Lead Medical Assistant

Position Summary – 

The Lead Medical Assistant is responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality care to patients in accordance with individual needs, physician orders and standards of care, as represented through patient care policies. Must be able and willing to handle all front and back office tasks within the clinic according to established procedures and protocols, as to provide a seamless experience for the patient. Duties could include (but are not limited to): greeting and checking in patients, scheduling appointments, rooming patients, assisting doctors, triaging acute patient concerns, working within the EMR system, running lab controls, and departing patients.

Leads all activities of the back-office staff while performing day to day Medical Assistant duties. Responsible ensuring proper staffing levels are maintained at all times. Provides ongoing feedback and support to office staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES – 

Performed majority of the time:

·         Trains and mentors Clinical Assistants and Medical Assistants

·         Assists with scheduling of Clinical Assistants and Medical Assistants.

·         Assists with coordination of day-to-day workflow to support efficient clinic operations and quality patient care.

·         Actively participants in and/or leads quality and process improvement initiatives.

·         Assists patients to exam rooms.

·         Documents patient’s chief complaints.

·         Documents data in EMR system (i.e. vital signs, weights) on patient charts to communicate with health team members.

·         Contacts patients with lab and x-ray results and documents phone calls.

·         Obtains specimens and performs laboratory work and documents data in patient record.

·         Performs injections on all ages of patients.

·         Keeps exam rooms orderly and clean between patients.

·         Prepares exam room/minor surgery for procedures.

·         Assists the physician with sterile procedure(s).

·         Performs sterile processing of instruments, as needed.

·         Performs opening and closing procedures in a timely, accurate and efficient manner.

·         Communicates information to patients according to protocols.

·         Provides patient education as appropriate to situation.

·         Promotes accident prevention and reports potential hazards to maintain a safe environment.

·         Checks out patients to include addressing any additional patient concerns or needs.

·         Answers telephone and triages calls to determine urgency and follows-up on telephone inquiries; directs callers to other providers, staff or departments when appropriate. Triages and documents accurately telephone calls from patients including requests for medication refills, complaints, general information inquiries, and urgent health care concerns. Delivers such information or requests promptly to the appropriate providers or their designees.           

·         Obtains prior medical records and studies if appropriate;

·         Appropriately routes faxes, prescription refills, test result requests and insurance inquires.

·         Responds to correspondence as appropriate, by telephone and/or in writing.

·         Maintains organized work area.

·         Completes insurance referrals by referring patient to proper specialist, preparing paperwork, obtaining authorization from insurance company and handling denials and problems.

·         Obtains prior authorizations as needed

·         Sends copies of chart notes to primary care physicians and patient accounting as needed.

·         Responds to emergency situations and contacts emergency services as directed by provider.

·         Assists with triage and is the primary resource person in the back office, and acts as liaison between providers and medical assistants.

·         Manages the data for lab functions per regulatory and OSHA regulations.

Performed occasionally but critical to successful performance of the job:

·         Actively participates and completes annual and 90-day performance evaluations in a timely manner.

·         Attends monthly full staff meeting.

·         Assists in the formulation of protocols and workflows. 

·         Manages back office staffing schedules.

·         Assists with employee education, training and competencies.

·         Manages the data for lab functions per regulatory and OSHA regulations.

·         Communicates supply needs in a timely manner to the ordering person.

·         Attends insurance workshops and reads insurance updates.

·         Completes all mandatory education and licensure requirements to meet state, professional and regulatory requirements. Assists with regulatory audits.

·         Checks in patients to include gathering patient information, entering into computer, creating new charts, handles insurance information and collects co-pays appropriately.

·         Schedules patient correctly through EMR and within provider guidelines.

·         Updates financial record for customers, entering all information from patients directly into computer in a concise and professional manner regarding patient concerns, questions and agreements regarding their bill statements, payments and insurance information.

·         Collects, sorts and distributes mail daily.

Decision making and budget responsibilities (e.g. impact limited to the employee, entire unit or organization-wide):

·         Impact limited to the employee and the team.

·         No budget responsibility.

Assigned direct reports (not limited to the ones listed):

·         N/A

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Education:

Required

·         High School graduate or GED.

·         Completion of MA program, formal medical services training program, or Basic Emergency Medical Training program/Advanced Oregon Emergency Medical Technician program(s) required.

Preferred

·         N/A

Experience:

Required

·         Minimum of three (3) years of Medical Assistant experience.

Preferred

·         N/A

Licenses, Certifications and/or Registrations:

Required

·         CMA or equivalent (from one of the following: AAMA, AMT, NHA, NCCT) or Oregon EMT license (basic or advanced) and NREMT.

·         Current Healthcare provider BLS certification or within 90-days of hire.

Preferred

·         Limited X-Ray license by department

Job Related Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:

Required

·         Demonstrated skill and subject matter expertise across the Medical Assistant scope of practice

·         Advanced knowledge of medical office operations and Medical Assistant functions

·         Computer literacy, including ability to learn, use, and train others in the use of technology including electronic health record systems. 

·         Working knowledge of medical terminology

·         Ability to train and mentor others

·         Uses effective communication skills taking into consideration body language, filters, listening, paraphrasing, and questions with customers of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

·         Demonstrates good telephone skills and interpersonal communication abilities.

·         Demonstrates good grammar, and spelling abilities.

·         Demonstrates excellent customer service skills.

·         Demonstrates good organization skills and ability to multitask with frequent interruptions.

·         Demonstrates ability to function independently with minimal supervision.

·         Models effective working relationships with all health care team members, patients and others.

·         Utilizes effective conflict resolution skills. 

·         Understands and applies insurance coverage pertaining to co-payments, referrals.

·         Follows computerized scheduling template protocol when scheduling patient appointments. 

·         Demonstrates excellent skills in caring for population served. Uses problem solving processes to make decisions related to patient care.

·         Responds appropriately in emergency situations.

·         Uses protective equipment and takes appropriate precautions to assure personal safety.

·         Uses effective working relationships with all health care team members, patients and significant others.

·         Prioritizes patient care appropriately, coordinating duties and resources in an effective manner.

·         Consistently provides leadership to staff and has ability to effectively manage conflict and concerns through effective communication and problem solving techniques

Preferred

·         Bilingual in Spanish and English.