Massachusetts Healthcare Jobs

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Job Type:

Regular

Scheduled Hours:

40

Work Shift:

Day (United States of America)

Contributes to Winchester Physician Associates’ mission by assisting in the delivery of quality, safe clinical care in the ambulatory setting. This clinical staff position will have an impact on the patient’s experience by facilitating excellent outcomes utilizing a collaborative team approach to patient care and on patient satisfaction by minimizing wait times and ensuring a clean, well-stocked and welcoming environment.

Job Description:

JOB FUNCTIONS:

Consistent with the PROMISE principles and inherent in a healthcare environment, employees must be flexible in meeting patients’ and the practice’s needs. While the list below describes the primary functions of this job, all employees of WPA need to recognize that an essential element of their job is the ability to respond to unanticipated and/or changing situations. This may result in assuming responsibilities or tasks, which are not on this list.

As part of the practice team, this position, Medical Assistant:

• Provides clinical assistance to providers

• Identifies, greets, transports and/or escorts patients making the patients feel welcomed and comfortable.

• Takes vital signs (height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature) and obtains patient history and medication list. Observes patient and documents and reports findings to licensed clinician and/or physician.

• Assists the nurse, physician, and/or other licensed clinician with the patient visit and care, which may include procedures such as:

o Preparing patient for visit including assistance with clothing and transferring to exam table/chair.

o Setting up trays and preparing equipment, instruments and materials for the nurse and/or physician.

o Acting as a chaperone and/or provides emotional support for the patient.

o Explaining procedures and reviewing patient instructions

o Obtains and labels specimens for transport.

o Assisting with wound care

o Giving injections – with appropriate training, competency and sign off from clinical leadership

o Performing EKGs

o Performing finger stick blood sugar tests

o Assisting with other tests and procedures

o Assists providers in more advanced clinical procedures, depending on the practice.

• Cleans and prepares the exam room or other patient areas between patients ensuring a clean, sanitized and welcoming environment.

• Sterilizes equipment.

• Maintains appropriate supplies and linen both in exam/patient areas and ensures adequate stock is maintained. Orders routine medical supplies. Monitors expiration dates and rotates inventory.

• Prepares, cleans and maintains equipment, addressing issues in a timely manner to ensure availability of equipment and to maximize its useful life.

• Acts as liaison with patient assisting them in navigating their patient care

• Screens providers’ phone calls and other messages/phone calls:

o Answers providers’ phone calls. Takes clear messages for providers or other office staff. Handles requests for information, including researching issue. Ensures that emergent messages are handled per practice protocols.

o Answers common, non-clinical/complex questions and escalates questions as appropriate.

o Provides general information regarding the practice within scope of responsibility.

o Documents and researches patient prescription refill requests and forwards to provider using appropriate office protocols.

o Communicates test results, either written or verbally, as directed by provider.

o Provides the physician with messages and other pertinent information, which may require research and/or pulling records. Researches, pulls records and/or forwards to provider as appropriate.

• Liaisons with patients and patient family members to assist them in navigating the scheduling of their patient care plan, as developed by the provider:

• Registers and web enables patients for portal access and coaches patients and family members on how to utilize the tool to optimize their care.

• Provides timely, courteous, informative and confidential insurance assistance for patients and their family members and assists patients in understanding their insurance.

• Educates patients about the practice’s referral policy and preauthorization requirements. Communicates with patients regarding the need for referral authorizations and coordinates with other practitioner offices when necessary.

• Schedules follow up appointments and/or provides information about recommended specialists.

• Schedules diagnostic and specialty appointments as directed by the provider or assists patients in navigating to specialists and/or testing appointments. Completes referrals and pre-authorizations per healthcare payer and practice protocols.

• Maintains provider appointment schedules and advises providers of changes throughout the day. May print patient schedules for upcoming day/days.

• Reviews, prepares and updates patient records with the dual purpose of preparing the provider for appointments/procedures and reviewing to ensure patient care plans/protocols are being followed

• Monitors outstanding or incomplete documentation by maintaining or generating patient lists/registries using the available tools and data and takes necessary steps to ensure completeness of all required documentation.

