Medical Assistant

Primary Purpose: Helps patients by providing clinical and business office assistance in the offices and clinics of the health care providers, such as, physician, podiatrists, chiropractors and optometrists.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Welcomes patients by greeting them in person or by telephone; answering or referring inquiries.
• Prepares patients for health care visit by directing and/or accompanying them to the examining room; providing examination gowns and drapes, assisting them to position themselves for the examination and/or treatment.
• Arranges examining room instruments, supplies and equipment.
• Verifies patient information by interviewing patient; reviewing and/or recording medical history, taking vital signs and confirming purpose for visit or treatment.
• Prepares laboratory specimens, performs basic laboratory tests on the premises, disposes of contaminated supplies, sterilizes medical instruments, and administers medications on the premises.
• Authorizes drug refills as directed, telephones prescriptions to pharmacies.
• Draws blood, prepares patients for x-rays, echocardiograms, removing sutures and changing dressings.
• Educates patients by providing medication and diet information, instructions and answering questions.
• Conducts supply inventory to ensure adequate amount of supplies.
• Ensures equipment functions properly by following operating instructions, troubleshooting equipment malfunction, maintaining adequate supplies, performing preventive maintenance and requesting repairs when needed.
• Maintains patient confidentiality and protects operations by keeping patient care information confidential.
• Serves and protects physician or health care provider practice by adhering to professional standards, policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organization (JCAHO) standards.
• Updates knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.

Physical Demands:

• Prolonged sitting with occasional standing and walking.
• Frequent handling and fingering.
• Pushing up to 25 lbs.
• Occasional lifting 5 lbs.
• Continuous use of corrected vision.

Mental Demands:

• Critical thinking abilities.
• High concentration and alertness level required, with frequent attention to detail

Communication Demands:

• Ability to follow verbal and written communications.
• Ability to read and write legibly and make basic arithmetical computations.
• Proficient in English communication both written and verbal.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Knowledgeable in medical terminology.
• Electronic medical record experience.
• Ability to work as a team.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Knowledge of hospital billing preferred.
• Previous computer experience