• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: 75,000-95,000

Position Summary

The Patient Access Manager is responsible for the operational management of modality-specific patient access and call center scheduling functions supporting the Columbia Doctors NewYork-Presbyterian Imaging (CDNYPI) and Columbia Doctors NewYork-Presbyterian Advanced Imaging (CNYPAI) joint ventures. The role oversees a team of patient access representatives responsible for scheduling imaging appointments, providing patient instructions, and ensuring accurate registration and scheduling workflows for an assigned imaging modality.

Working within the Department of Radiology’s modality-based call center structure, the Manager ensures consistent scheduling practices, high-quality patient service, and accurate communication of exam preparation requirements. The position monitors call center performance and scheduling trends to identify barriers to patient access and collaborates with the Director, Patient Access & Experience and operational partners to implement workflow and access improvements.

This position will oversee CT and PET/CT patient access.

Responsibilities

• Call Center Operations & Team Management

  • Supervise the daily operations of a modality-specific patient access team responsible for scheduling imaging appointments across multiple locations.
  • Monitor call center service levels, call volumes, abandonment rates, and staff productivity to ensure performance targets are met.
  • Provide coaching, training, and ongoing support to patient access representatives to maintain high levels of scheduling accuracy and customer service.
  • Conduct quality assurance reviews of scheduling interactions to ensure adherence to departmental protocols and communication standards.
  • Develop staff schedules and coverage plans to ensure adequate call center staffing during peak call periods and operational needs.
  • Maintain modality-specific knowledge of exam protocols, preparation requirements, and scheduling workflows to support staff and ensure accurate patient guidance.

  Scheduling Operations & Access Monitoring

  • Oversee scheduling workflows for the assigned imaging modality to ensure efficient utilization of appointment capacity.
  • Monitor appointment availability, scheduling accuracy, and template utilization to support timely patient access to imaging services.
  • Identify operational barriers to scheduling based on call center observations, appointment availability patterns, and patient inquiries.
  • Escalate access issues and recommend scheduling workflow improvements to the Director, Patient Access & Experience.
  • Collaborate with clinical and site operations leadership to ensure scheduling practices align with operational capacity and clinical protocols.

  Quality Assurance & Patient Experience

  • Ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across all patient access interactions.
  • Monitor patient complaints, scheduling errors, and service escalations and implement corrective actions when necessary.
  • Reinforce standardized patient preparation instructions and communication practices to minimize patient confusion and no-shows.
  • Support departmental patient experience initiatives by identifying trends in patient feedback related to scheduling and access.
  • Promote a patient-centered culture focused on service excellence and accountability.

  Front-End Registration & Revenue Cycle Coordination

  • Ensure patient demographic and insurance information collected during scheduling is accurate and complete.
  • Ensure scheduling staff follow established workflows for insurance verification, medical necessity checks, and financial clearance requirements.
  • Collaborate with revenue cycle teams to resolve front-end issues that may impact billing accuracy or claim submission.
  • Reinforce departmental policies and Epic scheduling standards among patient access staff.

  Operational Reporting & Process Improvement

  • Track call center and scheduling performance metrics and report operational trends to the Director, Patient Access & Experience.
  • Use data from call center operations and scheduling activity to identify opportunities for process improvements.
  • Participate in departmental initiatives focused on improving patient access, operational efficiency, and patient experience.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in healthcare operations, patient access, scheduling, or ambulatory practice management.
• At least 2 years of supervisory or team leadership experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five years of experience in healthcare operations, patient access, scheduling, or ambulatory practice management.
• Experience in radiology, imaging services, or ancillary healthcare operations.
• Experience working in an academic medical center or hospital/physician joint venture environment.
• Familiarity with Epic scheduling systems such as Radiant or Cadence.
• Experience supervising call center or centralized scheduling teams.

Other Requirements

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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