Medical Practice Coordinator

Introduction

A practice based in Linksfield in Johannesburg is in need of someone at coordinator level who is capable, experienced and confident enough to manage the day-to-day administrative and patient-facing responsibilities independently, while escalating matters when appropriate.

Ideally, the candidate should have previous experience in a medical practice, specialist practice, hospital or healthcare environment and have a genuine interest in the medical field.

Duties & Responsibilities

The Medical Practice Coordinator will be responsible for managing the following on a day-to-day basis:

• Patient and reception

• Welcoming patients and creating a professional, friendly experience

• Answering and managing telephone calls

• Managing emails and WhatsApp Business communication

• Coordinating appointments

• Managing Dr's diary

• Maintaining smooth patient flow through the practice

• Dealing with patient queries and concerns

• Escalating clinical or significant patient matters to Dr or myself when appropriate

• Practice administration

• Managing electronic patient information and maintaining accurate records

• Ensuring medical records and documentation are complete and appropriately filed

• Coordinating communication between patients, Dr, hospital staff, doctors and other healthcare professionals

• Tracking blood results, scans and other investigations

• Ensuring relevant results and documentation are received and uploaded

• Bringing important patient issues or results to Dr's attention

• Maintaining the organisation and professional presentation of the practice

• Arranging maintenance or other practical requirements when necessary

• Theatre and surgical coordination

• Coordinating theatre bookings

• Communicating with the hospital regarding theatre arrangements

• Ensuring special requirements for procedures are arranged

• Ensuring patients have the necessary information before surgery

• Communicating with patients throughout the pre-operative and post-operative journey

• Coordinating relevant documentation and information required for admission and surgery

• Assisting with follow-up arrangements after surgery

• Medical aid and payments

The Medical Practice Coordinator will not be responsible for the full billing process, but will be responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of patient payments. This includes:

• Managing private patients, including explaining and collecting payment for consultations and follow-up appointments

• Processing or coordinating payments received from private patients

• Ensuring patients are aware of consultation and follow-up fees and any applicable payment requirements

• Issuing quotations or payment information where required

• Following up on outstanding patient payments where applicable

• Assisting patients with payment-related queries

• Liaising with the external billing company when required

• Providing the billing company with relevant information or documentation

• Contacting medical aids for authorisations where required

• Assisting patients with basic medical-aid-related queries

The coordinator will therefore have direct responsibility for the patient-facing payment process for private patients, while the external billing company remains responsible for the practice's formal billing administration and related processes.

We are therefore looking for someone who is responsible, resourceful, mature and capable of taking ownership.

Desired Experience & Qualification

QUALITIES

• Knowledge of medical terminology and the medical/healthcare environment

• Excellent telephone manner

• Strong patient and customer service skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication

• Warm, friendly and welcoming personality

• Professional appearance and demeanour

• Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence

• Ability to deal calmly and empathetically with anxious, emotional or demanding patients

• Ability to handle difficult situations professionally without becoming overwhelmed

• Genuine interest in the patient journey and providing a high standard of patient care

• Genuine interest in working in healthcare

• Highly organised and detail-oriented

• Proactive and able to anticipate what needs to be done

• Able to work independently and take ownership of responsibilities

• Extremely reliable and trustworthy

• Able to multitask effectively

• Calm under pressure

• Resourceful and solution-oriented

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment

• Able to learn new systems and processes quickly

• Able to handle confidential and sensitive medical information appropriately

• Able to communicate basic medical information appropriately while understanding the boundaries of their administrative role

• Strong computer skills are important, including Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace, as well as experience with electronic medical record systems

Experience with medical aids would be an advantage. A PA, medical administration or similar qualification would also be beneficial.

Patient-facing ability is critical

The person will be the first point of contact for patients and will interact with patients who may be anxious about their diagnosis, surgery, results or hospital admission.

TECHNOLOGY

The practice will operate predominantly in a paperless environment.

We anticipate providing

• A laptop as the primary workstation

• A tablet to assist patients who may have difficulty completing online forms or processes, particularly elderly patients

• The laptop also provides flexibility for occasional administrative support from home when Dr is on call, where required.

TRAINING AND HANDOVER

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive training and a structured handover from the current Medical Practice Coordinator. This will include training on the practice's systems, processes, patient journey, hospital procedures, theatre bookings, medical aid processes, payment procedures and day-to-day administrative responsibilities.