeCenter policies and procedures.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Demonstrates strong working knowledge of computers and smart phones with intermediate level skill (at a minimum) with Outlook, Word, Excel, and other comparable software programs.

• A self-motivated contributor who a contributes to an organizational culture based on supportive and respectful communication.
• Ability to work independently to manage multiple priorities and function effectively in a remote team setting.
• Ability to analyze and assess situations, create solutions to solve problems, and motivate others to continually improve the processes necessary to meet organizational deliverables.
• Ability to learn new tools, applications, and technologies quickly, easily, and independently.
• Ability to accurately present the donation process in formal and informal educational opportunities.
• Demonstrates a capacity to provide a high level of customer service to internal and external customers with proficiency in the ability to develop and connect with people quickly.
• Exhibits compassion, conscientiousness, an ethical approach, and versatile interpersonal skills that support effective and respectful communication with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of relevant medical terminology and pathology, able to translate complex medical information into easily relatable language to communicate effectively with professionals from various disciplines.
• Ability to keep accurate records, perform calculations, and follow written standard operational protocols (SOP), work instructions (WI), and guidelines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document accurately and professionally.
• Ability to work effectively in a high-volume, time-sensitive, team-based environment.

BEHAVIORAL REQUIREMENTS

The employee in this position must uphold the core values of LifeCenter; these include:

• Integrity: We are trustworthy, reliable, respectful, and accountable.
• Collaboration: We work in partnership with others, seeking to understand and be understood, and finding common ground and shared goals to build upon together.
• Courage: We take personal responsibility and face challenges head-on.
• Service: Through professionalism and dedication, we honor our commitment to serve others and our obligation to be good stewards of the gift of life.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Applicable work experience and tenure may substitute for education.
• Minimum of one year of experience in a clinical healthcare environment or in a setting involving referral triage, referral management, organ donation, or tissue donation coordination.
• Experience working as a nurse, paramedic, respiratory therapist, or similar position, and/or organ/tissue donation preferred.
• Experience applying medical terminology, interpreting clinical information, and communicating in fast-paced healthcare or donation settings.
• Experience with electronic medical records. Epic, Cerner, or Medtech preferred.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or applicable medical or religious exemption will be required as a condition of employment upon offer.
• Although this position is remote, you must reside in or relocate to an area within LifeCenter's donation service area (DSA) which includes Washington, Alaska, Northern Idaho, and Montana by date of hire. 

LifeCenter Northwest offers medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, accidental death & dismemberment insurance, long-term disability insurance, and travel accident insurance. Employees have the option of enrolling in the following supplemental or voluntary plans: life insurance, short-term disability, accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness coverage and pet insurance. Employees enrolled in our 403(b) program will receive an employer match of up to 7% after one year, employees are auto enrolled at 3% and may change their enrollment at any time. LifeCenter encourages all employees to find balance and well-being and provides all employees access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and provides a quarterly Wellness Reimbursement. Employees enjoy paid holidays throughout the calendar year and earn 119 hours of PTO annually (to start) as well as Health Time Off hours that is earned 1 hour per 30 worked, paid living donor leave, two weeks paid jury duty leave after 6 months of service, and three weeks of paid parental leave after one year of service is complete. A comprehensive review of benefits can be found at https://lcnw.org/about/employment-opportunities/.

PAY RANGE

• CCC I: $30.22 - $43.83 Hourly
• CCC II: $31.99 - $46.39 Hourly
• CCC III: $34.03 - $49.35 Hourly   

The pay range for this role is provided above. Where a candidate’s compensation falls within this range is based on several bona fide factors such as experience, tenure, and other specialized knowledge. LifeCenter Northwest is committed to providing its employees equitable and competitive compensation.

This position is eligible for additional compensation to the base pay rate, in the form of Overtime, Extra Call Pay, Extra Call Worked, Overnight Differential, and Holiday Stipend Pay.

LifeCenter Northwest is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.