Medical Assistant

JOB SUMMARY:

In accordance with certified training and the supervision of the Registered Nurse, the Medical Assistant performs a wide variety of patient care and office duties that include assisting physicians with examining and treating patients, managing patient health information, maintaining a safe environment of care, and maintaining inventories of supplies needed for patient care. Medical Assistants ensure the efficient and effective flow of patients during scheduled appointments through joint planning and problem solving with clinic and administrative staff and perform other related duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL TASKS:

• Responsible for knowing and following Center clinical policy and procedure, including charting and other paperwork, in providing all aspects of patient care, patient interviews, and preparation of patients for provider assessment and treatment;
• Obtains all vital signs according to established procedure;
• Prepares patients for examinations consistent with the purpose of their appointments;
• Assists providers with exams of patients or any special procedures;
• Performs screenings per provider guidelines and assisting provider/nurses with various procedures;
• Performs supervised laboratory procedures approved by the Nurse Practitioner;
• Clean patient examination areas, removing instruments and supplies, discard disposable supplies and instruments, disinfect exam room tables, treatment and lab surfaces daily and ensure that the rooms are ready for the next patient;
• Prepares and sterilizes clinical instruments; reviews expiration dates for sterilized equipment and re-sterilize equipment as needed to ensure a readily available supply of sterile instruments;
• Monitors and documents monitoring of medications and biologicals, determines whether records for tracking/monitoring expired and deteriorated medications and biologicals are accurate and updates such records in accordance with Center policy;
• Utilizes and maintains medical equipment as directed (including use of autoclave and other equipment as directed).
• Maintains and distributes medical supplies for all specialties; orders medical supplies as needed;
• Assists Medical Records Assistant in scheduling patients and coordinating transportation.
• Fulfills health information management responsibilities as assigned which may include:
• Sending/receiving faxed copies of patient medical records such as lab/x-ray reports, progress notes, referral information;
• Obtain and complete referral appointments for patients at provider's request etc.;
• Complete forms/requisitions as needed;
• Schedules appointments for specialty tests;
• Verifies insurance coverage and patient demographics;
• Perform autoclave cleaning and testing;
• Maintain clinical and business records, manually or using a computer;
• Medical Assistants who work as s phlebotomists perform the following tasks:
• Draws blood from patients for medical purposes;
• Assembles equipment (such as needles, blood collection devices, gauze, tourniquet, cotton, and alcohol);
• Verifies or records identity of patient or donor;
• Converses with patients to allay fear of procedure;
• Applies tourniquet to arm, locates vein, swabs area with disinfectant, and inserts needle into vein to draw blood into collection tube. (May also prick finger instead of inserting needle.);
• Labels and stores blood container for processing;
• May conduct interviews, take vital signs and test blood samples;
• Analyzes information and makes appropriate recommendations.
• Ensures that patient records are kept confidential consistent with the Health Center policies and procedures and HIPAA standards; monitors HIPAA compliance within the work environment;
• Immediately reports any discovered or suspected fraud, waste, or abuse of Health Center funds to the Administrative Manager or Program Director;
• Immediately reports any discovered or suspected violations of HCC’s protected health information privacy or security policies and procedures to the Administrative Manager or Program Director.
• Tasks that cannot be performed by medical assistants include:
• Triage;
• Preparing or administering medications through any route, or immunizations administering oxygen (oxygen is viewed as a drug in New York State);
• Placing or removing sutures;
• Taking x-rays or independently positioning patients for x-rays;
• Applying casts;
• First assisting in surgical procedures;
• Sterile or invasive procedures, with the exception of phlebotomy; and
• No tasks that involve assessment, evaluation, clinical judgment, and problem solving may be performed.
• Performs other job-related duties that may be assigned.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• High School diploma or GED.
• Graduation from a phlebotomy training program preferred;
• Experience as a Medical Assistant in a community health center preferred.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of activities associated with providing assistance to providers in a Health Center;
• Knowledge of medical laboratory principles, standards, applications, tests;
• Knowledge of how to use/maintain laboratory equipment appropriately;
• Knowledge of how to use/maintain sanitary conditions in the Center, including Health Center equipment appropriately;
• Skill in exercising initiative, judgment, discretion and decision-making;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Skill in identifying problems, researching and recommending resolutions;
• Skill in exercising initiative, judgment, discretion and decision-making; and
• Skill in proper equipment use.

Job Type:

Full-time

Pay:

$20.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Education:

High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Experience:

• EMR systems: 1 year (Preferred)
• Vital signs: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• BLS Certification (Preferred)
• Certified Medical Assistant (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person