Administrative Assistant - PACC

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $66,300.00 - $68,300.00

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine seeks an Administrative Assistant to support the day-to-day operations of the Sleep and Ventilatory Disease Program. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for ensuring an exceptional patient experience throughout the patient journey, including registration, appointment scheduling, check-in/check-out processes, and resolution of administrative inquiries. This role fosters patient and caregiver engagement by helping navigate services and providing compassionate, patient-centered support while ensuring efficient clinical operations. This position is fully onsite.

Responsibilities

• Greet and interact with patients, visitors, vendors, faculty, and staff in a courteous, professional, and service-oriented manner.
• Utilize Epic to perform patient pre-registration, appointment scheduling, check-in, check-out, and other related administrative functions accurately and efficiently.
• Obtain and verify patient registration and intake information, update insurance and demographic information, secure prior authorizations and referrals, verify eligibility for services, and accurately document arrivals, no-shows, reschedules, and provider cancellations in Epic.
• Collect point-of-service and outstanding patient payments and facilitate registration of new patients as needed.
• Assist patients with enrollment in the patient portal and completion of pre-registration forms and questionnaires; educate patients on portal features and benefits.
• Coordinate with medical assistants and clinical staff to ensure patients are roomed in a timely manner.
• Provide patients with pre-visit and procedural instructions using clear verbal, written, and electronic communication methods that support patient safety and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a liaison among patients, providers, referring physicians, and other departments to facilitate care coordination and ensure seamless access to services.
• Collaborate with the Access Center regarding scheduling inquiries, referrals, and patient access concerns.
• Respond promptly and professionally to patient, provider, and staff inquiries in accordance with departmental policies and service standards.
• Review daily and weekly provider schedules to ensure accuracy of appointment types, visit reasons, insurance participation, appointment lengths, and provider assignments; proactively resolve scheduling issues whenever possible.
• Perform a variety of administrative duties to support the practice, including provider calendar management, medical records requests, meeting coordination, project support, and other assignments as directed.
• Track and follow up on projects, reports, and outstanding items, elevating urgent concerns to physicians or management as appropriate.
• Assist with onboarding and training of new staff members as assigned.
• Answer telephone calls, schedule appointments, manage incoming inquiries, and route issues to the appropriate individuals or departments for resolution.
• Review and address in-basket messages, telephone encounters, and other communications in a timely manner.
• Manage assigned Epic work queues and assist team members during periods of high volume or backlog.
• Participate in departmental meetings, workflow improvement initiatives, and special projects as assigned.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands effectively.
• Exceptional customer service skills and a commitment to delivering a consistently positive patient experience.
• Ability to maintain professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality in all interactions.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-management skills, including emotional intelligence, sound judgment, tact, and sensitivity.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while exhibiting reliability, professionalism, adaptability, and accountability.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and contribute to an inclusive and respectful work environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and the ability to learn new systems and technologies.
• Ability to successfully complete all required systems and compliance training.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two (2) years of related experience.
• Prior experience in an academic medical center, multispecialty practice, or other healthcare setting.
• Experience supporting faculty physicians and/or clinical administrators.

Other Requirements

• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.