Sup, Communications Center

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):

601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, New York, United States of America, 14642

Opening:

Worker Subtype:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Department:

500184 Communications Center

Work Shift:

UR - Day (United States of America)

Range:

UR URCA 209 H

Compensation Range:

$26.25 - $35.44

Responsibilities:

The Communications Center Supervisor serves as the first line supervisor, providing leadership, management and support to the Communications Center Team (a 24/7 Call Center Operation) to ensure consistent and quality performance. This role supports multiple service lines and functions with the Communications Center such as Patient Information, STAT line and routine/overhead paging. The individual uses excellent customer service, problem solving skills, and exercises a thorough knowledge of departmental policies and procedures as they relate to Communications Center functionality. The position rotates weekly on-call responsibilities and acts as the primary liaison with the hospital paging system software vendor, ISD/IT, department administrators and hospital personnel to ensure accurate and timely receipt of on call paging, individual or function paging, group paging, Stat/Code paging, and triage information flows accurate through the automated paging system.

Essential Functions:

Supervision/Staff- Supervises staff in the Communications Center, a 24/7 Call Center operation

• Supervises and provides direction to team of Call Center Representatives.
• Maintains a working knowledge of UR policies and procedures, including state and federal mandates and other employment-related policies such as FMLA and ADA. Motivates and supports operators through feedback and communication.
• Manages employee performance utilizing performance management tools. Maintains accurate documentation of employee performance. Conducts performance evaluations and provides staff feedback.
• Ensures staff has proper access for departmental systems. Utilizes expertise to respond to individual needs and follows departmental protocols.
• Monitors and ensures all Communication Center staff provide the highest accuracy of customer service. Provides and coaches staff to provide the highest level of customer recovery skills. Facilitates programs and activities for employee recognition, process improvement and morale.
• Fosters a work environment that is responsive and sensitive to the needs of staff and customer base.
• Monitors departmental software and hardware for proper functioning.
• Ensures all upgrades and back up functions are performed. Manages operations to ensure adherence to service level standards and company policies/procedures.
• Reviews, approves and coordinates time off requests and evaluates appropriate coverage to meet service level standards.
• Manages creation/maintenance of after-hours answering service accounts.
• Applies call center operations and related workforce management knowledge and skills to effectively lead the team and support department goals.
• Effectively communicates and collaborates with internal and external customers to ensure an integrated approach to service.
• Utilizes good judgment and professionalism to effectively handle and resolve patient, consumer or physician complaints.
•  Determines when situations warrant escalating to Communications Center Managers, Medical Center Administrator-on-call, Security, or other leaders within the health system.
• Alerts manager to disruptions in automated activities and/or computer systems that impact customer service or department's operation.
• Responsible for ensuring equipment related to the computerized paging system are working correctly, including related web products. Ensures other department systems are working properly and necessary tests, maintenance and system backups are completed.
• Manages vendor communications when hardware/software maintenance problems arise. Coordinates appropriate response and action planning. Updates office procedures/protocols and manuals. Develops weekly schedule for 24/7 call center. Processes bi-weekly payroll. Rotates weekly on-call with other designated staff.
• Identifies improvement opportunities and makes changes as appropriate to resolve operational issues. Recommends and participates in the development of short- and long-term service improvement strategies.
• Recommends and implements operational changes or enhancements to improve productivity and efficiency. Attends meetings as an informational system expert on projects/teams related to operations. Functions as a primary source for network, software and hardware technical support.
• Maintains expert knowledge of assigned programs, protocols. Promotes positive business relationships with staff in functional areas, such as clinical program leaders, ISD, IT, etc.
• Effectively utilizes the Call Center applications and systems to ensure department, team, and individual call metrics are understood and resolves issues that affect staffing.
• Maintains Call Center operations industry knowledge to manage and balance the priorities of the department with team and individual needs across various service lines.
• Maintains hardware and software of computerized systems for department. Researches, tests, and assists in installing new departmental software and hardware.
• Troubleshoots and resolves departmental computer problems. Ensures daily back up of paging system files are programmed and performed properly.
• Analyzes and converts raw data into computer application format. Makes on-line schedules changes and database maintenance. Prints the backup directories for paging system downtime on a quarterly basis.
• Assists in entering complex on-call schedules into computerized paging system.
• Handles high level, escalated patient issues, speaking with administrators, physicians, nurses as needed to ensure patient needs are met and within scope of service.
• Manages complaints related to paging triage and resolves for efficient operations.
• Researches and resolves non-routine paging or patient telephone issues which may impact or delay patient care and customer service. Alerts managers to disruptions in automated activities and/or computer systems that impact customer service or department operations.
• Serves as a System Administrator for on call scheduling system. Resolves complex and escalated internal/external customer complaints and/or issues.
• Provides and coaches staff to provide the highest level of customer service recovery skills. Anticipates escalations and takes over calls when appropriate.
• Responds to various customer inquiries for customized requests related to the paging system.
• Answers incoming telephone calls for patient information, emergency and routine pages in an efficient manner. Programs pager accounts in pager account system.
• Executes STAT pages via the computerized paging system.
• Performs emergency and disaster protocols/procedures. Programs specialized reports for department administrators related to paging system.
• Converts automated page system to back up system as needed during downtime.
• Collaborates with external departments to arrive at solutions for end user inquiries or concerns. Ensures daily call schedules are received and programmed into automated paging system.
• Converts data from paging system into various formats for operational purposes. Enters new operator accounts into automated paging system for training.

Staffing

• Conducts initial candidate screening and interviews for prospective Call Center Representatives.
• Ensures team members obtain the appropriate training and support to best apply knowledge and skills on the job.
• Assists with training staff on new programs, scripts and protocols.
• Creates and maintains training materials for page operations and related web products.
•  Creates and maintains training materials for page operations and related web products.
• Trains hospital staff on paging systems and web paging protocols. Conducts staff presentations.

Other Duties as assigned

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Associate's degree required in Information Systems, Business Administration, Communications or relevant work experience in database management in a healthcare setting preferred
• and 2 years of relevant experience required
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience as an operator or an equivalent combination of experience in a call-processing center preferred.
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Leadership in a health care setting preferred
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse population and navigate interactions where barriers to communication are present preferred.
• Ability to handle highly stressful and emotional situations professionally and respectfully preferred.
• Multi-lingual abilities preferred
• Ability to work in a team environment with a diverse group of employees preferred.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and direct a large volume of telephone calls under pressure preferred.
• Computer skills (Word, Access and Excel). Previous experience with Qgenda, SPOK console preferred, coding experience is helpful preferred

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 Characteristics). 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.