Join Family First Health as a Psychiatric Support Clinician and play a crucial role in supporting our Psychiatry services. You will be responsible for assisting patient visits, chart preparation, rooming patients, collecting vital signs, and performing a variety of clinical tasks. This position includes administrative duties such as managing prior authorizations, scheduling appointments, maintaining the patient waitlist, and ensuring seamless coordination of care. As part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team, you will help provide compassionate mental health care to our patients across multiple locations. A qualified candidate must be a Certified Medical Assistant.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support the mental and physical health care of patients on an assigned patient caseload
- Report to work at multiple locations based on scheduling needs
- Participate in regular caseload consultation with the psychiatrist and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s medical provider
- Accurately obtain and electronically record all vital information, medication requests, allergies and chief complaint, etc. following the rooming of a patient for a visit
- Prepare exam room and patient for psychiatry visit, ensuring that the provider is able to conduct the visit immediately upon entry to the room or connection via videohealth platform
- Sanitize exam room after treatment according to established protocol
- Collect, label and document samples for laboratory testing following proper laboratory protocols and procedures
- Accurately prepare and administer medications including injections with peer-checking technique as per provider order.
- Provide education, supporting materials and follow-up to psychiatry patients in accordance with guidelines established by Family First Health
- Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
- Works collaboratively with the Behavioral Health and Medical teams to ensure excellent service and best course of care
- In regard to triage and referral functions for patients:
- Retrieve documents and respond to patient messages from voice mails.
- Follow clinical algorithms to determine appropriate response under the supervision of Licensed staff.
- Assist patients/staff in determining urgency and level of care under the supervision of Licensed staff.
- Licensed staff will process prescription requests per standard order policy.
- Sort and separate urgent from non-urgent labs, x-rays and other test results/clinical documents within the clinical inbox. Follow up with providers on urgent results.
- Discuss patient clinical information with providers to determine the best course of care.
- Maintain medication logs as needed within the electronic health record under the supervision of licensed staff.
- Complete prior authorization forms for patient referrals and medications.
- Schedule referral appointments within a prescribed network for patients based on the insurance carrier.
- Coordinate pre-authorizations with the insurance carriers for out of network services and diagnostic studies.
- Consult with providers in order to provide required information to the appropriate referral offices
- Contact patients with referral appointment information when appointment is not scheduled at the time of visit
- Document completed referral as required within the electronic health record
- Perform all other duties as assigned
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES
- Medical Assistant diploma and current Certified Medical Assistant certificate, including CCMA, RMA, NRCMA.
- Prior experience working with patients with mental health diagnoses preferred
- Current CPR and Naloxone certification
- Experience with screening for common mental health disorders
- Working knowledge of differential diagnoses of common mental health disorders, when appropriate
- Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders (e.g., motivational interviewing, behavioral activation)
- Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for common mental health disorders that is within appropriate scope of practice for the type of provider filling role
- Knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation as it relates to correspondence necessary to perform essential job functions
- Knowledge of basic arithmetic to make calculations, balance and reconcile figures necessary to perform essential job functions
- Excellent customer service skills
- Skill in operating office equipment
- Ability to effectively use computer software applications (Microsoft Office Applications, others)
- Ability to critically think which means the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe; understand logical connections between ideas; and identify, construct, and evaluate arguments
- Ability to exercise individual judgement and discretion in matters of significance
- Ability to work in, and respond appropriately to a demanding environment including crisis situations
- Ability to appropriately handle sensitive and confidential information
- Ability to communicate well and in a caring and supportive manner with individuals of all backgrounds.
- Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with patients, employees, volunteers, and the public
- Ability to be organized, proactive in follow-up and follow-through, and to juggle multiple competing tasks
- Ability to maintain a valid drivers’ license
- Ability to maintain required clearances for the positions
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Mental/Physical Requirements: Must possess the physical and mental abilities to perform the tasks normally associated with a Psychiatric Support Clinician position such as:
- Frequent exposure to disease, infection, virus, blood and bodily fluids;
- Frequent and prolonged work at a computer and/or on the phone for extended periods of time with repetitive typing, arm and hand motion;
- Requires correct vision and hearing to normal range;
- Frequent travel between work sites with exposure to weather conditions;
- Frequent contact with patients
- Subject to varying and unpredictable situations;
- Occasional lifting and carrying of supplies and equipment;
- Frequent competing demands, frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events;
- Frequent use of common PPE/Safety equipment;
- Occasional stooping, crouching, kneeling or bending.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
• 3 Weeks of Accrued Paid Vacation per year
• 9 Days of Accrued Paid Sick Leave Time per year
• 4 Personal Days per year
• No Late Evenings or Weekend Hours
• Paid Time Off on Holidays
• Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance Plans
• Short/Long Term Disability and Life Insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement Opportunities
• Attention to work-life balance
• And a great work environment with an organization that promotes a work culture that embraces its intentional DE&I work throughout the organization.
