Emergency Communications  

Will serve as dispatcher for all VCU Health’s emergency response teams including, but not limited to, all teams outlined in the VCU Health Emergency Operations Plans (Dr. Red, Hostage / violence  Situation response, etc.) and VCU Health’s Responding to Medical Emergencies policy (Code Blue, Trauma Team Alerts, Medical Emergency Response Team, Seals Team etc.) While practicing safety first in all aspects of their duties.  Team members will obtain all necessary information as defined by protocols for the specific emergency response teams.  Additional protocols for teams may include contacting outside resources (Richmond 911, VCU Police, etc.), utilizing third party platforms (fire alarm monitoring system), overhead announcements, confirmation phone calls to on call providers and any electronic documentation necessary for regulatory tracing.  Team members will perform these duties with no more than one (1) error per quarter.  

Answering Service 

Provides after hours answering service support to all VCU Health’s ambulatory clinic locations.  Team members will be responsible for determining the needs of the caller and managing the call appropriately while practicing STAR Values with all callers.  Appropriate actions to be taken by team members will include, but are not limited to, confirming and cancelling appointments in the VCU Health scheduling system (Epic), paging of the appropriate emergency on call physician for the clinic or service as determined by the web based on call schedule, providing general clinic information (contact information, directions, etc.) and appropriate documentation for all calls received.  In the event a caller is encountering a life-threatening emergency, team members will connect callers to their local 911 dispatch center to ensure the dispatch of emergency medical services or other necessary emergency response to the patient’s location.  All team members are expected to complete these duties with a 95% answering service documentation rate.  Team members are also expected to maintain an average call rating of 90% or better as determined through monthly call reviews performed by department leadership.  

Telepage Services  

Appropriately pages VCU Health physicians, advanced practitioners, technicians and leaders as needed by both internal and external customers while utilizing a safety-first approach and practicing STAR Values at all times.   Team members will be proficient in utilizing the VCU Health web based on call schedule to both determine the appropriate team members to page and to adjust the on-call schedule as requested by callers.  Proficiency in the use of Spok Smart Console is required to perform duties to include, but not limited to, paging VCU Health team members, assigning pager coverage and activating or deactivating pagers. Team members will also be proficient in utilizing the Spok Smart Center Oracle Database to manage team members’ inclusion and removal from emergency notification and mass notification paging groups.  Team members are expected to maintain an average call rating of 90% or better as determined through monthly call reviews performed by department leadership.  

General Information  

Provides general information and assistance to patients, VCU Health team members, non-VCU Health practitioners and the general public.  Assistance provided will include, but is not limited to, forwarding callers to clinics, departments or nursing units within the VCU Health network, verifying appointments utilizing the VCU Health scheduling platform (Epic), providing directions or contact information to callers and communicating general information about services provided by VCU Health.  Team members will update listings for patients in the Spok Smart Console application, as needed, to include legal name for patients registered under computer generated name identifiers (XZ patients) and the status of patients identified as no information patients.  Team members will perform these duties while ensuring HIPAA protected information is protected at all times.  Team members are expected to maintain an average call rating of 90% or better as determined through monthly call reviews performed by department leadership.  

Service Response Center Back Up  

Provides backup caller support to the VCU Health Service Response Center (SRC).  Team members will obtain the information needed by the SRC to generate a ticket for the appropriate Support Services Team while practicing STAR Values with all callers.  Information will be communicated directly to SRC team members to minimize any delays in service to VCU Health patients and team members.  Team members are expected to maintain an average call rating of 90% or better as determined through monthly call reviews performed by department leadership.  

Knowledge of VCU Health  

Displays knowledge of VCU Health facilities, services provided, medical terminology and informational resources available to both team members and patients through the performance of job duties.  Communicates time sensitive information (clinic closings, traffic disruptions, changes in service locations or contact information) to team members and department leadership to ensure all team members are informed and application data is updated.    

Teamwork & Flex Hours  

As a critical service area supporting VCU Health and ensuring patient safety, team members are expected to work collaboratively to both identify problem areas and provide solutions, especially as they may relate to patient safety.  All Communications Center team members are designated as essential staff by VCU Health policy. As such, team members are expected to rotate holidays and weekends and are also expected to report to work, as scheduled, during inclement weather or disaster incidents.  Team members are expected to be flexible with schedule to ensure continuity of staffing.  This may include short- or long-term shift reassignment or overtime to ensure minimum safe staffing needed to continue to provide services.   

Miscellaneous Responsibilities  

Performs other duties as assigned and/or participates in special projects to support the mission of VCU Health and the Communications Center. Provides assistance to team members. Accepts alternate assignments, as required, graciously. Assists in mentoring and training new team members.  

Patient Population: N/A

Employment Qualifications