Medical Assistant

Description

JOB SUMMARY

Under the supervision of a Medical Provider, the Medical Assistant will provide clinical and clerical support to promote the delivery of high-quality patient care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Interacts with patients and members of the care team to provide a range of patient care services. The essential duties and responsibilities of a Medical Assistant is dependent on demonstrated competency. Medical Assistants are tiered based on clinical skills, certification, competency, and experience. Medical Assistants may be required to travel to other NOTCH sites on an as needed basis. Specific duties and responsibilities are listed below. NOTCH Administration has the right to waive tiering requirements and the Medical Assistant may perform functions outside their tiering if demonstrating competency.

Medical Assistant Tier I

1. Medical Assistant Tier I is trained in a limited number of duties and skills and only able to practice autonomously in those duties/skills when demonstrating competency in that area.

Medical Assistant Tier II

1. Completion of orientation
2. Administrative duties:
   1. Greets patients and visitors
   2. Complies with HIPAA regulations
   3. Fields and evaluates telephone calls and in-person encounters and directs callers and visitors to the appropriate personnel
   4. Secures necessary information and documentation from patients to process visit
   5. Reviews and updates patient data, medical records, and registration forms with patient
   6. Assists patient to fill out paperwork if patient is unable to complete
   7. Schedules patient appointments according to established office procedures
   8. Advises patient with routine non-medical instructions in preparation for appointment as per established protocols
   9. Answers non-medical questions within practice guidelines
   10. Requests payment at time of service
   11. Updates medical data, medications, and health problems in charts
   12. Checks charts for insurance changes and patient information
   13. Copies patient charts
   14. Monitors fax machine and distributes faxes
   15. Participates in training sessions, monthly and daily staff meetings
   16. Knowledge of OSHA manual and standards, including appropriate hazardous waste handling and disposal
   17. Ability to juggle multiple tasks and prioritize workload
   18. Strong communication and interpersonal skills
   19. Computer skills
   20. Ability to function within a team environment to achieve stated objectives
   21. Handles referrals and phone calls to other provider offices for appointments; makes callbacks or follow ups for medical concerns as necessary
   22. Ensures accurate and timely documentation
   23. Participates in quality initiatives
   24. Transcribes telephone messages from prescription line

1. Clinical Duties
   1. Patient rooming
   2. Patient intake
   3. Infection control including but not limited to:
      1. Hand washing
      2. Personal Protective Equipment
   4. Vital Signs including pulse oximetry
   5. Maintains sanitation of exam rooms and equipment (wipes down thermometers, otoscopes, exam tables, etc)
   6. CLIA waived lab tests including but not limited to the following as applicable per clinic:
      1. Urinalysis
      2. Urine HCG
      3. Urine Drug Screen
      4. Hemoglobin
      5. Hemoglobin A1c
      6. Rapid Flu A&B
      7. Strep A
      8. Fecal Occult Blood Test
      9. PT/INR
      10. Glucose
2. Administers Influenza Vaccinations
3. Venipuncture and phlebotomy
4. Collects specimens for outside laboratory testing including but not limited to
   1. Blood draws
   2. Cultures
   3. Urine Drug Screen
5. Completes in house orders including but not limited to:
   1. EKG
   2. Nebulizer treatments
   3. Spirometry/PFT
   4. Peak flow
   5. Oxygen walk test
6. May execute organization approved standing orders per written procedure
7. May initiate and/or execute age appropriate preventive care measure (within scope of practice) as detailed in the NOTCH Medical Practice Guideline.
8. Updates medical data including medications and allergies
9. Performs other duties as assigned
10. Maintains billing standards include complete documentation of the electronic superbill
11. Follows NOTCH procedures and policies
12. Participates in NCQA and HRSA quality improvement initiatives
13. Complies with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 regulations
14. Supports the clinic with Provider order tracking and follow up
15. Participates in pre-visit planning
16. Enters child vaccinations on Vermont Department of Health website

Medical Assistant Tier III

1. Competency demonstrated in Tier II duties and responsibilities
2. One-year experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant or Certification in Medical Assisting AND 6 months experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant at NOTCH
3. Diabetic foot checks as directed by the Provider
4. PPD read
5. Triages telephone calls regarding medical concerns
6. Administers Injections and Vaccinations
7. Ear irrigation
8. Assist Providers in procedures including but not limited to:
   1. Setting up a sterile field
   2. Suture and/or staple removal
   3. Wound care
9. Engages patients in self-management action planning as appropriate
10. Assists Providers with patient education and instructions, self-management tools, and counseling on healthy behaviors
11. Assist Providers with patient education and instructions
12. Prepares prior authorizations including but not limited to medications and diagnostic imaging
13. Contributing to the assessment, but not independently assessing a patients health status
14. Effectively communicates with patients using techniques such as motivational interviewing when appropriate
15. Completes refrigerator temperature logs (vaccine supply integrity)
16. Reviews inventory for expired medical supplies on crash cart and in clinic

Medical Assistant Tier IV

1. Competency demonstrated in Tier III duties and responsibilities
2. Three years experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant or 2 years experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant and Certification in Medical Assisting AND one-year experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant at NOTCH
3. Functions as a preceptor for students and new hires
4. Participates in Quality Improvement projects under the direction of the NOTCH Clinical Leadership Team. Participation may include: participating in a new process or change, providing feedback to the tests of change, and providing suggestions for the next tests of change
5. Management and/or complete understanding of the Vermont Department of Health Vaccination program including storage and ordering

Medical Assistant Tier V

1. Competency demonstrated in Tier IV duties and responsibilities
2. Five years experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant or 4 years experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant and Certification in Medical Assisting AND two years experience as a Primary Care Medical Assistant at NOTCH
3. Provides leadership in the clinical setting
   1. Advocate and aids in implementation of NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home initiatives
   2. a. Advocate and aids in implementation of HRSA Uniform Data Set initiatives
4. Participation in organizational initiatives such as but not limited to:
   1. Shared governance
   2. Committees
   3. Leads quality improvement activities
5. May supervise staff as directed by the NOTCH Clinical Leadership Team
6. May coordinate appropriate staffing levels as directed by the NOTCH Clinical Leadership Team
7. May contribute to staff performance evaluations
8. May monitor clinical staff performance and documents job performance as appropriate

Qualifications

EDUCATION

High School Diploma

EXPERIENCE

Varies

CERTIFICATE/LICENSE

Medical Assistant Certification or Degree in Medical Assisting preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The description of the physical demands and the work environment characteristics here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform and those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is constantly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and type. The employee is often required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to lift, carry, push, pull, stoop, kneel, crouch, hold objects, and perform repetitive motions. The employee is rarely required to climb, balance, crawl, reach or grasp. The employee must be able to regularly perform light lifting and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to x-ray machines and blood-borne pathogens. The employee is often exposed to patients with infectious diseases.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT USED

Personal computer, multi-line telephone system, facsimile machine, copier, ECG, stethoscope, scales, blood pressure monitor, needles/syringes, various CLIA waived laboratory testing kits and urinalysis, glucose, and hemoglobin machines.

Salary : $17 - $28