Manages a portfolio of service lines and contacts, charged with growing referrals, revenue, and provider/patient experience. Responsible for developing, maintaining and sustaining close connections and communications between the UI Health and external healthcare providers with regard to targeted services and service line growth. Working under minimal supervision, the incumbent will develop and manage service-line referral activities to achieve volume growth and programmatic outreach goals for the clinical health enterprise. The position is expected to be acutely knowledgeable in specified service lines to increase interest in and awareness of those services among external constituencies. The provider relations program is designed to build on existing external provider relations, establish relations with new providers, and identify barriers to provider satisfaction with UI Health, and work with others in the health system to help remove those barriers. This position requires travel to healthcare providers in (or throughout) the Chicagoland area. This position is highly autonomous, with a significant amount of time in the field, external from the medical center.
Job Responsibilities
Collect and evaluate inpatient transfers from community hospitals, as well as visit volumes from UI Health’s top referrers.
Conduct analysis of Provider Relationship Management (PRM) data, identify market opportunities, develop field strategies based on analytical findings, and calculate ROI for outreach activities.
Identify, initiate, and maintain contact with referring providers, employers and insurers for assigned clinical departments. Manage prospect list and overall database of potential referring providers. Identify prospects through targeted office visits.
Target physicians, insurers and employers in the assigned territory for the purpose of presenting services and facilitating referrals and patient transfers.
Execute referral development plan, strategies, and objectives in assigned specialties. Collaborate with Business Development to target physicians and practice groups with potential to yield the greatest return.
Obtain, interpret and analyze physician and insurer information, e.g., utilization by physicians of this hospital’s services and competing hospitals’ services.
Maintain customer satisfaction. Assist in the management and coordination of customer service as it applies to the referral development effort. Communicate service problems to service-line staff for resolution. Communicate the resolution of the service problem to the customer.
Work with clinical department heads, directors, management and staff to facilitate client profiles, clinical service utilization and profitable revenue management. Meet with individual clinical department heads, directors and staff on a quarterly basis. Prepare and analyze call activity reports, including contacts made and follow-up.
Utilize contact management software, for daily, weekly and monthly reporting. Maintain all customer profiles, records and files. Develop client profiles to establish relationship between the hospital and prospective customer. Prepare call activity reports, including contacts made and follow-up.
Responsible for the development and implementation of an outreach plan for designated specialties.
Participate in training, planning and regular training programs as required. Attend seminars and presentations to gain deeper knowledge and understanding of specialty area represented.
Make face-to-face contacts and presentations to all customers and potential customers introducing referral services, UI Health providers, hospital and clinic facilities and services.
Develop and coordinate team presentations with service-line managers to customers. Facilitate face to face meetings with prospective referring practices and UI Health Providers.
Act as liaison and coordinator with operations for the customers and set up tours, meetings and conferences.
Act as liaison for customer service issues that arise within referring and potential referring provider base.
Responsible for routine follow-up calls to existing customers to solve problems, to evaluate the level of satisfaction and to prospect for future business.
Regularly communicate with customers regarding service delivery and new service enhancements.
Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Healthcare, Management or other appropriate discipline.
Minimum three years of experience in sales, marketing, business development or relevant experience in health-related discipline, five or more years of experience preferred. Master’s degree in healthcare administration or related discipline may be considered in lieu of experience.
Minimum two years of experience with market intelligence software running market reports, identifying referral opportunities, and recording field activities preferred. Knowledgeable of healthcare marketing trends, issues, opportunities and solutions.
Experience in working with a physician provider base.
Well organized, high energy, effective at multi-tasking, self-motivated.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills to effectively interact with University and departmental officials/staff.
Excellent problem-solving skills to address difficult patient access and physician referral issues.
Strong interpersonal skills that reflect courtesy, diplomacy, and a collaborative approach to develop and maintain effective work relationships.
Skilled using Microsoft Office suite (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as proficiency with an Internet browser (e.g. Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or comparable browser).
Working Conditions General Office Environment
This position requires travel to healthcare providers in (or throughout) the Chicagoland area. Requires sitting for extended periods of time, standing, visual acumen, manual dexterity and fingering for working with computer key boards. Requires use of a private vehicle and a valid drivers license.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or status as an individual with a disability.
