CALL CENTER OPERATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

A Call Center Operator in hospital telecommunications handles the flow of critical and routine communication across an entire facility. Every shift involves monitoring emergency alarm systems, dispatching codes such as cardiac arrest or community disaster, and routing inbound calls to the right department or on-call physician. The role operates under the Critical Care Response Committee protocols, making accurate real-time judgment essential. Few positions in a hospital support as many teams simultaneously.

As the Call Center Operator, you serve as the central communication point for a hospital campus, processing medical emergency codes, managing after-hours physician contacts, and routing all inbound and internal calls within established response metrics. You work across departments and report into the Telecommunications function, supporting clinical, security, and facilities teams around the clock.

Career Impact: Experience gained dispatching medical emergency codes under Critical Care Response Committee protocols is directly transferable to senior telecommunications and emergency management roles in healthcare.

Business Impact: When a cardiac arrest code or facility alarm fires, the operator's speed and accuracy determine how fast the right teams reach the right place.

Growth Opportunity: Hands-on exposure to hospital-wide alarm systems, on-call scheduling, and multi-department coordination builds a skill set that opens paths toward telecommunications supervisor and emergency management coordinator roles.

• Answer and dispatch internal medical emergency calls following Critical Care Response Committee protocols to ensure appropriate response teams are mobilized.
• Monitor all facility codes and alarms including fire, cardiac arrest, community disaster, and power failures, dispatching the correct personnel for each event.
• Route inbound and internal calls by accessing electronic alphabetical and geographical directories, meeting established transfer metrics.
• Process after-hours patient emergency messages and route urgent calls to the appropriate on-call physician following prescribed protocols.
• Relay time-sensitive information between emergency sites and all individuals or groups requiring notification.
• Maintain on-call schedules for departments and coordinate overhead announcements and paging across the facility.
• Report equipment faults including telephone, pager, elevator, and payphone issues, logging each incident and paging the appropriate repair personnel.

• High school diploma or GED, or equivalent work experience.
• 1 or more years of call center, telephone operator, or answering service experience, with healthcare exposure preferred.
• Ability to process and prioritize a high volume of simultaneous calls under time-sensitive conditions.
• Proficient typing skills of at least 40 words per minute with accurate spelling and grammar.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a multi-line telecommunications console continuously throughout a shift.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills across all caller types, including clinical staff, patients, and external contacts.
• Ability to function under pressure with minimal supervision while following prescribed emergency protocols.

• Prior experience in a hospital or healthcare telecommunications environment with exposure to alarm dispatch systems.
• Familiarity with on-call scheduling practices and multi-department coordination in a 24/7 facility setting.
• Experience providing relay or assisted communication services for hearing-impaired callers.
• Demonstrated ability to assist in training or onboarding new telecommunications staff.

• Average call transfer time, measuring adherence to established routing metrics per shift.
• Emergency code dispatch accuracy rate, reflecting correct protocol selection across fire, cardiac, and disaster events.
• After-hours physician contact completion rate, tracking successful message delivery within required response windows.
• Pager and equipment fault log turnaround, measuring how quickly reported issues reach the appropriate repair contact.
• On-call schedule accuracy, reflecting error-free maintenance of department rotation records.
• Typical tools: Telecommunications console platforms (commonly multi-line hospital switchboard systems); paging systems (commonly long-range and in-house pager networks).

• Base Salary Range: $36,000 to $48,000 per year depending on experience and facility size.
• Bonus: Shift differentials common for overnight, weekend, and holiday coverage.
• Equity: Not typically offered at this level.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard in hospital employment.
• PTO: 10 to 15 days annually, increasing with tenure.
• Common Perks: Tuition assistance, employee assistance programs, and free or subsidized parking common at hospital campuses.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Accommodation is available throughout the hiring process. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of recruitment are encouraged to make their needs known in advance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check and applicable drug screening. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Call Center Operator owns medical emergency code processing and inbound call routing for the Cleveland Clinic enterprise, working alongside the Critical Care Response Committee and Emergency Management Team to ensure rapid, protocol-driven response. By connecting callers to the right destinations and dispatching life-safety codes accurately, the operator enables continuity of care and patient safety across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Answer internal medical emergency calls, prioritize call types, determine appropriate response, and dispatch accordingly following Critical Care Response Committee protocols.
• Relay information to and from emergency sites to all individuals or groups requiring notification.
• Answer and process requests for crisis intervention team and other emergency codes using prescribed protocols with the Emergency Management Team.
• Process after-hours patient emergency messages to physicians using prescribed protocols.
• Search database or reference material to obtain needed information and transfer callers to appropriate destinations within established metrics.
• Offer special assistance to persons unable to dial or those in emergency situations.
• Provide relay service for hearing-impaired callers.
• Answer routine questions about the organization using electronic database and reference material.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of call center or telephone operator experience.
• Experience in healthcare or a related field preferred.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a telecommunications console.
• Proficiency in using computers, hardware, and software systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to handle stressful situations and function under pressure with minimal supervision.
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with others.
• Ability to assist in training and teaching of others.

