Position Description (District)

Role title: Administration Officer, Patient Affairs & Enquiries

Reports to:Team Leader, Patient Affairs & Enquiries

Directorate:Medical

Direct reports: nil

Location:Ground Floor Foyer, Dunedin Hospital

Role of the District Health Board
Our Vision:
  • Better Health, Better Lives, Whanau Ora.
Our Mission:
  • We work in partnership with people and communities to achieve their optimum health and wellbeing.
  • We seek excellence through a culture of learning, enquiry, service and caring.
Our Values:
Kind
Manaakitanga / Looking after our people: we respect and support each other. Our hospitality and kindness foster better care.
Open
Pono / Being sincere: we listen, hear and communicate openly and honestly. Treat people how they would like to be treated.
Positive
Whaiwhakaaro / Best action: we are thoughtful, bring a positive attitude and are always looking to do things better.
Community
Whanaungatanga / As family: we are genuine, nurture and maintain relationships to promote and build on all the strengths in our community.
Our Statutory Purpose:
  • To improve, promote and protect the health of our population.
  • Promote the integration of health services across primary and secondary care services.
  • Seek the optimum arrangement for the most effective and efficient delivery of health services.
  • Promote effective care or support for those in need of personal health or disability support services.
  • Promote the inclusion and participation in society and the independence of people with disabilities.
  • Reduce health disparities by improving health outcomes for Maori and other population groups.
  • Foster community participation in health improvement, and in planning for the provision of, and changes to the provision of services.
  • Uphold the ethical and quality standards expected of us and to exhibit a sense of social and environmental responsibility.

Purpose of the Role
To provide the information and reception service at Patient Affairs and Enquiries, necessary to the function of the hospital. And as rostered across the full week.
The Patient Affairs and Enquiries office provides a 365 day service between the hours of 7.30 am and 8.p.m. week days, 8:00 am and 8.00 p.m. weekends and public holidays.
Organisational Competencies
Customer Focus / Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
Integrity and Trust / Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.
Drive for Results / Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; Is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
Managing Diversity / Manages all kinds and classes of people equitably; deals effectively with all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages and both sexes; hires variety and diversity without regard to class; supports equal and fair treatment and opportunity for all.
Key Relationships
Internal
Patient Affairs & Enquiries Team
Patients
Departmental Clerical and Clinical Staff
Duty Coordinators
Medical Records Staff,
Information Systems Staff
Security
Orderlies
Telephonists / External
Members of the public
Outside agencies, i.e. Cancer Society, Hospice
Funeral Directors
Interpreters
Chaplains Funeral Directors
Interpreters
Chaplains
Key Accountabilities / Deliverables
To provide an efficient reception service for Dunedin Hospital /
  • Customer Focus
  • Enquiries is often the public’s first contact with our organisation. The impression you leave may be the foundation upon which our organisation is judged
  • Handle all enquiries effectively and politely. Provide helpful assistance at all times
  • Clear directions are given politely to ensure people arrive at the service they need to be in.
  • Assistance is summoned when required i.e. Orderlies, St John hospital hosts, Security, and Duty Coordinators
  • Enquirers’ real need is assessed and met with courteous, helpful assistance and, insofar as it is possible with privacy from the general public

PRIVACY – RELEASE OF INFORMATION
Share in fulfilling the role of Southern DHB Privacy Officer /
  • Advice, information and education regarding Health Information privacy matters are provided for Southern DHB staff as required
  • Areas of risk within the organisation are identified and management notified
  • Information is released within the law and information regarding the Code of Rights and Privacy legislation is made accessible to hospital staff
  • Maintain a knowledge of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights, the Health Information Privacy Code and other legislation covering the release of information

Use of Information Systems /
  • A working knowledge of Privacy Code, provide up to date information on patient location and condition. Calls are transferred in appropriate circumstances to the wards caring for patients (i.e. personal representatives to ward staff)
  • Take information as requested and record onto i-PM, so that up to date information is available to anyone who might be entitled to access it
  • Use of Intranet, i-Medicinfo, i-Soft, HasED, i-PM, File Manager of Safety 1st Database, Interpreters Database
  • Need to continually up-date knowledge of information systems for retrieval of patient information
  • Advise Help Desk of any problems with computers to avoid unnecessary delays
  • Provide printouts for GPs as required
  • Daily print out of patients to be admitted, to be held at Enquiries Desk

