Pathology Support Specialist, Full-Time Days

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Pathology Support Specialist reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Responsibilities:

• Supporting the medical directors, pathologists, physicians and other laboratory personnel as required, by performing an array of clerical and clinical support functions for the pathology laboratory.
• Coordinating the retrieval of data/information, recording data/information in charts, file or databases
• Communicating with internal and external customers and staff in person or over the telephone as directed.
• Maintaining the integrity of the pathology report, slide and block archive.
• Maintaining appropriate and accurate documentation ensuring that diagnostic materials are available for review by physicians and other healthcare professionals in a timely manner and are retained for the appropriate timeframe per current regulatory guidelines.
• Communicating with pathologists, residents, coordinators, and warehouse staff regarding any archival issues.
• Ensuring files and records are accurate and held confidential, also, acting as a runner, delivering materials to various hospital departments.

• Provides internal and external customer service excellence
  • Answers incoming telephone calls using NM telephone etiquette, assisting callers with inquiry about reports, scheduling, locating residents and pathologists and forwarding of calls when appropriate.
  • Troubleshoots and resolves problems related to case order, proper paperwork and distribution. Promptly seeks direction from the senior staff regarding unresolved case problems.
  • Maintains patient confidentiality including protected health information (PHI)
  • Assists patients, visitors and other contacts whenever need occurs
• Maintains report (hard copy and/or digital), slide, and block archive.
  • Retrieves materials for file from designated laboratory locations.
  • Cleans, sorts and organizes microscopic slides accurately within 24 hours of return for on-site or off-site storage.
  • Files slides to permanent cabinets.
  • Requests recuts for broken or missing slides.
  • Handles diagnostic materials in extreme care.
  • Pays attention to detail in data entry and other documentation activities
• Pulls slides and blocks as requested and return to storage
  • Ensures request includes required information.  Follows-up as necessary.
  • Locates and delivers materials to appropriate requestor.
  • Ensures that slides and blocks integrity is maintained throughout retention.
  • Documents release of materials.
  • Initiates follow-up for materials not returned within the defined timeframe.
• Coordinates requests and material transfers with the off-site storage facility.
  • Requests materials from warehouse.
  • Packages and returns materials to warehouse.
  • Coordinates transfer of bulk archived materials to warehouse.
  • Documents all requests and transfers.
• Handles requests for external and internal consultations following established procedures
  • Receives, registers, accessions, distributes, cleans and returns external pathology materials.
  • Processes requests, pulls appropriate materials, and submits to pathologists for review.
  • Performs case distribution to appropriate residents, fellows and/or pathologists.
  • Packages and sends internal consultation cases to outside institution as requested by a pathologist
  • Prioritizes case processing based on receipt, STAT requests and completes tasks within defined turn-around-times (TAT).
  • Documents slide and/or block send out.
  • Monitors the outstanding case log to ensure all cases are returned within established times.
• Handles requests for referred laboratory testing on blocks and/or slides (i.e. FISH testing, quantitative metal analysis, molecular testing, etc.).
  • Coordinates request with pathologist as necessary.
  • Pulls and packages mate