Embedded within READ Foundation's fundraising team, the Call Center Operator delivers database administration and donor relationship management across all income channels, from credit card and direct debit to cash and bank transfers. Working closely with fundraising staff, the operator ensures accurate donation processing and compliance with GDPR and Gift Aid rules, directly supporting the organization's ability to sustain and grow its donor base.

Core Functions

• Open, process, code, acknowledge, and bank donations across multiple channels including credit card, direct debit, cash, cheques, and bank transfers.
• Maintain relationships with new and existing donors and call donors to update them on new campaigns.
• Ensure the fundraising database is kept up to date and manage donation processing systems including scanning forms, allocating beneficiaries, and receipting.
• Monitor donor opt-outs and ensure swift compliance across email, SMS, telephone, and post.
• Liaise with donors regarding missed or pledged donations via phone, email, or letter.
• Build and maintain spreadsheets for real-time reporting on donations from events.
• Handle information requests, complaints, and general enquiries while complying with GDPR, IOF codes of conduct, and Gift Aid rules.

Qualifications and Experience

• A Level or equivalent qualification.
• 1 year of experience in a charity or customer service environment.
• Experience in data entry and practical understanding of donor queries.
• Knowledge of databases and reporting tools.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software including Excel, Access, and Outlook.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organisational, planning, and time management skills.
• Fluency in English, with knowledge of Urdu and Punjabi desirable.

Reporting to the Telecommunications department, the Call Center Operator is responsible for answering a high volume of calls and redirecting them to the appropriate department or engaging the correct team to respond to codes and alarms. Partnering with Security, facilities, and clinical staff, the operator ensures uninterrupted communication flow and rapid emergency response across the hospital campus.

Primary Duties

• Activate the Alert Notification System and dispatch Security for emergency support.
• Provide answering service for clients by following instructions, dispatching emergency messages, and relaying messages verbally or by fax.
• Maintain on-call schedules for departments and provide approved overhead announcements.
• Contact cab companies when needed by departments and prepare associated paperwork.
• Report elevator, ATM, payphone, and telephone repair issues, logging reports and paging appropriate personnel.
• Respond to long-range and in-house pager repairs, replacements, and battery issues with troubleshooting as needed.

Skills and Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum 2 years of customer service experience, with answering service experience preferred.
• Proficient typing skills of at least 40 wpm.
• Proficient spelling and grammar skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all age groups and populations.

Sitting at the intersection of emergency dispatch and customer service, the Call Center Operator monitors and responds to codes and alarms including fire, cardiac arrest, and community disaster events while also handling inbound customer inquiries and maintaining call logs. Operating across a broad range of tasks from contract tracking to caller transfers, the operator ensures both operational continuity and complete customer satisfaction.

Duties

• Monitor and dispatch responses to all codes and alarms including fire, cardiac arrest, community disaster, injured visitors or staff, helicopter arrival, power failures, and various system alarms.
• Respond to customer inquiries by telephone and drive complete customer satisfaction through exceptional and personalized service.
• Maintain a call log and track contracts with external service providers.
• Identify caller needs and transfer to the appropriate person of contact.
• Carry out any other tasks related to the position.

Experience and Qualifications

• At least 1 year of experience in a similar position.
• Good knowledge of MS Office.
• Bilingualism, essential.
• Customer service oriented with a cheerful, dynamic, proactive, and meticulous approach.
• Good sense of organization and comfort using telephone systems.