Certified/Registered Medical Assistant - West

Overview

The Certified or Registered Medical Assistant (CMA) at the community sites works under supervision to provide direct client care and clerical support for pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric clients in the medical clinic. In this role, the CMA works collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, providing support and maintenance for the medical clinic.

Key Role Responsibilities

• Effectively perform clinical tasks including, but not limited to: screenings, phlebotomy, immunizations, EKG's, nebulizer treatments, simple dressing changes, ear irrigation, assisting medical providers with procedures, obtaining laboratory specimens, and taking vital signs.
• Assist the provider by reviewing charts prior to the visit to ensure that all paperwork is completed and available (e.g., lab reports, immunization history, consultation notes, other as needed).
• Document vital signs and treatment notes accurately and legibly using the SOAP format in the clients' records, and promptly notify the appropriate medical provider of any irregularity or problem during the visit.
• Actively participate on an integrated, multidisciplinary team to develop and implement an integrated treatment plan, within the context of an individual or family's unique social needs.
• Independently maintain an adequate inventory by ordering appropriate medical supplies, immunizations and pharmaceuticals for the medical clinic in a timely manner.
• Coordinate the daily maintenance of the medical clinic including, but not limited to: cleaning and handling instruments for sterilization, stocking of all exam rooms, processing of laboratory specimens to the appropriate lab, and quality control and documentation logs for equipment.
• Highly autonomous, requiring managing competing demands, making sound decisions, strong initiative, accountability, and the ability to operate effectively in a standalone environment.
• Provides assistance to West Baltimore Clinic as the primary site, and will be required to travel to other agency clinics as needed.

Key Agency Responsibilities

In addition to role responsibilities, each staff member of Health Care for the Homeless has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment:

• Models and reinforces the Health Care for the Homeless "core values" of dignity, authenticity, hope, justice, passion and balance.
• Actively participates in performance improvement activities and actively participates in advocacy activities that support the mission of HCH.
• Performs other duties on an as-needed basis.
• Protects our client's personal health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant Health Care related IT security regulations.

Knowledge, Experience, And Skills

Formal Education and Training

• High School Diploma or GED and certification of completion from a Medical Assistant Program.
• Medical assistant – certified or registered – from an accredited school and active certification from AAMA or equivalent, required.
• Active BLS CPR certification required.

Experience

• Three years of experience in a medical office setting as a medical assistant, required.
• Experience in a community health center or primary care setting preferred.
• Experience working in a pediatric medical setting strongly preferred.
• Comfortable working with homeless and/or low-income individuals and families.
• Experience working with underserved or homeless populations preferred.

Skills

• Strong organizational skills necessary to assure smooth operations of the medical clinic.
• Excellent communication skills, including comfort with databases and systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills necessary to work with disadvantaged and underserved populations and to collaborate with other medical team members, other staff members, and personnel of other agencies.
• Able to maintain confidentiality surrounding all information related to clients served by the clinic.
• Able to cope with interruptions, be flexible, and be a team player.
• Able to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset and sometimes hostile individuals.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English strongly preferred.
• Ability to work across all sites as necessary.
• Demonstrate ability to adapt by seizing new opportunities with a can-do attitude and stepping up to handle challenging situations.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations and information with professionalism, tact, and assertiveness.

Success Profile

Core Competencies

• Compassion: Demonstrates empathy and patience in words and actions; continually strengthens these skills. Demonstrates self-awareness about one's own perspective and biases; seeks to become more open. Shares credit with others and recognizes success results from the combined efforts of many.
• Courage: Thoughtfully engages with difficult issues in order to solve them. Provides constructive, direct and actionable input and feedback. Navigates conflicts head-on to resolve them in a positive manner.
• Values Differences: Seeks to understand different perspectives and cultures. Interacts respectfully with people. Considers situations and issues from different perspectives and offers solutions with those perspectives in mind.
• Balance: Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life. Demonstrates the ability to prioritize work tasks. Sets, maintains and respects professional boundaries and supports others to do the same.

Functional Competencies

• Functional & Technical Skills: Demonstrates knowledge and skill to do the job well. Finds ways to strengthen and deepen position-specific expertise. Actively improves knowledge and skills.
• Nimble Learning: Learns quickly when facing new situations. Uses mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn. Tries multiple times using multiple methods to find the right solution.
• Decision Quality: Actively seeks input from pertinent sources to make timely and well-informed decisions. Incorporates evidence-based guideline properly in practice. Makes sound decisions, even in the absence of complete information.
• Time Management: Sets priorities and concentrates efforts on the more important priorities. Displays good judgment in the use of one's time and the time of others. Utilizes effective methods for managing workflow and pacing one's work.

Leadership Competencies

• Instills Trust: Gains confidence and trust with others. Expresses thoughts and ideas in a credible and transparent manner. Models high standards of honesty and integrity.
• Customer Focus: Places stakeholders at the forefront. Delivers solutions that meet expectations. Establishes and maintains effective professional relationships.
• Drive Results: Persists in accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks. Pushes self and helps others achieve results. Always keeps the end in sight; puts in extra effort to meet deadlines.
• Action Oriented: Displays a can-do attitude in good and bad times. Uses necessary steps in planning and thought, then readily takes action on challenges. Shows initiative in tough situations and seizes opportunities.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Activity: Sitting 25%, Walking 25%, Standing 50%; Lift 0-50 lbs., Carry 0-50 lbs., Push 0-50 lbs., Pull 0-50 lbs.; Stoop, Kneel; Crawl; Climb; Balance.
• Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination); Use of Latex Gloves; Perform shift work; Maneuver weight of patients; Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder; Reach above shoulder; Repetitive arm/hand movements; Finger Dexterity; Color Vision; Acuity – far; Acuity – near; Depth perception.
• Hazards: Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents; Exposure to moving mechanical parts; Exposure to dust/fumes; Exposure to potential electrical shock; Exposure to x ray/electromagnetic energy; Exposure to high pitched noises; Exposure to communicable diseases; Blood born pathogen exposure; Gaseous risk exposure; On Call; May be exposed to infectious disease with little likelihood of harm if established procedures are followed.