Medical Assistant (Care Team Associate II) - Elmhurst

AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY) is a primary and specialty care practice serving half a million patients across the New York metropolitan area. With more than 30 medical offices across New York City's five boroughs and Long Island, ACPNY is continually expanding our practice and enhancing our services for communities throughout New York. As we grow, our employees grow with us.

About the role

The Care Team Associate II serves as a member of the Care Team in the treatment and care of patients, assisting providers with clinical services and administrative tasks to support population health and guided best-in-class care. The position works under the supervision of the Practice Administrator and in collaboration with the Nurse Manager. The Care Team Associate II must understand basic medical terminology, demonstrate customer service excellence, and have the ability to recognize data reflective of the patient’s status to inform the RN/LPN of observations.

Responsibilities

• Warmly greets and engages in friendly conversation with ACP patients and guests.
• Works with office staff to effectively communicate approximate wait times and maintains timely communication with patients and guests.
• Monitors patient flow in the waiting room and assesses patients’ and guests’ needs as they wait.
• Proactively resolves patient flow issues related to registration, check-in, and check-out processes.
• Assists patients in resolving service or clinical issues as needed.
• Answers telephones professionally, utilizing excellent customer service skills with courtesy, cooperative spirit, and tact when interacting with employees, patients, and visitors.
• Uses the standard ACP greeting when answering the telephone.
• Schedules patient appointments accurately in the computer system and verifies insurance coverage as required.
• Takes initiative to resolve all patient concerns and issues.
• Checks in patients and prepares and processes appropriate forms.
• Serves as a reference source regarding hours of operation, directions, transportation, and general ACP policies.
• Performs complete registration of patient demographic and financial information using electronic systems and ensures data integrity.
• Scans documents into electronic systems as assigned.
• Checks out patients at the end of the visit, verifying they have all required documentation before leaving.
• Thanks patients as they leave and solicits feedback about service quality and experience.
• Takes complete and accurate messages from individuals contacting the medical facility by telephone, including messages for providers and clinical staff, and delivers them in a timely manner.
• Escalates calls pursuant to the ACPNY call escalation policy.
• Checks email, electronic task lists, and other written communication regularly throughout the business day for timely responses.
• Collects cash from patients for charges and co-payments, provides receipts, and completes all necessary documents for payments accrued.
• Matches cash collected to receipts at the end of the session and performs accurate end-of-day reconciliations.
• Makes reminder and "no show" calls, prints schedules, and confirms appointments.
• Sends correspondence to patients’ residences to remind, recall, or reschedule appointments.
• Coordinates internal and external referrals to specialists by scheduling appointments, providing reminders, directions, and copies of pertinent medical records or tests.
• Coordinates additional tests as needed and utilizes the EPIC preferred provider list or external provider list for referrals.
• Provides patients with a list of three external specialists upon request to research and select their own provider.
• Reviews the referral work queue (WQ) daily to address referrals ordered in non-face-to-face encounters and arranges them.
• Acts as a liaison between ACPNY and external specialists for outpatient procedures, providing necessary data and conducting follow-up.
• Communicates with patients on pre- and post-referral appointment matters.
• Assists care teams with campaigns/initiatives such as the Influenza program and health outcome surveys to close gaps in care.
• Provides information to patients and assists them in getting the care they need.
• Conducts regular outreach to identified "at-risk patients" to reduce unnecessary ED visits and admissions under the direction of the Practice Administrator.
• Maintains effective communication with patients, families, peers, and other healthcare team members.
• Attends all meetings as directed by the practice administrator or designee.
• Demonstrates flexibility in accepting and completing work assignments and takes initiative within the scope of responsibilities.
• Recognizes and performs duties that need to be completed without direct assignment.
• May be temporarily assigned to other medical offices based on ACP’s staffing needs.
• Demonstrates proficiency with computer systems (e.g., electronic practice management/electronic health record) within 3 months of training, as evidenced by metrics such as patient registration quality, time to check-in, cash draw closing, and referral WQ management.
• Completes all tasks on the electronic system required for the job function consistently, accurately, and in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates professionalism in attitude, dress, decorum, and interaction with patients, clients, and co-workers, adhering to ACP’s dress code.
• Arrives on time for assigned shifts and maintains punctuality and attendance consistent with ACPNY Time and Attendance policies.
• Respects patient confidentiality and withholds restrictive information.
• Demonstrates good judgment, discretion, and ability to problem-solve.
• Contributes to a cooperative, friendly, and mutually supportive work environment as a "team player."
• Participates and supports the care team in direct patient care under the supervision of an RN/LPN Supervisor.
• Performs duties involving direct patient care as assigned by the RN/LPN Supervisor/MD within the framework of ACP policies and procedures.
• Identifies physical, behavioral, and emotional characteristics typical for the age group of the patient receiving care and modifies approaches based on age-specific needs.
• Performs a variety of patient care functions based on age-specific needs using age-appropriate communication techniques, including but not limited to:
  • Physical examination preparation
  • Recording personal history, medications, and allergies in the EMR
  • Taking vital signs, phlebotomy, heights, weights, finger sticks, electrocardiograms
  • Measuring head circumference, vision and hearing screening
  • Setting up oxygen and suction, pulse oximetry, peak flow testing
  • Administering PHQ-9 (mental state questionnaire)
  • Performing urine dipstick and urine pregnancy tests (excluding interpretation)
• Chaperones during patient examinations as needed.
• Provides medication verification on recently hospitalized patients and ensures recent labs have been scanned.
• Notifies appropriate staff of patient status and documents pertinent patient care information in the electronic medical record.
• Collects and accurately labels specimens, prepares specimens and required paperwork for collection by affiliated laboratories.
• Retrieves lab, pathology, and diagnostic data from outside laboratories and collates for upcoming visits.
• Ensures all pertinent equipment is sterilized according to schedule and notifies appropriate personnel regarding equipment malfunctions.
• Keeps examination rooms neat and clean and restocks exam/treatment rooms and medical supply inventory daily.
• Completes all necessary forms accurately and in a timely manner.
• Assists with various medical procedures as required (e.g., sigmoidoscopies, colposcopies, biopsies) consistent with the NY State Nursing Guide to Practice (NYSEDOP).
• Performs other job-related duties as required.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED
• Associate degree preferred
• Certificate of completion from an accredited Medical Assistant Program required, or eligibility to sit for the national certification exam and pass the exam within 18 months of hire
• Minimum 1 year of experience as a medical assistant in an ambulatory care setting
• Three years’ experience as a medical assistant in an ambulatory care setting preferred
• Experience and ability to navigate an EMR (Electronic Medical Record)

Pay

$24.20 per hour