Referral Specialist

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

$27.64 - $33.85 Hourly

Department:

Health Department

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

August 07, 2025

The Opportunity:

THIS WORK MATTERS!

We are hiring for one (1) Referral Specialist role:

• One (1) position is based at Mid County Health Clinic

Schedule & Work Environment:

• Role offers ahybrid telework schedule:2 days on-site and 3 days remote per week
  
• Work week follows a 5/8 schedule(five 8-hour days), with flexible start and end times between 7:30 AM and 6:00 PM, and a 30-minute lunch break

Multnomah County’s Community Health Center, part of the Integrated Clinical Services (ICS) division, provides high-quality, culturally responsive primary care, dental, and behavioral health services to underserved communities across the county. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we serve patients of all ages, many of whom face barriers such as lack of insurance, housing instability, or limited access to care. Our teams work with heart, humility, and dedication to advance health equity and support the wellbeing of our most vulnerable residents. Every role in the health center is an opportunity to create meaningful change, one connection at a time.

We are looking for a dedicated Referral Specialist to join our team and help bridge the gap between patients and the social, medical, and community services they need. This experienced paraprofessional position is ideal for someone who is passionate about advocacy, resource coordination, and building strong relationships in a diverse, community-focused environment.

This position plays a key role in the clinic, supporting the provider’s team by performing a variety of functions including patient referral processing and coordination, proactive patient account management, clerical operations support, and patient information management. Responsibilities also include staff training, monitoring referral workflows and performance, and using independent judgment to prioritize tasks. In addition, the Referral Specialist is responsible for establishing and maintaining partnerships with community healthcare providers and insurance companies to effectively meet the needs of clients requiring specialty care.

This role helps create a work culture of respect, trust, and understanding for the highly diverse populations served by the Health Department. Every employee shares responsibility for promptly addressing any conduct that may interfere with a work environment free of illegal discrimination and harassment.

As the Referral Specialist -WOC, your duties will include:

A. Patient Referral Processing

• Navigate complex pre-authorization requirements and reimbursement sources in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
  
• Serve as a liaison with Primary Care Access and Referral for self-pay clients.
  
• Use tools such as MMIS and PHTech to determine insurance coverage and coordinate care.
  
• Maintain and close referrals, track progress, and provide weekly updates to provider teams.
  
• Ensure referrals and correspondence are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
  
• Retrieve external medical records and utilize Care Everywhere/One Health for diagnostic information.
  
• Assist clients,especially elderly, disabled, or vulnerable individuals in accessing specialty care and community-based services.
  
• Provide front-line support via phone or in-person for all referral-related inquiries.
  

B. Patient Care Team Support

• Collaborate with provider teams to support integrated and coordinated specialty care.
  
• Represent the Health Center when developing referral procedures with external healthcare partners.
  
• Research and resolve service access and reimbursement challenges.
  
• Provide clinical operations support, including certified mail, research, reporting, and documentation.
  
• Coordinate benefit programs such as Project Access Now (PANOW), ScreenWise, and OHSU Discount Program.
  
• Generate and analyze reports from Epic (e.g., Reporting Workbench) to monitor referral metrics and workqueue classifications.
  

C. Patient Account Management

• Perform office support duties, including drafting documents, data entry, and scheduling.
  
• Handle secure patient data and assist with documentation for insurance and specialty providers.
  
• Work with Clinical Systems Information (CSI) to maintain EHR accuracy and support compliance.
  
• Support internal audits and review quality and compliance issues related to primary care and dental referrals.
  

D. Training and Database Maintenance

• Develop and maintain referral tools such as the Referral Matrix and informational inventories.
  
• Participate in training sessions and clinic meetings to enhance strategic goals of the referral program.
  
• Lead and facilitate onboarding and training for referral staff and providers.
  
• Provide ongoing quality improvement and operational support to maintain excellence in referral processing.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
• Education/Training:Equivalent to the completion of an associate's degree; and
• Experience: One (1) to Four (4) years of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position. (Equivalency 3-6 years of qualifying training and/or experience).
• Depending upon assignment, candidates may be required to pass a criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• AIRS familiarity with AIRS assessment standards.
• Experience in a Federally Qualified Health Center or public health environment.
• Prior work with marginalized communities, including BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQIA+, unhoused, or disabled populations.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally responsive care practices.

SCREENING & EVALUATION:

The Application Packet: You must submit all requested items below. Failure to do so will be deemed as an incomplete application.

REQUIRED

Attach a Resumedemonstrating you meeting minimum qualifications ; AND

Attach a Cover Letter(1 page) addressing the following:

• How you meet the qualifications for this position; and
• Why you are interested in the position

Note:The application, resume and cover letter should clearly demonstrate your work experience/skills and how they relate to the descriptions provided in the ‘Overview’ and ‘To Qualify’ sections of the job announcement. Please be thorough, as these materials will be scored and determine your eligibility to advance in this recruitment process.

The Selection Process: For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview ofthe selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:

• Initial review of minimum qualifications
• Resume and Cover Letter Review
• Phone screen
• Consideration of top candidates
• Language assessment
• Background, reference

Note: Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type of Position: This position is eligible for overtime.

Type: Represented

FLSA:Non Exempt

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

Questions?

Recruiter:

Maya Jabar-Muhammad

Email:

maya.jabar@multco.us

Phone:

+1 (503) 9881270 x81270

Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Job Profile:

6013 - Community Information Specialist