Medical Assistant

Who We Are:

Neighborhood Health Center is a non-profit organization local to Portland, OR serving underserved patients in the areas of primary care, internal medicine, dental services and more. Our patient-centered approach to care honors the unique needs and circumstances of each individual patient. NHC sees people, not problems, and recognizes that the time spent as a patient in a doctors office is only one factor in a persons overall health. Our leading edge, integrated clinical teams work in partnership with patients, their families, and the communities we serve to provide whole-person care, prevention, and ongoing support.

NHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate differences in the workplace and do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender (sex), national origin, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

Why work with us?

• We are a non-profit organization, passionate about providing the underserved population with medical and dental services across the greater Portland area, committed to making a difference daily.
• We offer our employees a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes 20 days of PTO (based on full time employment), 9 paid holidays, health/dental/vision insurance, quarterly wellness reimbursements, generous 401k retirement plan with employer match, employer paid disability insurance, EAP and life insurance.
• Our employees voted NHC a Top Workplace in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024!

Job Title: Medical Assistant
Department: Medical
Reports To: Clinic Manager
Work Type: On-Site
Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Language Differential: Eligible

SUMMARY

The Medical Assistant (CMA) will provide exceptional and compassionate customer service to patients and visitors in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and demonstrates NHC's mission and values. They must be able and willing to handle tasks within the clinic according to established procedures and protocols, as to provide a seamless experience for the patient. The Medical Assistant is responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality care to patients in accordance with individual needs, physician orders, and standards of care.


Essential Job Duties

• Participates in pre-visit procedures, including scrubbing all patient charts for the day, verifying historical labs, updating lab results, obtaining medical records, and huddling with the provider.
• Prepares exam rooms by setting up appropriate equipment according to visit type.
• Greets and rooms patients in a professional and welcoming manner.
• Performs patient work-up, including but not limited to taking vital signs, gathering reason for visit, patient health history, demographic information, assisting patients with completion of screening questionnaires/forms, and verifying allergies.
• Addresses overdue health maintenance and gaps in care to assist in providing quality care and achieving quality metrics.
• Prepares patients for examination, procedures, treatments, and minor office surgeries.
• Assists the provider with in-office procedures.
• Assists the provider with sterile procedures.
• Observes and reports patients' signs or symptoms.
• Communicates expected wait times to patients and providers, providing updates frequently.
• Stocks, preps, and disinfects exam rooms in between visits.
• Prepares instruments and equipment for autoclave after each use.
• Accurately and timely inputs patient information into electronic health record (EHR).
• Administers medications by unit or single dosage or by a dosage calculated and verified by a health care practitioner and limited to prescription medication and vaccines as authorized by a health care practitioner.
• Administers intramuscular, intradermal, and subcutaneous injections to patients of all ages.
• Performs ordered EKGs and respiratory testing, as trained.
• Instructs patients in proper technique to collect urine and fecal specimens.
• Performs phlebotomy and capillary blood collection.
• Prepares lab samples for testing. Determines acceptability of specimens and results. Repeats analysis as necessary to ensure accuracy.
• Runs and handles quality control specimens on all CLIA waived Point of Care Testing (POCT) and procedures as required. Troubleshoot as necessary.
• Runs, reports and results proficiency testing specimens in a timely fashion.
• Conducts inventory of lab supplies, replenish supplies and discard containers.
• Communicates information to patients according to protocols.
• Provides patient education as appropriate to situation.
• Provides patients with after-visit summary (AVS), verbally reviews the information, and ensures all questions are answered and next steps in care are understood.
• Responds to emergency situations and contacts emergency services as directed by provider.
• Disposes of biohazardous materials.
• Practices standard precautions.
• Actively and appropriately addresses in-basket messages in the EHR.
• Verbatim transmitting of orders and instructions that have been issued and approved by the supervising physicians.
• Telephone and in-person screening limited to intake and gathering of information without requiring the exercise of judgment based on clinical knowledge.
• Schedules patient correctly through EHR and within provider guidelines.
• Appropriately routes faxes, prescription refills, test result requests, and insurance inquires.
• Conducts patient follow-up, including referral paperwork and assists patients in scheduling additional medical tests or appointments.
• Scans and indexes documentation into EHR.
• Actively participates in continuous process and quality improvement workflows.
• Attends and participates in assigned committees.
• Assists at other clinics as business needs requires. If primary site is SBHC, when the SBHC is closed, will work at another NHC clinic.
• Supports with training and development of new team members and learners.
• Completes patient appointment check in and registration, including gathering patient information, entering into computer, creating new charts, handles insurance information and collects co-pays appropriately, as assigned and trained.
• Updates financial record for customers and enters all information from patients directly into computer, as assigned and trained.
• Collects, sorts, and distributes mail daily, as assigned.
• Maintains organized work area.
• Participates in any applicable activities to help promote services.
• Performs essential VFC Coordinator job duties, as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Lab Duties for staff hired to work in the lab or those who have an assignment in the lab:
  • Responsible for independently managing the lab schedule.
  • Enter test data into a computer, maintain logs and records, and compile statistics for control data.
  • Performs opening and closing procedures in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and/or Experience

• A high school diploma, or equivalent, is required.
• Completion of an accredited medical assistant program is required.
• Previous experience and/or training as a Medical Assistant is preferred.
• Experience in primary care or family medicine is preferred.
• Previous EPIC or EHR experience is preferred.
• Ability to fluently speak, read, and write in Spanish is highly preferred.

License and/or Certification Requirements

• Certification through a nationally-recognized Medical Assistant Certification program is required:
  • Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA); or
  • Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or
  • Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA); or
  • National Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).
  • Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Examination through the American Medical Certification Association (AMCA).
• Active BLS certification required.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Behaviors

• Ability to take and record vital signs and perform assigned CLIA waived lab tests.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to comply with all HIPAA, OSHA, and Neighborhood Health Center policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
• Ability to multitask between front office and back-office duties.
• Ability to answer and utilize multi-line telephone.
• Ability to learn and adapt to changing information and/or policies and procedures.
• Must be able to display sensitivity to the population and patients served.
• Must be able to demonstrate a record of reliable attendance and punctuality.
• Working knowledge and proficiency of MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel) and desktop publishing software
• Ability to proficiently use EPIC Electronic Health Record.
• Ability to enter in data accurately with attention to detail.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This position is typically with a 40-hour per week, with hours that may vary.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to toxic chemicals and bodily fluids.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud, based on patient volume.
• As a result of high patient volume, this position experiences stressors that come along with a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to travel during the workday and/or cover at other locations as needed.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must frequently:

• Lift, move, push, or pull objects/equipment/supplies weighing approximately 20-25 pounds up to 40-50 pounds.
• Use full range of body motion; walk swiftly, stand, move, stoop, reach with hands and arms and bend.
• Sit for extended periods of time or stand and move for extended periods of time.
• Use sufficient manual dexterity in order to safely perform various skills and techniques or manipulate equipment.
• See minor details from a distance, and differentiate between colors, shades, brightness textures and depth.
• Use hands and fingers to handle, control or feel objects tools or controls.
• Repeat the same movements when entering data.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Hear and understand the speech of another person.
• Read from a computer screen for extended periods of time.

Neighborhood Health Center Employment Offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks, background checks, drug screening for illegal substances, Tuberculosis, and any position specific credentialing or licensure requirements.