Department Highlight: Scheduling

At CCI, our scheduling department is a critical part of our internal and external operations. Led by the Scheduling Center Manager Katia Howell, the 12-person team works 100% remotely, but the communication is constant.

They are “the first voice of the company.”

To best serve callers, scheduling team members must know general information about our health centers and so much more. For example, if a patient calls to receive a specific type of care, a team member must know each provider’s scope of practice to schedule the appointment correctly. Additionally, when a representative from a health insurance agency calls, they have to know the proper protocol to get their questions answered.

Like any other patient-facing role at CCI, our scheduling team knows the importance of maintaining a positive attitude even when interacting with patients who are frustrated or upset. In one instance, Stephanie, CCI’s Scheduling Center Specialist, received a call from a patient about a very painful toothache. There weren’t any immediate openings, but Stephanie worked with the dental team to get this patient seen right away.

Because of Stephanie’s patience and commitment to service, the patient sent her a thank you card. It’s in these moments that we recognize how impactful our work is to the community.

From Katia:

“I love my team. Every day I tell them thank you and make them feel appreciated.

People may think that we just sit here but the job is more than just scheduling patients. We are there to serve the patients, help out with campaigns, and schedule additional services such as Uber rides.”

On average, the CCI scheduling team answers 20,000 calls per month.