Medical Office Assistant I

Medical Office Assistant I

Are you looking to make a difference by improving the health of our patients? Here you will find an innovative culture that is patient-focused and dedicated to making a difference. We are committed to helping the population we serve, and our communities, achieve optimum health and enjoy the best quality of life possible.

The Medical Office Assistant I serves as the first point of contact for patients within the Bassett Healthcare Network. This is a key role in the patient centered care team. Demonstrates excellence in all patient and customer encounters including face-to-face and telephone interactions. Assures that a high-quality patient experience takes place by providing administrative support to ambulatory patient care teams through excellent customer service, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills. Responsible for providing clear, accurate, timely communication to nurses and providers regarding patients. Responsible for accurate, appropriate scheduling of patients for optimum care and provider efficiency. Responsible for collecting demographic and financial information during the scheduling and/or registration processes to ensure full and timely revenue capture. May have direct revenue responsibility through payment collection, cash handling, processing of insurance eligibility and managed care information.

Responsibilities include:

• Reception/Call Handling
• Receives and greets every patient in a courteous and friendly manner using a welcoming positive tone, words and actions.
• Ensures new patients are provided with a Welcome to Bassett Network Packet which includes Advance Directive information. Health Information Privacy documents, plus Health Center and Bassett Network brochures.
• Raises up emergent situations or expressed patient problems directly to Supervisor or Supervising Nurse.
• Answers phones within 3 rings using a 3-part greeting (Name of Dept., your name, "How may I help you?").
• Ends calls by asking patient if there is anything else we can do for them today.
• Takes clear, complete and accurate phone messages, (and follows up on these messages to make sure the patients' needs are met) or prescription requests using the electronic medical record messaging system.
• Available for incoming calls, maintains operator statistics at or above institution standards.
• Offers patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett on the phone.
• Proactively keeps patients informed of any delays in their providers schedules that may impact their time to be seen.
• Registration/Appointment Scheduling/Referrals
• Obtains all information necessary to complete the outpatient registration process assuring demographic and insurance information is correct and is entered or scanned into the system accurately.
• Accurate confirmation of attending PCP and Billing PCP, when appropriate.
• Assures correct data capture and data entry (such as MSPQ) necessary for regulatory agencies and compliance requirements is accurate and complete.
• Maintains required level of knowledge and proficiency in all core functions of front desk services.
• Supports the collection of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures and form processing to meet Medicare regulations.
• Ensures all corrections based on the missing items work-queue are made in the appropriate Bassett system within 24 hours of system notifications.
• Answers questions from patients regarding the organization and/or services and provides directions to the appropriate clinical location as necessary.
• Listens to patient's request for an appointment, then schedules an outpatient appointment to meet the patient's needs while following department scheduling guidelines.
• Accurately fills out the Interactive Face Sheet and confirms the demographic and insurance information of the patient, and updates as necessary.
• Ensures patient preferences for communication are up to date.
• Reminds patients that the collection of their co-pay will be expected at the time of the visit.
• When scheduling, utilizes all available functions such as, Auto Search, Combine Departments, Schedule Scanner, etc. to ensure that the best possible appointment selection is made.
• Performs edits of daily appointment schedules at the request of their supervisor.
• Reviews the electronic Confirm List daily, to confirm appointments with patients.
• Reviews automated reminder list as necessary in a timely manner.
• Processes electronic or written requests for urgent referrals same day. Processes electronic or written routine referral requests within 24-72 hours.
• In regard to referrals, ensures complete and accurate information is recorded to support reimbursement and regulatory compliance and patient care.
• Work the "Incoming" and "Outgoing" queues in your area according to departmental standards.
• Follow up with "referred to" providers to ensure that patients kept their appointments, and all results have been received.
• Displays ownership of the entire patient experience, including but not limited to, scheduling, registration, being aware of the patients' lobby experience, and completion of all referral duties.
• Collection of Payment/Cash Handling
• Conveys to patient what payment is due based on Insurance Card or Insurance Verification system and request how patient will be paying today.
• Receive and receipt all payments with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter.
• Maintain and balance cash drawer daily with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter.
• Office Support/Cross Coverage/Confidentiality
• Date stamps in all incoming patient related information and delivers to appropriate provider or staff person for action on a daily basis.
• Completes all basic patient demographic information on forms.
• Mails outgoing patient information such as lab letters and completed forms in accordance with Bassett Policy.
• Prepares correspondence to patients and/or other entities as directed by providers or supervisors.
• Prepares outside patient health information for scanning per Document Imaging procedures.
• Completes indexing and scanning of hard-copy patient health information into electronic health record or packages and sent to HIM for scanning per Document Imaging procedures.
• Sends requests for routine or subpoenaed medical record releases to assigned HIM location for processing.
• Maintain appropriate inventory of office supplies and required forms for daily operations.
• Establishes and maintains departmental record keeping and filing systems.
• Opens and/or closes clinic per divisional guidelines.
• Covers at other locations or departments as requested, with orientation, performing like office functions.
• Ability to adapt to various workflows, processes and policies to support the operations and patient care throughout the network.
• Per protocol, staff member goes into waiting area to greet patient, and to inform them of any delays or changes in their appointment.
• Patient is identified using 2 identifiers, such as name and date of birth, in accordance with National Patient Safety Goals.
• Communicates patient issues/concerns to providers.
• Ensures appropriate forms are given to all patients depending on appointment type and or specialty.
• Assists the patient to navigate through all stages of their visit.
• Patient Health Information is accessed to perform job responsibilities and for no other reason. Patient information is kept confidential and discussed on a need-to-know basis only.
• Assumes responsibility for continuing education by maintaining competency in programs required for daily responsibilities.
• Attends required in-services as requested by supervisor.
• Identifies need for computer training or refresher courses and attends as necessary.
• Attends 85-90% of all staff meetings as appropriate, reviewing minutes of any meetings missed with no more than 1 unexcused absence per year.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge and understanding of insurance and local carrier's medical coverage policies as they relate to the Appointment.
• Required to attend at least 4 educational opportunities per year.
• Performs similar or related duties as requested or directed.

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED, preferred
• 2 year / Associate Degree, preferred

Experience:

• Minimum one year of relevant work experience, required
• Minimum one year of customer service experience, preferred
• An associate degree may be considered towards one year of relevant work experience

Skills:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service
• Time Management
• Maintain Confidentiality