Medical Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION:

Medical Support Specialist

RESPONSIBLE TO:

Health Center Manager 

DEPARTMENT :

Front/Back Support

SUMMARY:

The Medical Support Specialist shows genuine warmth with patients and has the ability to make them feel comfortable in the center while providing excellent customer service and technical competent nursing assistance to both patients and Camarena Health clinical providers.  The Medical Support Specialist facilitates the patients access to the point of service delivery, so all patients can be seen within the expected time and schedule. Prepared to enroll or renew registration; the timeliness of work directly supports responsiveness to patients, including visit redesign and well-paced patient flow. This team member facilitates the provision of information needed by both patients and clinicians in addition to recording and updating medical histories, patient contact information, scheduling patients and performing standard care procedure. The Medical Support Specialist reports to the Health Center Manager.

EXPECTATIONS:

• Arrives on time and adheres to set schedule
• Provides prompt medical support; promotes a smooth patient flow; collects and records data accurately; maintains order of exam rooms, equipment and supplies
• Provides basic education and information to patients, making sure patients’ questions are answered. 
• Achieves the organizational mission to provide health care access for all the members of the community.  S/he helps make sure patients and families get the care they need when they need it.
• Consistently and openly communicates with Health Center Manager and all staff
• Works flexible or extended hours where necessary
• Participates in health center in-services, by listening and respecting others’ ideas
• Demonstrates awareness of, and compliance with, organizational mission and objective of Camarena Health to provide health care access and support services for all members of the community.
• Basic computer skills, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Abides by Rules of Confidentiality
• Use of professionalism and best efforts in your position.

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITES

1.    Focus on Patients:  Responds to and connects effectively with patients.  Listens to our customers, treats them with respect, gives them the quality they expect and deserve and responds immediately to their problems and needs. 

1. Properly identifies patients’ and listens attentively to patients’ visit complaints, record all data accurately and with the highest quality (e.g. medication, last menstrual period, birth control method) in the Electronic Health Records computer system.
2. Consistently secures and protects patient information: activates screen saver, minimizes screen, or log off when walking away from computers for any period of time.
3. Collecting and documenting patients’ basic health information, including height, weight, and vital signs for providers during examinations.
4. Answering phone calls and email and delivering messages to staff members. 
5. Assumes the role of a Health Coach by interviewing each patient, as determined by the care team, to establish self-management goals, provides educational needs concerning self-care and disease management and pre and post visit care.
6. Utilizes evidence-based Health Education Guidelines during each session 
7. Ensures exam rooms are neat and set up appropriately for each patient exam.
8. Performs specimen collection, preparation and maintains required logs
9. Performs EKG’s, accu-checks, and other diagnostic procedures according to guidelines.
10. Medical Support Specialist takes initiative to keep patient informed of upcoming procedures and requirements, to facilitate patient focus, involvement, and cooperation.
11. Discharge patients smoothly from back office areas and checks for any last minute questions.  Makes return appointments as appropriate.
12. Relieves patients’ stress and anxiety with clear information
13. Provides patients with required educational materials including; lifestyle brochures (LCB), Vaccine Information Statements (VIS), informs patients of content and answers any questions.
14. Routes all formal patient complaints and grievances to Back Support Supervisor or Department Head.  Solves what problems s/he can at “point of contact.”

2.    Focus on Patient Flow:  Maintains effective smooth patient flow (within site or suite).  Assists the MA’s at other pods as needed with patient work up or dismissal.  Is responsive to needs of patients, clinicians, and team members.

1. Uses software locator consistently when rooming patients and uses scheduler to flow them out
2. Utilizes software locator to monitor flow simultaneously at all sites; take the initiative to cover as needed
3. Maintains open communication with other team members, routinely checks status of patients waiting to be registered and relays status to the clinicians.  Communicates with Back Support Supervisor to help resolve when necessary.
4. Dismisses patients effectively (e.g., complete lab requisition; administer injections and immunizations according to guidelines, giving appointment, double check paperwork).

3.    Focus on Clinicians:  Maintains effective assistance to, guidance of, and communication with providers.

1. Works in conjunction with the providers for walk-in patient (i.e., obtains and documents patient chief complaint and presents to provider to determine if patient is to be seen or needs to be referred out).
2. Helps the providers maintain pace by keeping them informed of patients that are ready.
3. Prepares and sets up patients for exams according to providers’ expectations
4. Forewarns clinicians of possible complicated visits.
5. Assists providers when assistance is needed (i.e., chaperoning, translation, etc.)
6. Helps patients by providing basic knowledge of types of services provided by outside facilities.

