Clinic Services Specialist - Dermatology

The Department of Dermatology at University of Iowa Health Care is seeking 2 motivated, patient-focused professionals who thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented clinical environment. The ideal candidates will be passionate about delivering exceptional customer service to patients and their families, and will demonstrate adaptability, professionalism, and strong communication skills.

The Clinical Services Specialist (CSS) plays a vital role in ensuring a seamless patient experience. This position requires excellent communication and problem-solving skills to navigate the complexities of patient scheduling, front desk operations, overbook procedures, and coordination of care with multiple departments and external facilities. Frequent collaboration with nurses, medical assistants, physicians, and advanced practice providers (APPs) is essential to support the delivery of high-quality care.

Position Responsibilities

Patient Scheduling & Coordination

• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and tests using the EPIC system, ensuring compliance with established UI Health Care guidelines.

• Coordinate appointments across multiple UI Health Care departments, clinics, and diagnostic testing areas.

• Negotiate appointment times with patients based on provider availability, patient needs, and clinic capacity.

• Coordinate appointments for internal and external referring providers and ensure appropriate provider match and timeline.

• Monitor and maintain the Appointment Request work queue, ensuring timely and accurate processing; escalate issues to administration as needed.

• Work EPIC in-baskets including staff messages, orders, patient reminders, CRMs, and patient advice or scheduling requests.

• Make outbound calls to schedule or reschedule appointments based on work queue activities.

• Provide additional coverage for surgery and cosmetic scheduling, including out-of-pocket estimates, insurance authorizations, and financial arrangements.

Patient Interaction & Front Desk Support

• Perform patient visit check-in and check-out functions.

• Confirm and update patient demographics, insurance, and caregiver information.

• Collect insurance co-payments at the time of check-in, following UI Health Care policies.

• Inform patients of visit-specific preparatory instructions and ensure communication through their preferred method.

• Provide front desk coverage as needed, including retail product sales, out-of-pocket payments, and check-in/out duties.

Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as an intermediary between patients, clinical staff, and scheduling personnel to resolve concerns and ensure patient needs are met.

• Negotiate scheduling changes with providers and communicate updates to relevant staff and supervisors.

• Communicate scheduling policies and procedures to other schedulers through written and verbal communication.

• Collaborate with peers, attend staff meetings, and contribute to the continuous improvement of scheduling workflows.

• Work with outside providers to obtain necessary documentation, such as notes, images, or biopsy reports prior to dermatology appointments or surgeries.

Documentation, Support & Quality

• Scan documents into the electronic health record, including insurance approvals, authorizations, and other supporting documentation.

• Support insurance preauthorization staff by submitting prior authorizations for procedures and prescriptions.

• Support the Cosmetic Coordinator with tasks such as Advanced Beneficiary Notices, cosmetic financial agreements, processing service charges, and retail product sales with basic product education.

• Update and maintain training materials and reference documentation.

• Provide ideas and feedback to improve scheduling processes and enhance service quality.

Leadership & Professionalism

• Serve as a mentor, role model, and service excellence ambassador for staff, co-workers, patients, and visitors.

• Uphold departmental best practices, quality standards, and UI Health Care professionalism policies.

• Perform other duties as assigned.