Lab Coordinator

Job Coordinator

At Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, we welcome diversity; we encourage, uplift, and are honored to serve people who have been historically underrepresented and underserved. Our mission is to provide high-quality, culturally appropriate healthcare to low-income residents of Washington and Yamhill Counties, with a special emphasis on seasonal and migrant farm workers and others with barriers to receiving healthcare. We strive to provide an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we employ and serve.

Job Summary: The Lab Coordinator facilitates the daily operations of the clinic lab while working as a member of the local training and development team. This individual collaborates closely with the site Clinical Programs Manager and Primary Care Clinic Manager to ensure lab compliance, program development, training development and delivery, and operational excellence. They participate in quality assurance and quality improvement activities related to lab operations and provides training and mentorship to MAs and other clinical staff cross-trained to perform lab duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient Flow:

• Answer telephones, properly route calls, and act as a knowledgeable resource for lab-related questions.
• Ensure that voicemail, lab in-basket, and overdue labs are monitored and responded to daily.
• Ensure proper documentation is maintained pursuant to quality assurance guidelines (e.g., controls, temperature logs, cleaning and maintenance logs, quality control logs).

Direct Patient Care:

• Review daily clinic float schedule and provide backup support that is appropriate to the lab environment.
• Perform in-scope laboratory procedures that include, but are not limited to specimen preparation, phlebotomy, point of care tests, and autoclaving.
• Demonstrate excellent handling of patient specimens in order to provide accurate and timely patient care.

Indirect Patient Care:

• Work closely with site leadership to maintain, monitor and order lab supplies.
• Assist with establishing PAR (Periodic Automatic Replenishment) levels and standardized ordering list for lab supplies.
• Serve as a resource for staff assigned to lab-related work.
• Operate lab equipment utilized for point-of-care testing, including regular preventative maintenance cleaning, autoclaving, and quality controls.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensure temperatures, controls, cleaning, and maintenance of lab equipment and testing supplies are done according to schedule.
• Perform and maintain proper documentation of quality controls on CLIA waived labs.
• Maintain records of equipment maintenance and calibration.
• Document daily temperatures for all refrigerators and freezers involved in clinic operations.
• File test results and locate and enter overdue labs.
• Work closely with site leadership to ensure lab is in compliance with equipment manufacturer recommendations, VG Policy and Procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of and competency with numerous federal, state and other regulatory body compliance and safety regulations.

Lab Program Development:

• Provide training and mentorship to MAs cross-trained to lab.
• Participate in lab program development, such as assistance with developing training and competency documents/processes that include but are not limited to phlebotomy and autoclave training.
• Research and evaluate new technology and equipment and make lab program enhancement recommendations to the local leadership team.
• Join VG committees and workgroups that support the development and enhancement of VG's lab program.
• Work closely with the Clinical Programs Manager on activities related to lab program development.
• Create ownership and clarity of work related to lab operations.
• Participate in QA/QI activities related to lab operations.
• Contribute to performance reviews for staff cross-trained to lab.

Miscellaneous duties:

• Maintain clean and safe environment for both staff and patients.
• Handle protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

HIPAA Requirements

The Lab Coordinator will have access to PHI in the course of carrying out their duties as described above. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated records sets to which this employee will have access include: patient demographics and account information, encounter forms, user batch reports and payment posting reports, the patient information section of the medical records, the HIPAA section, recent progress notes (as needed to answer scheduling questions), and the problem list/immunization record (to provide copies to patients up their request).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Proficiency in English and Spanish, both written and spoken language.
• Sensitivity to inter-cultural issues.
• Ability to perform clerical work with speed and accuracy.
• Proficient with Microsoft office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Initiative and judgment in problem solving.
• Knowledge of and ability to maintain confidentiality regulations.
• Able to make independent decisions based on Center's protocols.
• High level of accuracy with numbers and data, which will become patient records.
• Evidence of good leadership and citizenship skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, non-verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to develop effective, supportive relationships with staff, students, families and the community.
• Service-oriented with ability to adapt to changing workload and pace.
• Ability to work with the adolescent population.

Education and Experience Required:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Phlebotomy technician certification and six months of lab technician experience, OR medical assistant certification and one year of experience with performing phlebotomy and specimen handling.
• Active CPR/First Aid/BLS certification or ability to become certified within 180 days of hire.

Behavioral Competencies:

Accountability: Role model VG's mission, vision, and shared values

Customer-Focus: Listen to the voice of the customer and strive to delight them by exceeding their expectations

Teamwork: If someone needs help, help them

Initiative: Be innovative, apply fresh ideas, and continuously improve how you do your work

Confidentiality: Maintain strict confidentiality and respect the privacy of others

Ethical: Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and stewardship in all encounters at work

Respect: Demonstrate consideration and appreciation for co-workers and patients

Communication: Demonstrate the ability to convey thoughts and ideas as well as understand perspective of others

Physical Requirements

Percentage of time spent

• Standing: 25%
• Walking: 45%
• Sitting: 25%
• Lifting/Carrying: 5%
• Physically demanding tasks: Must be able to occasionally lift/carry 30 lbs. supplies.

Working Environment/Physical Hazards

• Work in well-lighted, ventilated environment.
• Exposure to blood borne pathogens and potentially hazardous chemicals.

Equipment Used:

Office Equipment

• Computer: data entry and word processing
• Telephone, fax, copier, scanner

Medical Equipment

• Autoclave
• Glucometer
• Hemoglobin A1C
• Cholesterol Screening Equipment
• Hemoglobin Screening Equipment

Immunization: Staff members must meet immunization requirements as stated in VGMHC's immunization policy and state and federal guidelines.

Job descriptions represent a general outline of the essential and major job duties, functions and qualifications required. They cannot be all-inclusive and comprehensive due to the dynamic nature of work performed to accomplish VGMHC's Mission.

VGMHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from consideration for employment because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, marital status, or physical challenges. The policy applies not only to recruitment and hiring practices, but also includes affirmative action in placement, promotion, transfer, rate of