Bread for the City

This next year I'll be working at Bread for the City as a Clinic Coordinator. I'll be one of three people with that position title, so it should clue you in as to the amount of work we have to do. This past week I learned how to:

1. Answer phones, transfer calls, take messages, schedule appts, and send people to different clinics
2. Work the front desk: verifying address, phone number and insurance, sending people to Public Benefits (the insurance side of things), signing them in on a clipboard and then calling them up to actually sign them in (weird, but its because there's SO many people), figuring out walk-ins and how to use the computer software.
3. Make referrals: calling different hospitals, getting put on hold, scheduling an appointment, calling the patient only to find out that time doesn't work, rescheduling the appointment, not getting through to hospitals because they don't answer their phones and how to add procedural codes.
4. Sort the fax inbox: we have most faxes sent electronically, but then I get to go through the inbox and assign the faxes to people's files. 
5. Scan faxes: for the old fax number, which people still use, we have to scan in all the items that are faxed. Then the same deal, I have to figure out where to save it so that people can find it later on.
6. ISCOPES: I just learned about this on Friday. I'm basically going to be the connection between Bread and a group of MD, NP, PA, etc students from George Washington University. The students are going to be working with Bread for the next year on some kind of project for our new health resource room and I'm the Bread rep; I think Dr. Randi, my supervisor, will also be involved. It sounds like last year, without her help, there were some frustrations with communication because, like me, the clinic coordinator was new to the area and didn't have many answers to their questions. YIKES! Fingers crossed, my group and I will get along.
7. I'm sure there's something else, but I can't think of it now. So, number seven is for all the miscellaneous stuff I'll end up doing this year.

And, next week we'll see if I actually remember it since I'll be on my own: sink or swim, right?!

Today is Labor Day, so I'll have another short week. I think it's a pretty nice way to break myself in to the working world. My parents visited this weekend, which was brief, but very fun. I showed them where I worked and we drove to the testing center I'll be at on Saturday. And on Sunday we walked the Mall and saw lots of memorials and such. We also checked out the Old Post Office building, which is kind of a hidden gem, I guess. I mean, it's free and has a great view of the whole city, but its not overrun by tourists like most places. Since my folks came, it finally feels like I can settle into my room since they brought all my stuff :) THANKS Mom and Dad!!!

What else might you wonder about? Oh yes, my housemates. Everyone has arrived. We are three girls and one guy. We have our first house meeting tonight to pound out some details about living arrangements and budgets. Thus far we get along really well and I have high hopes for this year. We joke about how people aren't showing their true colors yet, but the vibe is that we'll be good friends.

Okay, enjoy Labor-FREE day, folks! Have a good one.