Receiving payments from people wishing to pay accounts /
  • Ensure accurate receipting and handling of payment transactions is achieved
  • If on shift finishing at 8pm,
-Balance transactions at day’s end and leave for collection by Security Staff, with $200 float remaining in till
-Balance stamps
-Ensure that all cash is locked away overnight
Deal with requests for information /
  • The information requested is made available in a timely manner, and in accordance with legislation

Arrange documentation for all deceased patients. /
  • Relevant certificates will be available in order to ensure that the bodies are released promptly and that Post Mortems can proceed in a timely manner
  • Ensure Coroner has been notified when necessary
  • Attend to Funeral Directors, family, Police and Pathology staff
  • Mortuary database available to Patient Affairs and Mortuary Staff is updated in timely manner
  • Daily check of newspapers obituary columns (ODT and ST)to ensure that information or appointments are not inadvertently sent to patients who have recently died

Provide an Interpreter Service /
  • Interpreter services are arranged as required on a twenty four hour basis, and
  • communication systems are in place to facilitate after hours engagements (available to Telephonists and Duty Coordinator)

Maintain a register of complaints, compliments and queries. /
  • Complaints, compliments and queries are administrated to within accordance of Southern DHB policy
  • Drafting of appropriate letters to complainants
  • Correspondence is directed to the appropriate Manager of Group, Service or Business Unit for action

Provide administrative support in facilitating patient transport between hospitals using commercial airlines. /
  • Patient transports are arranged in a timely and efficient manner

Communication of Information /
  • Maintain an up to date knowledge of hospital and service activities by reading memos and hospital bulletins, and reading and contributing notes to the Enquiries Day Book
  • Send and receive faxed messages for the staff and public
  • Receive and distribute parcels, letters, and messages left at the desk
  • Correctly address all patient mail and readdress mail for discharged patients, so that patients receive their personal mail with a minimum of delay

Coordinate taxi service for staff /
  • Taxis are available and correct information is documented to allow for reconciliation of accounts

Deceased patients /
  • Provide necessary after hours coordination to assist funeral directors in obtaining documentation for deceased patients
  • In collaboration with medical staff, ensure the speedy release of deceased patients whilst maintaining due regard to the law and maintenance of all records
  • Possess clear knowledge and understanding of administrative requirements in the completion of death certificates and cremation certificates
  • Train new House Officers in completion of death certificates and cremation certificates
  • Appropriately respond to inaccuracies and insufficiencies of paperwork completed by doctors

Demonstration of an awareness of Quality Improvement /
  • Assisting in policy/procedure development
  • Be proactive in proposing changes / alterations to incumbent work practices that will improve the delivery of the service’s quality
  • Maintain a current knowledge of changes occurring within the department

Other duties as may reasonably be required by Patient Affairs & Enquiries Team Leader, Unit Manager, and the Service Development & Support Manager /
  • Changes to office function and purpose are accommodated as necessary.
  • Additional duties are completed as requested

Treaty of Waitangi /
  • The Southern District Health Board is committed to its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.As an employee you are required to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi - Partnership, Participation and Protection.

Health and Safety /
  • Foster and support commitment to achieving the highest level of health and safety, including identification and reporting of all hazards, assistance in resolving issues that may cause harm to staff, and working safely at all times.

Quality and Performance /
  • Maintain professional and organisational quality standards.
  • Ensure delivered work is planned, delivered, and implemented consistently against quality standards.
  • Continuously identify improvement opportunities to perform job in most effective manner.
  • Investigate opportunities to achieve goals in a more efficient way.
/
  • Performance is in alignment with HR quality audit standards, organisational requirements, and professional standards.

I have read and understand the above job description for Administration Officer, Patient Affairs & Enquiries:

Name: ______

Signed:______

Date: ______

Southern DHB 15198 V7 Issued 10/03/2014Page 1 of 6