Medical Assistant (Care Team Associate II) - Clove Road

AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY) is a primary and specialty care practice serving half a million patients across the New York metropolitan area. With more than 30 medical offices across New York City's five boroughs and Long Island, ACPNY is continually expanding our practice and enhancing our services for communities throughout New York. As we grow, our employees grow with us.

Summary of Position

The Care Team Associate II serves as a member of the Care Team in the treatment and care of patients who assists providers with clinical services and administrative tasks to support population health guided best in class care. The position works under the supervision of the Practice Administrator and in collaboration with the Nurse Manager. The Care Team Associate II must understand basic medical terminology, demonstrate customer service excellence, have the ability to recognize data reflective of the patient's status and inform the RN/LPN of his/her observations.

Principal Accountabilities

• Warmly greets and engages in friendly conversation with Advantage Care Physicians (ACP) patients and guests. Works with office staff to effectively communicate approximate wait times and maintains timely communication to patient and guests. Monitors patient flow in waiting room and assesses patients' and guests' needs as they wait. Proactively resolves patient flow issues related to registration, check-in, and check-out processes. Assists patients in resolving patient service or clinical issues as needed.
• Answers telephones in a professional manner utilizing excellent customer service skills exhibited by courtesy, cooperative spirit, and tact when interacting with employees, patients and visitors. Utilizes standard ACP greeting at all times when answering the telephone. Schedules patient appointments accurately in computer system. Verifies insurance coverage, as required. Takes the initiative to resolve all patient concerns and issues.
• Checks-in patients and prepares and processes appropriate forms. Serves as a reference source regarding hours of operation, directions, transportation and general ACP policies. Performs a complete registration of patient's demographic and financial information using electronic systems as needed. Responsible for the integrity of the data. Scans documents into the electronic systems, as assigned.
• Checks-out patients at the end of the visit, verifying that patients have all required documentation prior to leaving the medical facility. Thanks patients as they leave and solicits feedback about the quality of service and experience.
• Takes complete and accurate IB messages from all individuals contacting the medical facility by telephone, including messages related to patient needs intended for providers and clinical staff. Delivers messages to the intended recipient in a timely manner. Escalates calls pursuant to the ACPNY call escalation policy. Checks email correspondence, electronic task lists, and other written communication regularly throughout the business day to enable timely knowledge of and response to written correspondence.
• Collects cash from patients for charges and co-payments and provides patient receipts. Completes all necessary documents for all payments accrued. Matches cash collected to receipts at end of session. Performs accurate end of day reconciliations. Makes reminder and "no show" calls. Prints schedules and confirms appointments. Sends correspondence to patients' residences in order to remind, recall or reschedule appointments.
• Coordinates internal and external referrals to specialists by coordinating and scheduling all appointments, providing appointment date and time reminders, providing directions to the specialist's office and copies of any pertinent medical records or tests needed for the specialty appointment. Coordinates additional tests as needed. Utilizes the EPIC preferred provider list and/or external provider list for the coordination of referrals. When requested, provide patients with a list of three external specialists to satisfy their request to research and select their own specialty provider.
• Reviews the referral WQ daily to address any referrals which may have been ordered in a non-face to face encounter, such as an in-basket message and proceeds to arrange these referrals. Acts as a liaison between ACPNY and external specialists for outpatient procedures performed at other facilities, i.e. interventional, surgical or other. Provides data as necessary and conducts all necessary follow up. Acts as the key point of reference to communicate with patients on pre-and post-referral appointment matters.
• Assists care teams with campaigns/initiatives such as the Influenza program and the Health outcome survey and closing gaps in care. Provides information to patients and assists them in getting the care they need. Under the direction of the Practice Administrator, conducts regular outreach to identified "at- risk patients" to reduce unnecessary ED visits and admissions.
• Maintains effective communication with patients, families, peers and other members of the health care team.
• Attends all meetings as directed by practice administrator/designee. Demonstrates flexibility in the acceptance and completion of work assignments. Effectively takes action without being told (e.g., takes initiative) within the scope of his/her responsibilities. Recognizes and performs duties which need to be performed although not directly assigned. May be assigned, on a temporary and short-term basis, to other medical offices based on ACP's staffing need.
• Demonstrates proficiency with computer systems (e.g., electronic practice management/electronic health record) within 3 months of training as evidenced by the following metrics: patient registration quality, time to check in, cash draw closing, referral WQ management Completes all tasks on the electronic system required for the job function consistently, accurately, and in a timely manner. Demonstrates professionalism in attitude, dress, decorum, and interaction with patients, clients and co-workers. Adheres to the ACP's dress code.
• Arrives on time for assigned shift and maintains a punctuality and attendance record consistent with ACPNY Time and Attendance policies. Respects patient confidentiality and withholding restrictive information. Demonstrates good judgment, discretion and ability to problem solve. Contributes to a cooperative, friendly and mutually supportive work environment: a "team" player.
• Participates and supports the care team in direct patient care under the supervision of an RN/LPN Supervisor. Performs duties involving direct patient care as assigned by the RN/LPN Supervisor/MD within the framework of ACP policies and procedures. Identifies physical, behavioral, and emotional characteristics typical for the age group of the patient receiving care. Modifies approaches based on patient age-specific needs and responses to treatment.
• Performs a variety of patient care functions based on age-specific needs using age-appropriate communication techniques. Patient care functions include but is not limited, to the following: physical examination preparation, personal history/medications/allergies recording in the EMR, vital signs, phlebotomy, heights, weights, finger sticks, electrocardiograms, head circumference measurements, vision and hearing screening, set up oxygen and suction, pulse oximetry, peak flow testing, Provide PHQ-9 (mental state questionnaire), urine dipstick (exclude interpretation), and urine pregnancy (exclude interpretation). Chaperones during patient examinations, as needed. Provides medication verification on recently hospitalized patients and ensures recent labs have been scanned. Notifies appropriate staff of patient's status. Documents pertinent patient care information in the electronic medical record.
• Collects and accurately labels specimens. Prepares specimens and required paperwork for collection by affiliated laboratories. Retrieves lab, pathology and diagnostic data from the outside laboratories, collates for upcoming visits.
• Ensures that all pertinent equipment is sterilized according to schedule based on the purpose for and use of the equipment. Notifies appropriate personnel regarding any malfunction in equipment. Keep examination rooms neat and clean. Restocks exam/treatment rooms and medical supply inventory on a daily basis.
• Completes all necessary forms in an accurate and timely manner.
• Assists with various medical procedures, as required, e.g., sigmoidoscopies, colposcopies, and biopsies consistent with the NY State Nursing Guide to Practice (NYSEDOP).
• Performs other job-related duties as required.

Qualifications

Education, Training, Licenses, Certifications

• High School diploma or GED
• Associate degree preferred
• Certificate of completion from an accredited Medical Assistant Program required or eligibility to sit for the national certification exam and pass the exam within 18 months of hire

Relevant Work Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Minimum 1 year experience as medical assistant in an ambulatory care setting
• Three years' experience as medical assistant in an ambulatory care setting preferred
• Experience and ability to navigate an EMR (Electronic Medical Record)