Position Summary

At Stony Brook Medicine, the Staff Assistant I in the Cancer Center functions in a hybrid role encompassing coordination of complex cancer patient visits, treatments and procedures, discharges, under the direction of the Assistant Director for Operations and Analytics.

Duties of the Staff Assistant I - Cancer Center may include but are not limited to the following:

• Coordinates high volume, high patient accuity discharges, including complex, interdependent scheduling of multiple appointments across multi-specialties for procedures, treatments, diagnostics and MD visits for cancer patients.
• Coordinates hospital, ambulatory multi-day treatments, pre and post treatment diagnostics and lab tests to align with inpatient or outpatient treatments and visits. Special attention to detailed coordination of high volume, multiple appointments within specified periods to align with treatment plans over several months or longer.
• Educates patients on necessary instructions for tests, order of sequential and parallel appointments across the cancer continuum, including coordinating care across surgical, medical and other oncology specialties (Medical Oncology and Hematology, Surgical Oncology, Gyn Oncology, thoracic surgery, for example) as well as multi-day ambulatory chemotherapy treatment calendars, pre and post-treatment testing and labs and diagnostics.
• Frequent rescheduling and re-coordination of numerous interdependent complex appointments due to the accuity of cancer patients in treatment who need treatment breaks or delays or have changes in treatment plans during the course of treatment, causing treatments to be frequently changed or held due to patient side effects of care.
• Ensure patient appointments and treatments and tests to not fall through the cracks.
• Ensure patient compliance with appointments and test to ensure continued treatment.
• Identifies and facilitates patients with financial needs to Financial Navigation team.
• Discharges patients and schedules follow-up clinic appointments for patients in Cerner/EWS; schedules testing appointments for patients in Cerner or outside on behalf of the patient; gives patients necessary instructions for their ordered test(s); advise patients on the need for authorization/pre-certification; copies scripts that are given to patients.
• Performs end of day and monthly reconciliation to ensure that all required treatments and appointments have been scheduled.
• Provides MD and care team with end of day reconciliation of outstanding requirements for documentation of ordered tests and treatments to ensure that patients coming in for future appointments have all the necessary documentation and orders in place so financial and clinical processes can take place and not delay patient care.
• Monitors and follows-up on "no show" patients to identify and escalate patient compliance issues. Prepares reports on trends for no shows and cancellations.
• Identifies potential billing and insurance issues: Has patients complete all of the appropriate forms.
• Responsible to ensure that all necessary information is provided to the Cancer Center Treatment/ Procedure Authorization Team. Ensures that the patient completes all necessary paperwork; provides appropriate insurance documentation.
• Provides cross coverage for flow concierge coordinators and is bi-directionally versed in fulfilling that role within the cancer center.
• Communicate daily with Financial Navigation staff, authorization team, flow coordinator concierge teams as well as all cancer center staff to facilitate smooth flow of patient discharge and overall smooth operations of the center.
• Maintains calm, friendly and positive demeanor to ensure patient and referring MD service excellence while meeting the operational needs of the center.
• Creates spreadsheets and reports as related to various reconciliation and operational issues, as required to support increased volume and future growth of the Cancer Center.
• Support administrative functions related to obtaining orders from physicians and responding to inquiries as necessary.
• Greet patients and answer telephones in assigned area and assist callers and direct calls, as appropriate.
• Provide in-service training for users.
• Maintains the day to day operation of Cerner performance workflow.
• P rovides coverage for flow concierge coordinators in the Cancer Center and is back up for other cancer center sites, as required.
• A ll other duties as assigned.