4. Focus on Intake Facilitation:

1. Greets patients and directs to appropriate exam room or registration window.
2. Educates clients on the services provided by the clinic and the programs 
   available that help with the cost for health services 
3. Assures and/or completes enrollment and verifies all financial coverage’s emphasizing third party enrollment and including any discount programs available through the health center
4. Focuses on both general and financial intake of patients; accurately inputs personal and financial data into computer (e.g. family composition, Medi-Cal, financial coverage)
5. Performs income eligibility analysis for patients to determine sliding fee eligibility and/or adjustments.
6. Obtains signatures necessary for completion of patient registration
7. Performs cashier and collection duties in accordance with Camarena policies and procedures; computes fees and collect payment for services;
8. Maintains communication with medical support staff regarding status of waiting patients and keeps all waiting patients informed of their status and projected time of service delivery
9. Correct registration errors & assist other team members with patients as necessary.
10. Maintains distribution of patient surveys concerning clinic services.

1. Focus on Scheduling and Collecting/Submitting Payments:

1. Manages and maintains patient appointments; schedules according to standard for all services and staff as assigned
2. Interacts supportably with patients regarding procedures for available service; orients patients to required information needed at time of service for optimum care; provides patients with awareness of general procedure costs
3. Coordinates clinician schedules to maximize appointment availability with patients concerning rescheduling reasons and alternatives
4. Coordinates assembling and pre-mailing of registration and welcoming packets for new patients
   1. Submits daily patient flow counts to designated staff
   2. Collects appropriate payment according to standards

1. Practices effective telephone etiquette (e.g., think before you dial, make notes before you call, put a patient on hold courteously, leave precise messages on who to call back)
2. Maintains good open communication with Supervisor and staff.
3. Communicates any delays or changes of schedule to Front Support, and Clinicians
4. Communicates room availability with each other, including providers
5. Utilizes e-mail to communicate with staff members and checks messages on a regular basis (i.e., Outlook, EHR inbox, etc.)
6. As a team member of Camarena Health the Medical Assistant respects and protects information regarding patients and other team members and abides by the rules of the Confidentiality of Information Protocol.
7. Maintains good rapport with outside doctor offices and facilities
8. Participates in daily huddles with care team, consisting of Medical Assistants, Front Support Staff member, and Clinician.  In conjunction with daily huddles, schedules and pre-visit planning are discussed to provide individual patient care.

1. Focus on Teamwork:  Shows consideration through consistent participation: ready at work on time and consistently prepared.  Fully and clearly discloses key information to any team member in order to facilitate getting work done, problems solved, decisions made, etc.  Maintains confidentiality in essential matters; such as patient information, and personal issues. 

1. Staff are expected to work as a team, and be flexible to work at other facilities as needed.
2. Works flexible or extended hours where necessary
3. Demonstrates self-initiative & self-motivation to help the team with work flow; good team player.  Acquires and maintains the knowledge and skill necessary to work in all service suites.
4. Demonstrates consistent support and cooperation with all staff members, regardless of unit, department, or level.
5. Consistently reports to work on time.  Internalizes attendance policies and makes effective and workable decisions for self, families and service delivery.
6. Promotes mutual respect and allows others to get their work done by limiting interruptions.  
7. Fits in well with team, gets along well with peers.
8. Demonstrates integrity and honesty
9. Participates in health center in-services; listens to and respects others’ ideas
10. Demonstrates good problem-solving skills, offer input/ideas when generating solutions.
11. Various other duties as assigned by supervisor.  Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted, or changed at any time at the discretion of management, formally or informally either verbally or in writing.
12. Participates in daily huddles (See 4.8 above)

1. Focus on Infection control and maintenance of medical equipment:

1. practices universal precaution per protocol and keeps work areas clean and clutter free
2. Disinfects, sterilizes, and autoclaves medical equipment according to guidelines
3. Cleans & disinfects rooms for next patient
4. Maintains daily log upkeep (dx test machines, refrigerator, etc.)
5. Initiates work request for any malfunctions of equipment, then obtain Supervisor’s approval

Minimum Requirements:

Education:                                          

• High School Diploma or GED
• Certification as Medical Assistant or prior experience
• CCMA Certification or equivalent preferred 

Prior Experience:                 

• Previous experience in a health care setting as a Medical Assistant preferred

Skills:

• Bilingual (English/ Spanish) preferred
• Quickly builds and maintains rapport with patients, providers, and staff of differing backgrounds; team player
• Flexible: learns to function at all facilities
• Demonstrated good problem-solving skills
• Demonstrates or develops intermediate computer skills
• Telephone courtesy
• Customer-service oriented
• Proficient with modern office practices and procedures including email
• Attention to detail and excellent follow-through on work tasks
• Able to handle multiple tasks with perseverance and patience

Physical Requirements:                

• Must be able to move up to 20 pounds and push up to 50 pounds (on wheels).
• Must be able to hear adequately to auscultate B/P’s and be able to hear staff on the phone and those who are served in-person, and speak clearly in order to communicate information to clients and staff.
• Must be able to have vision that is adequate to read increments of tuberculin/insulin syringe accurately, read memos, a computer screen, personnel forms and clinical and administrative documents.
• Must have high manual dexterity.
• Must be able to reach above the shoulder level to work, must be able to bend, squat and sit, stand, stoop, crouching, reaching, kneeling, twisting/turning, fingering and feeling.