Communications Operator

Summary: Under the direction of the Lead Switchboard Operator of the Communications Department, the Communications Operator is responsible for ensuring the answering of all inbound and operator telephone calls in a timely manner. The Communications Operator is responsible for: paging and emergency communications (e.g. code blue, fire, etc.). Participates in activities to assure that customer satisfaction results are consistently maintained. Demonstrates effective communication and public relation skills.

Shift: Day

Duties and Responsibilities

Service:

• Consistently supports and communicates the Mission, Vision, and Values of St. Joseph Medical Center.
• Upholds the Standards of Conduct and Corporate Compliance.
• Follows the St. Joseph Medical Center Guidelines related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), designed to prevent or detect unauthorized disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI).

Quality:

• Completes annual education requirements.
• Promotes of a culture of patient safety which results in the identification and reduction of unsafe practices.
• Demonstrates telephone courtesy when assisting callers. Answers calls according to telephone courtesy protocol, screens and provides accurate information to caller. Assures telephone coverage at all times. Maintains self-control and patience when handling irate calls and responding to caller in a solution-oriented manner.
• Operates the Hospital's public address network equipment to transmit announcements & paging requests according to Hospital guidelines & procedures. Operates radio equipment to transmit requests, coordinate and/or relay information. Conduct pager and radio equipment tests. Follows proper radio procedures and restricts transmissions to official hospital business, speaking clearly and distinctly in a natural tone of voice.
• Initiates emergency communications, such as code blue, internal & external disasters, fire, utility outages, etc. Monitors the Hospital fire & critical equipment alarms and the emergency (CPR, Fire & Security) telephone lines and alerts Hospital staff according to Hospital's emergency procedures.
• Demonstrates documentation/reporting skills. Files required written documentation (i.e. fire alarms, disaster, and cascade etc. forms) in a timely manner. Ensures documentation is correct,concise, clear, and complete.
• Monitors long-distance usage from the attendant console positions. As necessary, maintains and updates the hospital phone directory and Xtend database. Maintains the operator work area in a clean and neat fashion and leaves the work area in an appropriate condition for the next shift operator.
• Sets an example to all staff in their daily activities.
• Other assigned duties

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• High School Graduate or GED Equivalent, required.
• Technical, clerical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.
• Other certification requirements as defined by the certification policy.
• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Three to five years' experience in a PBX operator position.
• Basic computer knowledge and general hospital operational knowledge.

Preferred:

• Bi or Multilingual.
• Previous experience in Healthcare

Houston's oldest hospital is GROWING!

Welcome to St. Joseph Medical Center (SJMC), Houston's first and only downtown hospital delivering world-class care for the last 137 years and looking forward to the next century of exceptional care to Houstonians when they need us most.

Whether it's for a scheduled surgery, the birth of a baby, an unexpected emergency, or an outpatient visit, we have staff available around the clock to provide you access to immediate, quality health care. SJMC has been providing health care services to Greater Houston residents for over 130 years, which should give you great comfort in knowing that we have a great tradition of caring for our community. We strive to meet our patients' expectations and encourage our patients to provide us with feedback on how we can help them have the best experience possible while they're in our care.

Over the last years we have expanded our services to include the Advanced Wound Care Center, Comprehensive Cardiac and Vascular Services, the Women's Center, the St. Joseph Maternal Fetal Medicine Center, and a Weight Loss Surgery Program, just to name a few. As you work with our physicians, nurses, case managers, educators, and other staff, you will be guided through your health care journey, from diagnosis to treatment, with compassion every step of the way.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are at the foundation of the care St Joseph Medical Center provides to our community we are privileged to support in all of our employment practices. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression or any other non-job-related characteristic.