• Utilizes lists and data to implement systematic approaches to patient care follow up such as follow up reminders and information/educational mailings.

• Reviews patient records against quality measures and best practice indicators and advises providers of potential documentation and care gaps.

• Facilitates referral to other physicians and departments by completing the necessary forms/documentation and preauthorization/certification.

• Follows up with patients or specialists to ensure patient care plans, such as appointments/lab test, since last appointment were followed, and the results are available for the physician's review.

• Intervenes with administrative support to ensure the patient care plan is followed

• At pre-established intervals as determined by the best practice guidelines, confirms that lab and other ancillary tests are performed, and results are documented in a manner that conforms with clinical reporting guidelines by utilizing the available tools and data. Conducts follow-up where information is found to be missing or incomplete.

• Assists with the maintenance of medical records:

o Files/scans miscellaneous loose reports and materials into medical records.

o For practices that use the service, pulls transcription reports when necessary and places properly in record. Requests stat and other Dictaphone/transcription requests and follows up to ensure timely completion. Escalates and communicates delays that are not within department norms and/or physician or patient care unit’s request.

o Based on practice procedure may pull/print and file medical records for scheduled patients and for requests by providers and other practice staff.

o Distributes medical record materials in compliance with HIPAA, legal requirements, state and federal guidelines and practice/WPA policies and procedures which may include electronically via fax, interoffice delivery, mail, and priority mailing.

• Providing front desk coverage

o Greets patients and others timely and in a manner that is respectful and empathetic.

o Registers patients, verifies health insurance coverage and demographic information. Collects co-payments, issues receipts, and obtains signatures for necessary forms.

o Schedules patient appointments and collects pre-registration information at the time of scheduling. Reviews and verifies eligibility of insurance. Obtains referrals for specialty care.

• Provides check out desk coverage.

• Functions as an effective team member, striving for optimum practice operations:

o Maximizes patient throughput to minimize wait time and improve patient satisfaction. Monitors waiting rooms and advises patients of delays or escalates concerns.

o Appropriately follows the chain of command and adheres to practice policies and procedures.

o Communicates effectively with the team utilizing established handoff procedures. Gives and accepts respectful feedback to enhance teamwork.

• Minimizes preventable harm events and consistently executes the infection control protocols. Incorporates the Culture of Safety tools in daily practice, adhering to quality and safety guidelines and communicating near-miss or potential risks.

• Maintains a clean and safe work environment to enhance patient satisfaction and a culture of safety.

• Functions effectively in patient crisis situations and utilizes emergency resources. Assists in preparation of patient for transport to alternative level of care.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Required: High school diploma or equivalent required

Preferred: Graduate of an accredited Medical Assistant program

Training Required: Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Laboratory Technician, equivalent healthcare training or college courses completed in a healthcare or medical field.

Experience Preferred: Experience working in a healthcare setting.

Other Skills/Knowledge

Required:

● Basic computer skills and good typing skills with accuracy and attention to detail

● For safety and quality reasons, must be able to read, write and communicate effectively in English with patients, visitors and fellow members of the hospital team.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS :

Preferred : Medical Assistant Certification

LIFE SUPPORT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED : Basic Life Support

POPULATION SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS : N/A

OTHER JOB REQUIREMENTS :

On-call: N/A

Schedule requirements: Based on department needs.

Travel requirements: N/A

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS :

Works under the direction of a nurse or physician

Reports to Practice Coordinator or Practice Administrator

● Not responsible for supervising the work of others.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS

● The employee needs to have the physical and mental abilities to perform the duties of the position listed above using the PROMISE behaviors.

● It is anticipated that the employee will have contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials while performing their job duties.

● It is anticipated that employees will have contact with potentially hazardous chemicals while performing their job duties.

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) and COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Learn more (https://www.bilh.org/newsroom/bilh-to-require-covid-19-influenza-vaccines-for-all-clinicians-staff-by-oct-31) about this requirement.

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