Waiting list coordinator

Waiting list coordinators guarantee the day to day management of waiting list time. They plan when operation rooms are available and call patients in to be operated. Waiting list coordinators make sure to optimise the use of rescources.

Excludes people performing patients treatment.
Excludes people performing assistance in medical treatment.

The following job titles also refer to waiting list coordinator:

medical care waiting list coordinator
hospital waiting list coordinator
manager of hospital waiting lists
surgical waiting list coordinator
waiting list manager
manager of waiting lists
coordinator of hospital waiting lists
senior waiting list coordinator
coordinator of waiting lists
healthcare waiting list manager

Associate’s degree is generally required to work as waiting list coordinator. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Waiting list coordinator is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to waiting list coordinator.

clinical coder
picture archiving and communication systems administrator
chiropractic assistant
medical records clerk
medical transcriptionist

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of waiting list coordinator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of waiting list coordinator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

homeopath
brigadier
colonel
podiatry assistant
animal assisted therapist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of waiting list coordinator.

Medical terminology: The meaning of medical terms and abbreviations, of medical prescriptions and various medical specialties and when to use it correctly.
Health records management: The procedures and importance of record keeping in a healthcare system such as hospitals or clinics, the information systems used to keep and process records and how to achieve maximum accuracy of records.
Data protection: The principles, ethical issues, regulations and protocols of data protection.

These skills are necessary for the role of waiting list coordinator.

Monitor waiting list: Monitor the list of patients waiting for an operation or consultation. Make sure it is accurate and complete.
Ensure proper appointment administration: Set up a proper procedure to manage appointments, including policies related to cancellation and nonappearance.
Answer patients’ questions: Respond in a friendly and professional manner to all inquiries from current or potential patients, and their families, of a healthcare establishment.
Maintain healthcare user data confidentiality: Comply with and maintain the confidentiality of healthcare users` illness and treatment information.
Use electronic health records management system: Use specific software for the management of health care records, following appropriate codes of practice.
Identify patients’ medical records: Locate, retrieve and present medical records, as requested by authorized medical personnel.
Communicate by telephone: Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
Perform resource planning: Estimate the expected input in terms of time, human and financial resources necessary to achieve the project objectives.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of waiting list coordinator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Customer service: Processes and principles related to the customer, client, service user and to personal services; these may include procedures to evaluate customer’s or service user’s satisfaction.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of waiting list coordinator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Empathise with the healthcare user: Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.
Archive healthcare users’ records: Properly store the health records of healthcare users, including test results and case notes so that they are easily retrieved when required.
Develop organisational policies: Develop and supervise the implementation of policies aimed at documenting and detailing the procedures for the operations of the organisation in the lights of its strategic planning.
Manage information in health care: Retrieve, apply and share information among patients and healthcare professionals and across healthcare facilities and community.
Communicate effectively in healthcare: Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.
Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
Manage administrative systems: Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.
Advise on efficiency improvements: Analyse information and details of processes and products in order to advise on possible efficiency improvements that could be implemented and would signify a better use of resources.
Perform clerical duties: Perform administrative tasks such as filing, typing up reports and maintaining mail correspondence.
Collect statistics on medical records: Perform statistical analysis of various medical records of the healthcare facility, referring to the number of hospital admissions, discharges or waiting lists.
Interact with healthcare users: Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.

3252 – Medical records and health information technicians

References

1. Waiting list coordinator – ESCO