Secretary I, Intake/Scheduler (FGP)

About the Role

The Faculty Group Practice Secretary I will perform a variety of front-end administrative tasks to support practice operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Schedules appointments for visits, treatments, and procedures.
• Reviews appointment confirmation responses and manages waitlists.
• Communicates to patients on upcoming scheduled visits, including instructions, preparation, and forms.
• Obtains authorizations for services as needed.
• Answers calls and takes messages.
• Addresses questions or routes messages to appropriate contact.
• Handles faxes and mail.
• Prepares standard letters and forms.
• Supports patient access activities (e.g., greeting patients, collecting information, answering questions, directing requests).
• Screens incoming calls, provides information, takes messages, or redirects calls.
• Maintains cooperative and professional relationships with physicians, nurses, and office staff.
• Prioritizes assignments to complete work in a timely manner under pressure.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills with patients, physicians, nurses, and staff.
• Participates in training staff in registration and office policies and responsibilities.
• May assist, provide guidance, and/or train less senior staff.
• Reviews all assigned in-basket messages and patient emails.
• Provides patients with non-clinical instructions for upcoming appointments/procedures.
• Promotes the use and sign-up of MyChart.
• Follows scanning guidelines for importing outside documents.
• Reviews the waitlist and ensures patients are being called and offered appointments.
• Reschedules patients when physicians are out or schedules are blocked.
• Organizes and distributes mail and faxes.
• Possesses a general knowledge of the practice/physician specialty, including conditions, treatments, and scheduling scripts.
• Manages physician calendars, including creating and sending calendar invites.
• Releases medical records in accordance with HIPAA and FGP ROI procedures.
• Documents disclosures in Epic and fulfills requests within a 10-day timeframe.
• Processes incoming and outgoing documents via paper and electronic records.
• Scans, uploads, and forwards appropriate information within Epic.
• Completes forms legibly and accurately.
• Forwards areas requiring clinical information to LPN, RN, or Licensed Provider.
• Secures appropriate signatures and forwards documents/forms to the correct destination.
• Follows up with the physician on outstanding messages related to patient care.
• Answers patient questions for understanding and satisfaction, or refers them to more senior staff.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Refers questions related to medical diagnosis or treatment to RN/provider.
• Refers Surgical and Infusion scheduling to Senior Medical Secretary.
• Prepares routine memoranda, letters, labels, correspondence, and other documents.
• Reviews work for accuracy and completeness.
• Receives prescription refill requests, locates prescriptions in EMR, and tasks RN, LPN, or Provider for evaluation and processing.
• Communicates with pharmacies and patients to clarify prescription questions related to patient demographic, insurance, and status information.
• Initiates and follows up on pre-authorizations and appeals, and arranges peer-to-peer communication.
• Manages Patient, Referral, and Authorization work queues.
• Obtains and documents referrals received in Epic.
• Collaborates with other NYU Langone sites to ensure seamless continuation of care.
• Remains current on best practices, policies, and protocols.
• Maintains cleanliness of personal and patient spaces and restocks supplies.
• Communicates with patients regarding scheduling instructions, updates, and answers related questions.
• Communicates with patients regarding the status of referrals and/or authorizations.
• Assists with the completion of special projects, reports, and activities.
• Ensures requested information is accurate and complete.
• Brings problems or questions to supervisor attention.

Patient Experience and Access

• Serves as an NYU Langone Health Faculty Group Practice Brand Ambassador by upholding the NYULH Mission, vision, and values and promoting excellence in the patient experience.
• Embodies the core principles of the FGP Service Strategy CARES (Connect, Align, Respond, Ensure, and Sign-Off).
• Greets patients warmly and professionally, stating name and role, and clearly communicates each step of the care/interaction.
• Works collaboratively to ensure a positive experience and timely resolution for all patient interactions and inquiries.
• Proactively anticipates patient needs and participates in service recovery by applying the LEARN model (Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve, Notify).
• Escalates issues to leadership as appropriate.
• Shares ideas for improvement in patient experience and patient access with leadership.
• Partners with Patient Access Center and Central Billing Office team members.
• Ensures practice staff are versed in Access Agreement gold standard principles.
• Performs other related duties as needed.

Additional Position Specific Responsibilities

• Welcomes guests as a practice greeter.
• Assists with appointment check-in on KIOSKs.
• Navigates wayfinding.
• Ensures patients are assisted with the overall check-in process.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• High School Diploma
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Basic knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, database, and Internet applications.
• Light, accurate keyboarding skills.
• Ability to complete multiple tasks efficiently.
• Ability to thrive in a team work environment.
• Intermediate knowledge of computer-based scheduling and appointment programs (preferred).
• Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization.