Medical Assistant - Pediatrics - Waltham

About the Role

The Medical Assistant provides high-quality, direct patient care in a team-based model to BILH Primary Care-Mt. Auburn patients and supports smooth and efficient administrative and clinical practice operations. This role involves working with people from diverse backgrounds while respecting the beliefs of all patients and team members.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to patient, practice, and organizational goals through relationship development and care team coordination.
• Develop long-term empathetic relationships with patients, families, and colleagues to enhance patient care.
• Assist patients throughout their visit by facilitating timely flow, updating medication/allergy lists, reviewing screening questions (e.g., PHQ-9), and acting as a liaison between patients and practice staff.
• Communicate clearly with patients and the care team, including providing hand-offs to providers (e.g., reason for visit, abnormal vitals, patient stories).
• Perform medical assisting duties under supervision, such as obtaining vital signs, height/weight measurements, EKGs, point-of-care testing, phlebotomy, administering immunizations (certified MAs only), and assisting during routine procedures.
• Support Population Health efforts by leading outreach and health coaching to meet quality and population health goals.
• Monitor practice activity, conduct outreach to patients with health maintenance or chronic disease management needs, and assist with data gathering and basic health coaching.
• Maintain medical equipment and supplies, ensuring they are clean, sterilized, stocked, and within expiration dates.
• Work within the electronic health record (EHR) system to manage prescription renewals, document tasks, and schedule diagnostic/lab tests.
• Verify patient insurance, including prior authorizations, referrals, and pre-certifications.
• Identify OSHA compliance issues and ensure patient safety practices to prevent harm.
• Promptly report adverse patient events and near misses.
• Ensure Patient Health Information (PHI) is used only for treatment, payment, and operations (TPO).

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED required; Bachelor’s degree in Health Science preferred.
• One of the following certifications/licenses preferred:
  • Medical Assistant Certificate
  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
  • EMT Basic License
  • Phlebotomy Certificate
• 0-1 years of related work experience required.
• Demonstrated Medical Assistant (MA) competencies within one year of hire.
• Basic familiarity with computers and ability to navigate web-based applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Medical Assistant.
• Ability to make decisions based on specific instructions and standard practices.
• Problem-solving skills for routine issues and process improvements.
• Ability to follow general instructions with work monitored by a supervisor.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
• Full working knowledge of standard concepts, practices, and procedures.
• Ability to work collaboratively in small teams.
• High level of customer service for patients, visitors, and staff.
• Competency in providing care to patients across all age groups: neonatal, youth, young adult, middle age, and elderly.

Skills

• Close attention to detail for accurate task completion.
• Ability to respond to events several times a week with sound judgment.
• Sensory requirements: close work, color vision, visual clarity, monitoring equipment, conversation, and background noise tolerance.

Work Environment

• Potential daily exposure to adverse conditions, including infectious diseases, airborne pathogens, and bloodborne pathogens.
• Regular, close contact with patients (face-to-face and hands-on).
• Use of protective equipment (e.g., respirator, gloves, eyewear) required.

Physical Requirements

• Medium work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and up to 20 pounds frequently.
• Frequent sitting, walking, standing, bending, and twisting.
• