- Location
- Portland, OR, US
- Type
- Full-time
- Department
- Healthcare
- Education
- Master
- Closing date
- Today
- Source
- iCIMS
Description
Department Overview
The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is an internationally recognized leader in cancer research, prevention, early detection, and patient-centered cancer care. As Oregon's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Knight brings together experts across research and clinical disciplines to transform cancer outcomes through innovation and collaboration. The DIRECT (Diagnostic Interception and Rapid Early Cancer Testing) Clinic is a new, pioneering program designed to serve as the Knight's centralized entry point for adults with a suspicion of cancer or a positive cancer early-detection test result. The clinic provides a coordinated, cancer-site-agnostic diagnostic pathway that streamlines evaluation, accelerates access to imaging, procedures, and specialty consultation, and helps patients move from concern to diagnostic resolution as quickly as possible. As a founding member of this growing program, the Navigator will play a key role in shaping clinical workflows, building innovative care pathways, and improving the experience and outcomes of patients during one of the most critical stages of their cancer journey.
Function/Duties of Position
Patient Navigation & Diagnostic Scheduling – Serves as the single point of contact for each DIRECT patient from referral through diagnostic resolution and handoff.
- Contacts newly accepted patients within one business day to welcome them, explain the DIRECT process, confirm demographics and insurance, and schedule the initial APP visit within the clinic’s 5 workday service level.
- Schedules all diagnostic exams recommended by the clinician, including laboratory tests, imaging (CT, MRI, PET/CT, ultrasound), endoscopy, image-guided biopsy, and specialty consultation, in Epic and through direct contact with diagnostic departments. Sequences appointments to minimize patient trips and time to diagnosis.
- Uses priority and cancellation waitlists and established department contacts to secure the earliest appropriate appointment. When OHSU capacity cannot meet DIRECT service levels, coordinates scheduling with community diagnostic partners at the clinician’s direction.
- Obtains outside records, imaging, and pathology before visits; arranges interpreters, transportation, and accommodations for special needs; and provides appointment reminders and approved preparation instructions (e.g., bowel preparation, fasting, arrival times).
- Coordinates the warm handoff at diagnostic resolution: schedules patients diagnosed with cancer with the appropriate multidisciplinary oncology team, or schedules recommended follow-up with the PCP or referring provider when cancer is not found, and confirms the receiving team has what it needs.
Clinical Order Support & Patient Management – Coordinates and manages the non-nursing aspects of each patient’s diagnostic plan of care within the scope of boundaries for medical assistants.
- Enters, transcribes, and pends laboratory, imaging, procedure, and referral orders per clinician verbal order, delegation protocol, or the documented plan of care, and routes them for clinician signature (e.g., re-entering an endoscopy or imaging order to an outside facility when OHSU cannot schedule within the clinic’s timeline).
- Prepares and sends external referral packets (order, clinical notes, demographics, insurance) to community partners and confirms receipt and scheduling.
- Initiates and tracks prior authorizations for imaging, procedures, and outside services in partnership with Patient Access Services and referral teams; alerts the clinician when a peer-to-peer review or alternate plan is needed.
- Reviews the plan of care with the APP to ensure it is being carried out correctly; completes pre-visit chart preparation and prepares after-visit summaries.
- Supports in-person DIRECT visits as needed (rooming, vital signs, updating history and medication lists) within MA scope.
Diagnostic Tracking, Timeliness & Escalation – Ensures no patient is lost to follow-up and that delays are identified early.
- Keeps the DIRECT diagnostic work queue and tracking tool current for every active patient, including pending orders, scheduled and completed tests, results returned, and next steps.
- Monitors each patient against DIRECT service levels and flags any test that cannot be scheduled, is postponed, is denied authorization, or has an overdue result.
- Alerts the APP and/or Medical Director the same business day a diagnostic step is delayed or at risk, presenting available options (e.g., alternate site, waitlist, community partner) and following the DIRECT escalation list and diagnostic service agreements.
- Follows up on missed appointments and patients who cannot be reached, documents outreach attempts, and escalates per protocol.
- Confirms that results are received and routed to the ordering clinician for review. Does not interpret or disclose results.
