Cellular Therapy Coordinator - Winston Salem

Overview

FLSA Status:         Exempt

Original Date:       February 2015

Last Revision:       January 2024

JOB SUMMARY:   Facilitates the flow of all patients through the Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy Transplant process. The SCTCT Coordinator provides the pathway for patient care across the continuum from pre-transplant, during transplant, and post-transplant. She/he collaborates with members of the healthcare team to enhance patient care by developing tools, navigating, and educating the patient and caregivers as well as the nursing staff. She/he is a clinician, educator, investigator, consultant, and leader. She/he makes clinical judgments based upon a synthesis of current research, concepts, principles, theories, and outcomes to solve complex problems. The SCTCT Coordinator is an integral member of a larger interdisciplinary team contributing to excellence in patient care, research, and education and in providing leadership to the organization.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:  Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing; Bachelor of Nursing preferred and three years’ nursing experience in an acute care setting required.

REPORTS TO: SCTCT Program Manager, BMT Quality Program

LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION: 

•             Current license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of North Carolina

•             Basic Life Support (BLS) certification (or equivalent) required.

•             Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) certification 

•             NMDP Confidentiality 

•             Professional Certification related to field of work (OCN, BMTCN)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Provides exceptional service over three main domains: Care Coordination, Insurance Authorization and Precertification, and Clinical Trial Coordination. 

1. Care Coordination
   1. Interview, collect comprehensive data, and educate patient and caregiver regarding transplant and/or cellular therapy process while evaluating the appropriateness of transplant patient education relative to the patient’s developmental level, learning needs, readiness to learn, cultural values, and beliefs.
   2. Advocate for patients and serve as a liaison between referring practices and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist for exchange of information.
   3. Initiate transplant and/or cellular therapy and evaluate plan effectiveness throughout its life cycle.
   4. Coordinate consent and patient admission or outpatient start date with hospital financial department, pharmacy, SCTCT unit, stem cell lab, data managers, and patients.  Monitor SCTCT unit census for admission planning.
   5. Assist patient before, during and after transplant with FMLA forms, insurance claims and disability forms and foster cooperation with all hospital/ SCTCT program staff as well as other health care facilities to constructively resolve problems. Coordinate follow-up appointments.
   6. Other duties related to care coordination as assigned.
2. Insurance Authorization and Precertification
   1. Collaborate closely with the transplant financial coordinator to verify authorization for the initial consultation, ensuring a smooth entry into the care process.
   2. Take on the responsibility of advising the transplant team on patients' insurance statuses, providing crucial insights for comprehensive care planning.
   3. Diligently obtain verifiable authorizations and precertifications for various aspects, including evaluations, workups, and transplants, serving as a pivotal step before any procedure or process.
   4. Navigate the challenging realm of payer relationships, actively procuring formal written approvals for transplant procedures and initiating appeals when necessary.
   5. Serve as a Utilization Review resource during the global period, acting as a valuable asset for patients by addressing insurance inquiries and aiding in the resolution of billing concerns. Additionally, actively assist patients in reaching out to other sources of assistance, such as disability, Medicare, and Medicaid, through referrals to the financial department. Facilitate patient transfers when deemed appropriate, ensuring a seamless transition of care throughout the entire process.
   6. Other duties related to Insurance Authorization and Precertification as assigned.
3. Clinical Trials Coordination/ Data Management/ Quality Compliance
   1. Meticulously adhere to established guidelines for collecting clinical data and administering clinical trials, demonstrating a commitment to precision and strict adherence to protocol in the coordination of clinical trials.
   2. Actively contribute to the improvement of clinical trial protocols by assisting in the preparation and recommendation of amendments, collaborating with relevant committees to ensure continuous enhancement and strict compliance with evolving standards.
   3. Ensure rigorous adherence to the high standards set by both the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), reinforcing confidence in the integrity of the clinical trial processes under my coordination.
   4. Provide critical and accurate information to the Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy (SCTCT) Data Managers, playing a vital role in contributing to comprehensive data submissions to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR).
   5. Demonstrate a strong commitment to quality compliance by actively participating in data collection and assuming auditing responsibilities as needed, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of information generated within the expansive scope of clinical trials.
   6. Other duties related to Clinical Trials Coordination/ Data Management/ Quality Compliance as assigned.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:

Maintains a current knowledge base of clinical and utilization standards for stem cell and cellular therapy patients to ensure delivery of consistently high-quality professional services within the SCTCT program and the Health System.

Must be able to work independently, as a member of the SCTCT team, as well as promote interdisciplinary processes that enhance value of patient care services.

Ability to prioritize work activities and achieve goals in a systematic and timely manner with attention to detail.

Advances personal professional development, competencies, unit activities, and leadership processes.

Effective communication and documentation with numerous physicians.

Willingness to participate in quality initiatives and processes.

Willingness to participate in OR harvest procedures.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Clean, well lit, and comfortable workspace
• Subject to highly stressful situations and a moderate noise environment
• Possible exposure to infectious and contagious diseases
• Possible exposure to radiation hazards
• Exposure to housekeeping/cleaning agents/chemicals
• Contact with patients under wide variety of circumstances
• Subject to many interruptions

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: