POSITION SUMMARY:

Coordinates clerical aspects of patient services to ensure completeness and continuity of care.

The Medical Office Assistant is responsible for all functions performed during the patient check-in to clinical areas and the check-out process.  These include, but are not limited to, scheduling follow-up appointments, registration, scheduling internal and external referral appointments, acquiring referral authorization, collecting cash, and posting daily encounters; taking and returning patient phone calls; patient correspondence; mailing/faxing medical information to consultants and maintenance of equipment.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Telephone calls – answers call, assists the caller, forwarding the call as needed.  Overall service to the caller to completion. 
• Internal appointments – schedules patients for follow-up and specialist visits at the Health Center.
• Referral appointments – schedules referral appointments for the patients at the referral specialties/facilities.  Whenever possible, appointments are made with patient present.  Provides patient referral information to the referred facility in accordance with the patient’s insurance plan.  Liaison between BNHC, referral facility/specialty and the patient. Consults with other clinical staff as needed.  Gives complete, accurate, and adequate information to the referred facility and to the patients, including written and oral.

• Referral tracking – maintains a tracking system of all external and internal referrals.  Follow up on appointments as needed.
• Check-in  – patients checked from the registration areas into the specific waiting areas prior to being seen by their providers.  Waiting room monitored.  Patients and providers will be notified of any delays in scheduled appointments.

• Cash – collects any additional patient copays and deductibles.  Balances daily cash drawer and credit card receipts.
   
• Communication – Serves as liaison between BNHC clinical areas, patients and other agencies to ensure continuity of patients’ care.  Any patient issues received via telephone, voicemail, letters, or walk-ins will be communicated to providers.
• Forms – Assists with any patient correspondence as directed.
• Reporting – may be required to gather clinical information for reporting needs.
• Interprets – may be called without notice to assist providers with interpreting.
• Equipment & software – ensures proper use of all office equipment (fax, copier, PC, email, practice management software, printers, phones, voicemail, etc) in accordance with office policy.  Maintains proper supplies for its use.  Immediately reports any malfunction.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head.
• Attend meetings and seminars to keep abreast of changing needs within the industry and department.

Professional Behavior:

• Maintains a professional environment in a multi-provider, multidiscipline organization.
• Maintains a patient centered environment to ensure patients’ continuity of care; advocate for patients.
• Positive attitude towards co-workers and other health center departments.
• Performs tasks within the scope of secretarial standards.
• Demonstrates characteristics of accountability and responsibility.
• Is reliable and dependable as demonstrated by excellent attendance, punctuality, and thorough follow through of work tasks.
• Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
• Maintains discretion of conversation in work areas.
• Is pleasant, courteous, and considerate of patients and co-workers.  Interacts properly and professionally with patients and other co-workers.
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize demands, work with distractions, adapt to change, exercise efficient time management, and work independently.
• Demonstrates good communication skills.
• Maintains appropriate chain of command.
• Attends meetings

QUALITY ASSURANCE/IMPROVEMENT:

• Participates in the betterment of the health center through studies and reviews as necessary.
• Goal setting – continually assess personal, team and organization goals.

TEAMWORK ORIENTATION:

• Maintains and encourages teamwork.
• Maintains consistent effort to further goals by modifying and/or improving individual procedures and tasks.
• Conflict Management
• Demonstrates and implements effective problem solving.
• Identify and report task and/or operational problems.
• Manages conflict with staff appropriately.
• Maintains good communication skills.
• Participates in orientation of new staff and/or students.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate of a medical secretary program preferred.
• High School graduate or equivalent.
• Willingness and ability to learn all aspects of job requirements.
• High level of interpersonal and professional skills.
• Bilingual required.

MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE:

Demonstrates knowledge of:

• Moderate computer skills.
• Proper telephone etiquette.
• Good customer service skills.
• Basic knowledge of managed care.
• Knowledge of insurance plans.