Bilingual New Patient Coordinator (Workers’ Comp Intake & Referrals) in Riverside, California at Institutes of Health

About Institutes of Health (IOH)

Institutes of Health (IOH) is a California workers’ compensation care provider with specialty clinics for injured workers facing complex or chronic conditions, including brain injury, PTSD, and chronic pain. Our transdisciplinary team uses a biopsychosocial approach to help patients recover and build lasting self-management skills. With campuses across Southern California and statewide telehealth, we bring that care to injured workers wherever they are.
About the Role

Be the first friendly voice an injured worker hears. As our bilingual New Patient Coordinator (English/Spanish), you will guide incoming Workers’ Compensation patients from referral to their first evaluation, and make sure no one gets lost along the way. This role serves as a key point of contact between injured workers, insurance adjusters, nurse case managers, applicant and defense attorneys, medical specialists, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth and timely transition from referral to initial evaluation.

Every first appointment starts with someone who makes it happen. In this role, you will gather medical records, secure treatment authorizations, and coordinate scheduling in both English and Spanish, so injured workers can begin care without unnecessary delay. If you are organized, resourceful, and passionate about helping people, we would love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities

- Referral Management: Receive, process, and track incoming Workers’ Compensation referrals from insurance adjusters, nurse case managers, and employer groups.

- Medical Records Coordination: Request, obtain, and upload relevant medical records, diagnostic imaging, and prior clinical notes into the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system before the patient’s initial evaluation.

- Authorization and Verification: Verify claim status, jurisdiction, and billing information, and obtain required treatment authorizations, including Requests for Authorization (RFAs) and Utilization Review (UR) approvals.

- Specialty Coordination and Scheduling: Review referral information and the mechanism of injury to coordinate appointments with the appropriate medical specialists, including Orthopedics, Spine, Pain Management, Neurology, and Physical Therapy.

- Patient Communication: Communicate with injured workers in both English and Spanish to explain intake requirements, gather necessary information, confirm appointments, and address scheduling questions.

- Timely Care Coordination: Monitor referral progress and coordinate appointments within applicable state and network turnaround requirements.

- Stakeholder Communication: Provide timely updates on referral status, outstanding records, authorization requirements, and appointment confirmations to adjusters, nurse case managers, and legal representatives, such as applicant and defense attorneys, as appropriate.

- Issue Resolution: Identify and follow up on missing documentation, authorization delays, and other intake barriers to help prevent unnecessary delays in patient care.

- Documentation and Tracking: Maintain accurate records of referrals, communications, authorizations, and scheduling activities within designated systems.
Qualifications

- Bilingual Proficiency (Required): Fluency in both English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with patients and stakeholders in both languages, verbally and in writing.

- Experience: Minimum of 1–2 years of experience in medical scheduling, patient intake, referral coordination, or medical office administration. At least 1 year of Workers’ Compensation experience is strongly preferred.

- Workers’ Compensation Knowledge: Familiarity with Workers’ Compensation terminology, RFAs, UR processes, MTUS, insurance claims, and specialty medical care pathways is preferred. We provide training on RFAs, UR, and MTUS as part of your growth in the role.

- Technical Skills: EHR experience (we train on our system). Our team works primarily in Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Docs, and Sheets), and Microsoft Office is also available. Comfort with everyday office and collaboration tools is what matters most, and familiarity with AI tools and experience with electronic fax and document management tools are a plus.

- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally and empathetically with patients, providers, insurance representatives, and other stakeholders.

- Organization: Accuracy and thoroughness, with the ability to manage multiple referrals, deadlines, and competing priorities in a high-volume, deadline-driven setting.

- Problem-Solving: Ability to identify obstacles, follow up persistently, and resolve administrative issues that may delay patient scheduling or care.

- Teamwork: Ability to collaborate effectively with clinical and administrative teams while working independently and taking initiative.
What Makes You a Great Fit

You are dependable, resourceful, and genuinely patient-focused. You know that accurate documentation, timely follow-up, and clear communication can make the difference between an injured worker getting care this week or waiting another month. You are comfortable speaking with Spanish-speaking patients, you take ownership of your work, and you keep each referral moving until the patient is in the room. You stay calm when priorities shift, stay curious about how the process works, and see every roadblock as a problem to solve. You also enjoy being part of a team that celebrates progress, supports each other, and cares about the patients we serve.

Join us and help injured workers get timely access to the specialized care they need.