Commercial MCED (Galleri) Testing – Serves as the primary contact for patients seeking multi-cancer early detection testing outside of clinical trials.
- Responds to inquiries received by phone, MyChart, and the clinic’s Galleri request inbox; explains the testing process, self-pay cost, and payment options; and refers patients interested in cancer early-detection research to the CEDAR research team.
- Completes eligibility screening using the standardized intake template (e.g., age, cancer history, current symptoms, prior discussion with PCP). Routes patients who report symptoms concerning for cancer, or who fall outside standard eligibility, to the clinician for review rather than proceeding with testing.
- Conducts the informed-consent discussion using DIRECT-approved scripts and education materials, covering the purpose and limitations of the test; what “cancer signal detected” and “no cancer signal detected” results mean; the possibility of false-positive and false-negative results; the diagnostic follow-up a positive result requires; and that the test does not replace guideline-recommended cancer screening. Documents the discussion and the patient’s decision in Epic and escalates questions that require clinical judgment to the clinician.
- Enters the order in Epic and the GRAIL ordering portal for clinician review and approval; coordinates kit shipment and blood draw; and tracks each order through to result.
- Routes “signal detected” results to the clinician the same business day they are received and, at the clinician’s direction, schedules the patient for prompt DIRECT evaluation. Maintains the Galleri order and results log and reconciles it with the portal at least monthly.
Communication, Documentation & Patient Support – Acts as the communication link among patients and families, referring providers and PCPs, OHSU diagnostic departments, community partners, and the DIRECT clinical team.
- Monitors DIRECT in-basket pools, phone line, MyChart, and fax. Responds to scheduling and logistics questions within one business day (same day for time-sensitive diagnostic issues) and routes clinical questions, new symptoms, and requests for results to the APP or Medical Director.
- Provides consistent, compassionate support to patients and families experiencing anxiety during diagnostic uncertainty, using approved communication scripts; connects patients with social work, financial counseling, interpreter, and community resources as needed.
- Provides program information to patients, families, and referring provider offices. Participates in DIRECT huddles and case reviews, giving each patient’s scheduling and status update.
- During APP absences, monitors DIRECT pools and phone lines and routes clinical items to the Medical Director or designated covering clinician.
Program Development & Continuous Improvement – As a founding member of the DIRECT team, helps build and improve clinic operations.
- Develops and maintains working relationships and scheduling contacts in radiology, gastroenterology, interventional radiology, laboratory, specialty clinics, and community diagnostic partners to enable rapid scheduling.
- Helps build and maintain job aids, standard work, patient communication scripts and education materials, and Epic work queue, order, and follow-up workflows.
- Enters and maintains data for the DIRECT quality dashboard (e.g., time to first visit, time to biopsy, time to diagnostic resolution, patient volume) and brings barriers and improvement ideas to clinic leadership.
- Orients new team members to DIRECT workflows as the clinic grows.
Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Three years’ experience in a hospital or hospital based clinic setting, AND
High School diploma or equivalent, AND
Positions with in person patient care: BLS certificate within 30 days of hire or prior to independent practice, whichever comes first, AND
One of the following four:
For those completing medical assistant training or formal military medical services training as referenced above in #1 and #2, the following is also required (Those qualifying under the EMT or LPN or Dental Assistant qualification are exempt from this requirement.)
MA certification received from a nationally recognized and accredited certifying body, upon hire or by the completion of the probationary period or internal job change evaluation period, as appropriate. Currently, these include:
- The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), awarding the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA.)
- The American Medical Technologists (AMT), awarding the Registered Medical Assistant (R.M.A.)
- The National Center for Competency Testing, awarding the National Certified MA (NCMA.)
- The National Health Career Association, awarding the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA.)
Any applicable certifications or licensures must be maintained for the duration of employment.
In addition to receiving the appropriate certification noted above, Medical and Dental Assistants will be required to successfully demonstrate competencies prior to completion of probation or the internal job change evaluation period, as appropriate.
Ability to work independently and as a member of the team, including leadership.
