Health Care Assistant

Health Care Assistant

The HCA's primary function is to prepare patients for their office visit by obtaining and documenting vital signs and medical history and to provide assistance and support to the professional health care provider and/or nursing staff. This position works within the healthcare team and is responsible for acting on tasks delegated including medication administration, procedure set-up, assistance and follow-through, administration of ordered treatments.

Job duties:

• Greets patients in order to determine needs; registers and directs patients to the correct appointment areas.
• Records chief complaint, takes vital signs and health information, and performs routine tests and procedures including, vaccines, venipuncture, blood pressures, pulse rates, respirations, weights and heights.
• Assists health care providers during examinations, treatments, and minor surgery.
• Orders and schedules lab tests, retrieves and distributes results to health care providers, laboratories and medical records as directed.
• Prepares equipment/supplies and cleans examination rooms in order to prepare for patient examinations.
• Verifies insurance coverage and authorizations and collects payments from patients.
• Communicates with insurance vendors to obtain authorization for tests, procedures, and surgeries.
• Schedules appointments, maintains master schedule for physicians and provides information; receives and routes calls and relays messages.
• Orders, updates, copies and files patients' charts/medical records in order to insure their availability for health care providers.
• Types materials, completes and verifies forms, and maintains general filing system and the petty cash and change fund.
• Monitors supply inventory and orders per guidelines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements: Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education; six months to one year of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in a medical office setting or in a clinical setting performing routine health assessment tests; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Requires experience in the use of word processing and database software, a specified medical course such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant, Licensed EMT/EMT-P, or Phlebotomy. Requires knowledge of electronic medical record and patient scheduling systems and Medical Billing/Medical Terminology experience.

Desired Qualifications: Familiarity with medical terminology; experience in scheduling, screening, and confirming medical appointments using a computerized information system; current or prior experience obtaining/checking authorizations; experience scanning documents and handling a multi-line phone system. Prefer one year of work-related experience in a medical office clinical setting with medical terminology. Must have a strong desire and/or experience to work with a patient population that is diverse socially, financially, and ethnically. Must have the ability to work independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision completing assignments accurately. Prefer Medical Assistant certification within 1 year of hire. Current BLS certification preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, Resume

Work hours are typically 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM but may vary as necessary to accommodate clinic operations.

Summary of Physical Demands: The job requires significant physical effort and involves carrying charts and medical equipment, assisting in ambulating and lifting patients.

Summary of Health Risks: This position involves potential exposure to human blood, serum, other bodily fluids, and materials covered under Universal Precautions. Employees may work in close proximity to patients, including within three feet in a healthcare setting, and may encounter infectious disease risks such as tuberculosis (TB). Compliance with infection prevention protocols is required, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators, when necessary.