Genetic Counselor Assistant

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive.

Job Location (Full Address):

Opening:

Worker Subtype:

Time Type:

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

Department:

Work Shift:

Range:

Compensation Range:

Responsibilities:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists with completing new patient intakes and forwarding incoming referrals for physician review and triage.
• Obtains some family histories by phone in advance of appointment date.
• Retrieves outside patient records:
• Follows up to assure that records and any relevant diagnostic testing are available for review before patient’s scheduled appointment.
• Attends team meetings for case rounds.    
• Coordinates appointment schedules and maintains an organized log of waitlisted patients for the ocular genetics clinics.
• Available to provide in-clinic support for the providers (genetic counselor and physician)
• Coordinates specimen sample shipment for genetic testing adhering to prescribed protocol and tracks samples accordingly.
• Must have knowledge of, or strong desire to acquire knowledge of health insurance plans and authorization processes in order to triage various insurance issues:
• Benefit Pre-verification;
• Drafts of letters of medical necessity
• Authorization for office visits and genetic testing;
• Assist in appeal process for office visits, genetic testing, and diagnostic testing
• Maintains inventory and prepares requisitions for testing kits, shipping supplies, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisors.
• Assists the Ocular Genetics Physician Coordinator with various tasks including, but not limited to:
• Disability verifications and other forms of documentation;
• Notes for work/school;
• Transportation coordination and documentation;
• Low vision and other specialist referrals;
• Diagnostic test coordination and results retrieval when needed.
• Provides excellent "customer service" in direct interactions with patients to attend to their needs in a friendly compassionate way and responds to their requests promptly.
• Serves as a primary point of contact of all inquiries regarding the ocular genetics team including answering phone for patients seeking information and appointments.
• Assists in maintenance of team’s patient database.
• Assists medical student, resident, and fellow trainees as needed for tasks related to ocular genetics education, research, and clinical care.
• May be asked to provide some administrative support for clinical research studies conducted by the Ocular Genetics team.
• Strives to uphold the rights of all people without regard to race, religion, marital status, creed, sex, age, handicap, national origin or financial status
• Formulates and maintains effective working relationships with peers and management and functions as an effective team member.
• Receives constructive feedback in a positive self-developmental manner and is receptive and approachable.
• Respects and protects the patients’ rights to confidentiality and privacy and discloses information only for professional purposes which are in the patients’ best interest with full consideration of their legal rights.

QUALIFICATIONS

Educational requirements:

• High School Diploma and Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience required; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Medical Terminology, experiences with surgical/appointment scheduling software and electronic medical records, preferred. Demonstrated customer relations skills.
• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)

Experience: 

• Previous experience working in a healthcare setting or science background preferred, but not required
• Ability to learn quickly and to work both independently and in a team environment
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion/creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Classes). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.