Knowledge of patient flow and back office functions. Ability to effectively and efficiently perform chart scrubbing and panel outreach activities. Demonstrated strong analytic skills, including displaying and interpreting data. Proficiency with EPIC, Microsoft Office including Excel, Word and Power Point. Ability to manage time sensitive competing demands and meet deadlines. Working knowledge of medical terminology. Strong relationship building skills, excellent communication skills, exceptional customer service skills, highly sensitive to patient needs. Demonstrated knowledge and attention to the needs of Special Needs patients and their caregivers and families.
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of patient flow and back-office functions, including chart scrubbing, pre-visit planning, and patient outreach
- Working knowledge of medical terminology, including common diagnostic tests and procedures.
- Proficiency with Epic and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams).
- Ability to work independently with sound judgment and as a member of a small, interdependent team; recognizes the boundaries of the role and escalates appropriately.
- Ability to manage a high volume of time-sensitive, competing demands, track many open items at once, and meet deadlines with strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytic skills, including entering, displaying, and interpreting tracking data.
- Excellent verbal and written communication and customer service skills; able to explain processes and test information in plain language and to remain calm and compassionate with anxious or distressed patients.
- Strong relationship-building and problem-solving skills, with persistent, resourceful follow-through across departments and outside organizations.
- Knowledge of and attention to the needs of special-needs patients and their caregivers and families; commitment to equitable access for rural, underserved, and diverse patient populations.
- Attendance and dependability: consistent and regular attendance to work.
- Can be depended upon to complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments.
- Medical assistant training (accredited MA program or military medical services training) with current MA certification.
- Associate degree or college coursework in a health-related field.
- Experience as a certified medical assistant, care coordinator, or patient navigator in oncology, gastroenterology, radiology, or another specialty or diagnostic clinic.
- Experience scheduling complex, multi-department diagnostic workups (e.g., imaging, endoscopy, image-guided biopsy) and coordinating referrals with outside facilities.
- Experience obtaining prior authorizations and working referral work queues.
- Experience supporting patients through cancer screening, early detection, or a new diagnosis.
- Experience with Epic Cadence (scheduling), Referrals, and work queues.
- Familiarity with cancer screening and early-detection testing, including MCED tests.
- Bilingual fluency (e.g., Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Mandarin/Cantonese, Arabic, or American Sign Language). Candidate must pass the OHSU language proficiency exam before using additional language skills in patient care encounters.
- Formal customer service, conflict management, or patient navigation training.
- Oncology patient navigation certification (e.g., AONN+ Oncology Patient Navigator–Certified Generalist, OPN-CG), or willingness to complete formal patient navigation training within the first year.
Additional Details
- Hybrid schedule with an estimated one day per week required on-site with the rest remote.
- Fast-paced outpatient diagnostic clinic within OHSU Radiation Medicine (Knight Cancer Institute). Weekday daytime schedule, five days a week, eight hours per day, at the OHSU Radiation Medicine clinic, Knight Cancer Institute (Kohler and Vista Pavilion), Marquam Hill campus, Portland, OR. Much of the work is conducted by telephone, MyChart, and Epic; the clinic also offers telehealth (virtual) visits as clinically appropriate.
- Manages a high volume of time-sensitive referrals, scheduling requests, pending results, and patient messages to meet defined clinic service levels. Has frequent contact with patients and families experiencing anxiety during diagnostic uncertainty; results and diagnoses are disclosed by the clinician, not by this position. Works within an interdisciplinary team and helps orient new staff to DIRECT workflows. Standard ambulatory clinical exposures during in-person visit support, including potential contact with blood and body fluids; adheres to infection prevention protocols.
- This position works with people at all levels of the organization and interacts with numerous internal OHSU departments and external customers (referring provider offices and community diagnostic partners). Shared office space requires the ability to work effectively with phone noise, simultaneous conversations, and frequent interruptions.
- This position requires the ability to sit, stand, and walk quickly throughout the hospital campus buildings, and to walk back and forth from office to clinic many times each day. Prolonged, heavy use of telephone and headset, personal computers, and OHSU’s electronic medical record systems. Requires communication in a respectful, caring, and non-judgmental manner.