International Patient Coordinator

We’re searching for an International Patient Coordinator, someone who’s ready to be part of the best ranked children’s hospital in Texas, and among the best in the nation. In this position, you will be responsible for coordinating and managing the care of international patients across the continuum of care, and ensuring optimal outcomes that address quality, service, patient and family

satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. The role of the International Patient Coordinator includes a combination of factors related to referral, case assessment, financial clearance and payment, transport, treatment, plan of care, follow-up, and related social and cultural considerations. It is the responsibility of the International Patient Coordinator to obtain both medical and financial clearance of international patients prior to their acceptance

Think you’ve got what it takes?

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Manages the coordination of care for each international patient including medical and financial clearance.
• Manages the planning and coordination of services across the continuum of care. This is executed by reviewing and assessing all medical information provided for completeness and timeliness; determining appropriate service line(s) to engage physician engagement and interface; and distributing medical information for medical recommendation and acceptance. Knowledge of medical terminology and daily communications with the many services/clinics that treat each patient is necessary in completing this responsibility.
• Secures scheduled clinic visits prior to the date of service.
• Makes every effort to minimize the loss of reimbursement for lack of notification, lack of authorization, or denied days due to lack of continuing authorization. Assists the patient/family in obtaining other resources (i.e. charity) if funding is lacking.
• Notifies appropriate staff (i.e. Admissions, leadership, service line staff) if an international patient is receiving services without financial clearance. For Embassy-specific coordination, this involves keeping track of dates on Letters of Guarantee provided by the Embassy. Non-Embassy coordination will include ensuring a patient has either paid for services (self-pay), or that services are covered through their insurance carrier.
• Initiates and maintains constant communications with various departments and physicians regarding international patient status to ensure unified coordination of the international patient’s care and treatment.
• Initiates communications with international establishments and funding sources so that optimal results are obtained with international patient referrals. Embassy-specific coordination will require continuous communication with regular referral sources within the embassies.
• Provides timely feedback to embassies (Embassy-specific coordination) and other third-party guarantors (non-Embassy coordination) for continuity of patient care, via ongoing collection of medical records, correspondence between physicians, and other services.
• Engages patient family and relevant internal stakeholders (i.e. leadership, Social Work, Admissions, Security Services, service line staff, etc.) in problem-solving around complex and culturally sensitive issues and challenges.
• Engages Language Services to ensure that interpretation needs are coordinated for each patient encounter.
• Meets with patients/families and communicates with them regularly to facilitate appropriate, timely, and cost-effective care.
• Responds expeditiously to international patients that enter the organization without medical and/or financial clearance (i.e. through the EC) and notifies appropriate individuals – including leadership – when signals are presented that indicate a patient will be arriving without medical and/or financial clearance (non-Embassy coordination).
• Demonstrates problem-solving abilities in highly complex circumstances that may involve patient needs, family and/or cultural challenges, abuse or misuse of national and international laws, etc.
• Clearly and objectively document all activities, interactions, and communications in the international patient database, and ensure that each patient’s file is updated and accurate.
• Ensures compliance with hospital policies and procedures, and HIPAA regulations throughout the process.
• Build and maintain relationships.
• Accurately assesses own learning needs and develops strategies to meet them.
• Contributes to the success of the IPS Team.

Skills & Requirements

• H.S. Diploma or GED required
• 2 years care coordination, patient care, translation, or client/customer service-related experience required

About Texas Children’s

Since 1954, Texas Children’s has been leading the charge in patient care, education and research to accelerate health care for children and women around the world. When you love what you do, it truly shows in the smiles of our patient families, employees and our numerous accolades such as being consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report as well as recognition from Houston Business Journal as one of this city’s Best Places to Work for ten consecutive years. 

Texas Children’s comprehensive health care network includes our primary hospital in the Texas Medical Center with expertise in over 40 pediatric subspecialties; the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI); the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin and Central Texas families. We have also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO focused on children; Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, one of the largest, most diverse and successful pediatric programs in the nation. 

 To join our community of 15,000+ dedicated team members, visit texaschildrenspeople.org for career opportunities.

 Texas Children’s is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants and employees are considered and evaluated for positions at Texas Children's without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or any other protected Federal, State/Province or Local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.