Specialist, Mental Health Adult OP in Elizabeth, New Jersey at RWJBarnabas Health

Job Title: Specialist

Location: NPC PLAZA BLDG

Department Name: Mental Health Adult OP

Req #: 0000264851

Status: Hourly

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $21.96 - $27.28 per hour

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated hourly wage range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

The Specialist is responsible for coordinating and managing patient appointments to support efficient operations and a positive patient experience. You will work closely with patients, physicians, and staff to schedule appointments, maintain accurate patient information, communicate scheduling details, and help ensure patients receive timely and coordinated care.

As Specialist, a typical day might include the following:

• Providing coverage for front desk and reception area as needed, including telephone coverage, greeting patients and visitors, and managing front office flow
• Processing all internal and external referrals, including phone and walk-in inquiries
• Conducting initial screening of referral information and consulting with clinical staff when triaging moderate to high-risk cases
• Routing referrals appropriately based on clinical urgency, program criteria, and service availability
• Coordinating all intake and initial clinical appointments in accordance with departmental access standards and scheduling targets
• Ensuring timely placement of urgent and non-urgent patients into appropriate intake slots to support program volume and access requirements
• Managing appointment follow-up, including outreach and rescheduling for missed or canceled intake appointments
• Coordinating the patient registration process, ensuring all required demographic, insurance, consent, and authorization documentation are obtained prior to initiation of services
• Maintaining accurate tracking systems, spreadsheets, and logs of all referrals, appointment offers, scheduling outcomes, and access metrics in accordance with departmental standards
• Performing insurance verification and notifies Manage Care Specialist of need for benefit eligibility checks for patients
• Coordinating with Manage Care Specialist resolution of insurance, billing, and authorization related issues
• Serving as a liaison between the behavioral health program and external referral sources, including primary care providers, community agencies, and social service organizations,

The Specialist role might be for you if:

• You enjoy working in a fast-paced healthcare environment where no two days are the same
• You thrive on staying organized and balancing multiple priorities.
• You communicate clearly and professionally with patients, families, physicians, and colleagues
• You take pride in providing outstanding customer service and compassionate support
• You are comfortable using computers and learning electronic health record systems.
• You enjoy being part of a collaborative team dedicated to delivering exceptional patient care
• You're seeking a healthcare career where your organizational skills directly support clinical excellence

To be considered for this position, candidates must have High School diploma required, Bachelor’s degree preferred in Mental Health. With 2-4 years’ experience in manage care and insurance preferred. Strong communication, organizational, multitasking, and computer skills are essential, as is the ability to work effectively in a collaborative healthcare environment. Knowledge of medical terminology, electronic medical records, physician order entry, and healthcare documentation is also preferred. Bilingual preferred. Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm.