Registered Nurse, Clinic

Tennessee Oncology, one of the nation’s largest, community-based cancer care specialists, is home to one of the leading clinical trial networks in the country. Established 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee Oncology’s mission remains unchanged: To provide access to high-quality cancer care and the expertise of clinical research for all patients, at convenient locations within their community and close to their home. Our growing network of physicians and locations is based on this mission. Tennessee Oncology is committed to advancing both the science of detection and targeted treatments, and to making these advances available to every patient. We believe caring for cancer patients is a privilege.

Why Join Us? We are looking for talented and highly-motivated individuals who demonstrate a natural desire to support the meaningful work of community oncologists and the patients we serve.

Job Description:

Provides patient-centric, safe, high-quality care throughout all stages of the patient care journey. Helps patients manage and live with diagnosis, retaining autonomy and independence by using the most appropriate disease, symptom, and psychosocial management techniques. Primary focus is supporting the provider side of operations working closely with physicians and APPs to ensure effective and efficient flow of visits at the clinic. Ensures pre-visit planning including scheduling and chart prep are completed. Monitors patient’s response to treatment and works with health care teams (centralized and on-site), patient, and family to adjust plan of care as needed. Identifies actual and potential problematic situations and actively intervenes to achieve a satisfactory resolution, as much as possible, while patient physically present.

Essential Functions:

• Works with providers and operations leaders to optimize overall visit schedules taking into consideration preferred workflows including but not limited to decoupling of visits, clinic start and end times, visit type (new, return, post hospitalization), treatment type, resources available, patient special needs (i.e., translator)
• Works with providers and operations leaders to monitor provider schedules for accuracy of on service dates.  Monitors frequency of overbooking and works with provider to minimize overbooking as much as possible
• Works with providers to decouple visits as much as possible taking into consideration special patient needs such as traveling long distances, transportation challenges.
• Acts as the resource for patient services staff for patient schedule changes/ questions, moves treatment plan dates or adjusts other needed orders within scope of practice.
• Collaborates with provider, infusion staff and manager to ensure schedule is balanced.
• Collects and reviews clinical and diagnostic data prior to, during or after each patient encounter to assist providers and team members. This is done via completion of chart prep activities, receiving of and triaging critical and non-critical lab results or other diagnostic tests, identifying need for prescription refills, educating patients on lab results processes (use of patient portal), visit schedules, etc.
• Monitors visit list/schedules/flow and assists as needed to keep provider clinics on time
• Provides RN oversight/acts as a resource for Medical Assistant. Intermittently audits documentation to ensure data is up to date and accurate
• Clarifies/answers questions pertaining to patient histories, review of systems, and medication reconciliation as needed if issue identified during the rooming process. Completes or oversees (second signs for MA) nursing evaluations
• Assists providers with patient transition of care needs such as facilitating paperwork, transmitting orders or notes, completing patient hand-offs for satellite appointments, direct admits, blood transfusions, etc.
• Acts as a liaison between on-site or remote staff and providers regarding patient and caregiver needs /requests
• Acts as a liaison between patients and providers to convey clearly and accurately essential medical communications
• Acts as a resource for RCM teams for updates needed for diagnosis codes, or other required information to complete patient prior authorizations or post services billing. Ideally, catches and corrects any misinformation during chart prep prior to services being rendered.
• Assists patient and family in navigating the clinic. Assesses need for and assists with referrals to other resources. Closes the loop for referrals, testing, etc. and documents in the EMR.
• Works collaboratively with external agencies and Tennessee Oncology centralized teams such as Patient Financial Services/Telephone Triage/Care Coordination to assist with calls/communications from patients and their caregivers, hospital staff, home care agenci