Research & Investigation (R&I) Locator

Job Description:

Research & Investigation (R&I)

Locator Position Title:

Research & Investigation (R&I)

Locator Company:

Hospital Support Services (HSS)

Position Purpose :

Own referred cases during the advanced locate and investigative phase, re-establish patient contact when possible, support application/VCL progress, and return the case to the Case Manager with a clean handoff. Position Summary The Research & Investigation (R&I) Locator is a workflow-critical role responsible for cases that move beyond routine Case Manager follow-up and require advanced locate work, investigative review, or specialized outreach. The Locator assumes clear ownership of the case during the R&I phase, works from existing HSS Notes and hospital information, develops new contact leads, performs targeted outreach, and helps move difficult accounts toward resolution. This is not a routine follow-up position. The strongest candidate will be skilled at finding information others could not locate, making sound judgments about next steps, documenting work with precision, and handing cases back to the Case Manager in a way that reduces delay and duplicate effort. Essential Job Functions 1. Case Ownership and Workflow Execution Accept assigned cases and assume ownership during the advanced locate and investigative stage of the workflow. Review HSS Notes, prior outreach, referral reason, and relevant hospital information before taking action. Understand when a case belongs with R&I versus when it should remain with the Case Manager. Work referred cases involving disconnected or bad phone numbers, no response after initial outreach, difficult-to-locate patients, possible estates, deceased patients, VCL-only follow-up needs, retro-related follow-up, and other special-circumstance accounts. Avoid repeating work already completed by the Case Manager unless new information supports another attempt. 2. Advanced Locate and Investigative Research Research the corresponding hospital system's database for emergency contacts, guarantor information, previous admissions, prior insurance information, and other usable contact leads. Conduct advanced searches using approved tools and resources, including but not limited to TLO, medical records, Maryland Judiciary, SDAT, VineLink, and other authorized locate resources. Identify updated patient contact information, family or household contacts, estate-related information, and other actionable leads. Use judgment to distinguish between useful information, outdated data, and non-actionable leads. 3. Targeted Outreach and Patient Contact Attempt contact using newly identified or verified phone numbers and contact leads. Carry out outreach in accordance with department timelines, follow-up standards, and scripting expectations. Communicate professionally and respectfully with patients, family members, emergency contacts, hospital staff, and other appropriate parties. Remain persistent and composed when calls are difficult, sensitive, or time-sensitive. 4. Application and Verification Support When contact is established, confirm demographics and emergency contact information. Complete the MHC application when the case requires application completion. Obtain or upload income verification documents when available at the time of contact. For VCL-only or retro-related referrals, make every reasonable effort to secure required items during patient contact before returning the case for routine follow-up. 5. Documentation, Statusing, and Case Handoff Document all systems searched, research steps taken, outreach attempts, results, and next-step recommendations in HSS Notes. Ensure notes are complete enough that another team member can quickly understand what was done, what was found, and what still remains. Request closure or status updates when locate efforts have been exhausted in accordance with department workflow. Notify the Case Manager promptly when new contact information is developed, contact is re-established, the application is complete, or additional VCL follow-up is still needed. Provide a clean, accurate handoff so the Case Manager can resume responsibility without re-working the file. Scope of Role The R&I Locator is responsible for advanced locate efforts, investigative work, and targeted outreach on referred accounts. The role owns the case during the R&I stage only. Once patient contact is re-established and the case returns to routine follow-up status, ownership shifts back to the Case Manager. The R&I Locator is not responsible for ongoing routine case management follow-up on reachable accounts once the investigative phase has ended. Required Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent. Demonstrated success in a role involving investigative research, locate work, collections support, patient financial services, Medicaid or eligibility support, call-center outreach, case support, or a similar high-volume, detail-sensitive environment. Strong verbal communication skills and professional phone presence. Strong written documentation skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise, and actionable case notes. Ability to organize and prioritize multiple active cases while meeting timelines. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately. Comfort using databases, web-based tools, and multiple information sources during live case work. Preferred Qualifications Experience in healthcare, hospital revenue cycle, patient financial services, Medicaid or Medical Assistance eligibility, or related benefits work. Experience using public-record, court-record, skip-trace, or locate tools such as TLO or similar systems. Experience speaking with patients and families about sensitive financial, eligibility, or documentation matters. Experience working special-circumstance accounts such as deceased patients, estate-related cases, or difficult-to-locate accounts. Bilingual English/Spanish skills strongly preferred for roles that support Spanish-speaking patients. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Investigative persistence: keeps working a file methodically until all reasonable locate options are exhausted.

Case ownership:

takes responsibility for movement of the file during the R&I stage and follows through without routine prompting.

Judgment:

knows when to continue researching, when to attempt outreach, when to escalate, and when to return or close the case.

Documentation discipline:

leaves notes and handoffs that are specific, accurate, and immediately useful to others.

Workflow awareness:

understands the distinction between R&I work and routine Case Manager follow-up.

Patient-contact effectiveness:

can communicate with empathy, professionalism, and appropriate persistence.

Time management:

balances research depth with the need for timely action and throughput. Performance Expectations Conduct timely and thorough locate efforts that build on prior case activity rather than duplicate it. Generate updated contact information and actionable leads that improve contact success. Complete high-quality HSS Notes that accurately capture research steps, outreach activity, outcomes, and next steps. Support timely completion of MHC applications and collection of verification items when patient contact is made. Return cases with clear, accurate handoff information that allows the Case Manager to resume work efficiently. Follow department workflow standards, outreach timelines, confidentiality requirements, and documentation expectations. Best-Fit Candidate Profile The strongest candidate for this role is highly resourceful, calm under pressure, comfortable with phone-based outreach, and naturally curious when information is incomplete. This person is neither a passive note-taker nor a purely administrative employee. They are a disciplined finder, verifier, and closer who can move between research, outreach, documentation, and handoff without losing detail or momentum. Candidates from non-traditional backgrounds may still be strong fits if they can demonstrate transferable strengths in locate work, investigative research, patient or customer outreach, documentation accuracy, judgment, and case ownership. Working Conditions Primarily office-based work. Frequent computer and telephone use. May involve handling sensitive patient, hospital, and public-record information. Requires attention to detail, organization, persistence, and consistent follow-through. Physical Requirements Ability to sit for extended periods. Ability to use a computer, telephone, and standard office equipment. Ability to review electronic records and input data accurately. Position Goal The goal of the R&I Locator position is to improve patient contact success, strengthen investigative follow-up, reduce workflow inefficiencies, and move difficult accounts toward resolution with clear ownership, disciplined documentation, and effective handoffs.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

From $18.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Baltimore, MD 21202