An individual may work as a treatment coordinator in a variety of settings, such as dental offices, rehab facilities and medical facilities. Essentially, a treatment coordinator acts as a middleman between patients and a doctor and oversees the entire treatment process. Some of the most common job duties include setting up appointments, keeping track of patient information, assisting with consultations, answering post-treatment questions and communicating with doctors.
One of the most fundamental duties of a treatment coordinator is setting up appointments. This can include setting up an initial consultation, actual treatments and follow up visits. In many cases, a treatment coordinator will also contact patients a day or two before a scheduled visit as a reminder. Consequently, she must be able to efficiently coordinate a schedule and make revisions as necessary. This practice requires solid communication skills and an ability to stay organized.
Another key part of this job is effectively keeping track of patient information. To provide optimal treatment and maintain awareness of patient health issues, a treatment coordinator must continually update this information. In most cases, this is done electronically, on a computer. This practice is beneficial because it allows multiple doctors to exchange patient information and know exactly which types of treatment a patient has received.
Along with this, a treatment coordinator will often assist the doctor with patient consultations. In many cases, she will be in the room when a doctor gives the patient an initial consultation. This way, she will know exactly what the diagnosis and intended treatment of each patient is. Knowing this information helps to keep the doctor and treatment coordinator on the same page.
After a patient has received treatment, it's often the responsibility of a treatment coordinator to answer post-treatment questions. For example, if a patient has undergone substance abuse treatment, the treatment coordinator may explain some activities to alleviate drug cravings. Consequently, this practice requires an individual to have extensive knowledge of her field and stay up to date on recent findings.
An additional part of this job is consistently communicating with doctors to discuss patient scheduling, treatment and other relevant issues. To provide patients with quality care, it's important for a treatment coordinator and doctor to maintain open communication. In most cases, she will converse with the doctor throughout the course of a day. Along with this, both parties might have a weekly meeting to talk about long term issues.
