POSITION DESCRIPTION
SECTION A: Position Identification
POSITION TITLE:
CLASSIFICATION
SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR
DEPARTMENT
DIVISION
SWITCHBOARD
POSITION #
MANAGEMENT
EXCLUDED
BARGAINING UNIT
CUPE CLERICAL
SECTION B: Reporting Structure
Your Supervisor’s Title:
Manager of Health Information Services and Privacy
His/Her Supervisor’s Title:
Vice President of Operations and Allied Health
Other positions that report to your immediate supervisor:
 Admitting clerks
 Health record clerks
 Health information services support clerk
 Health record technicians
 Health record administrators
 Transcriptionists
SECTION C: Program/Functional Area
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Form revised 2014
Operate Switchboard multi-line phone, patient phone and gate phone
And direct calls accordingly.
Respond to alarms on all master panels located at reception.
Page physicians and make announcements over the public address system.
Perform reception duties - give information to patients, visitors and relay
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messages to hospital staff as required.
Respect privacy and confidentiality of patients and clients.
works primarily with admitting
SECTION D: Position Summary
SECTION E: MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES (indicate approx % of time spent on each)
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Provide excellent client service in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
Maintain confidentiality of all communications, written and verbal
Answer multi-line switchboard, patient switchboard route and direct all calls as required
Responsible for distribution of master keys, patient correspondence, and courier packages
Run daily Admission/Discharge/Transfer reports
Provide coverage for Central Registry as needed, and night shifts
Retrieve charts from Health Records for Emergency Department
Enable entry of public to the hospital after hours
Assist customers regarding the parking gates.
Maintain current communications log for physicians and staff
Maintain and update daily, weekly, and weekend on-call lists for specified departments and
physicians
Follow procedures for all emergency codes and exercise drills
Maintain current in-house patient list
Responds to alarm panels and call codes when indicated
Cognizant of work place and patient safety
Attends to funeral directors, death certificates.
Calls Trauma Team, Stroke Team and other codes as directed.
Other related duties as assigned.
POSITION SPECIFICATIONS
SECTION F: MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION
Graduate of a recognized business/medical/secretarial program or combination of experience and
education.
SECTION H: SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
Form revised 2014
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Knowledge and experience with MEDITECH an asset
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to work independently and as a member of a health care team
Ability to work shift work, 12 hour shifts, weekends, and holidays
Knowledge of medical terminology
Able to use Microsoft suite
Ability to maintain confidentiality , privacy and security
Excellent work and attendance record
SECTION I: NATURE AND AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE:
Experience with customer service for at least one year
Experience within a hospital environment an asset
SECTION J: JUDGEMENT & INITIATIVE:
This position requires judgement and common sense when solving issues relating to codes, patient
needs, particularly for situations that are uncommon. Must possess a calm demeanour when dealing
with highly stressful encounters, especially when working a shift at night alone.
SECTION L: KEY RELATIONSHIPS:
Visitors
Physicians
Staff, peers and managers
SECTION N: PHYSICAL DEMAND:
Night shifts
Twelve hour shifts
Form revised 2014
SECTION O: MENTAL & VISUAL DEMAND:
Frequently, high demand for switchboard attention, either by phone, in person, or both at the same
time may continue for minutes or hours at a time.
SECTION P: WORKING ENVIRONMENT and UNAVOIDABLE HAZARDS:
Working environment may be very noisy especially when managing alarms.
SECTION Q: SAFETY (patient, worker & workplace)
Staff works alone at night where security may or may not always be present as well. Patients arrive
from the emergency department present to switchboard for registration.
The successful applicant will demonstrate good stewardship in the identification, reporting &
mitigation of unsafe Acts or conditions
Prepared by:
Date: _______________________
Signature
Name (Please Print)
Approved by:
Date: ________________________
Signature
Name (Please Print)
VP Approval:
Date:
Signature
Name (Please Print)
DISTRIBUTION:
Human Resources Services
Department
Form revised 2014
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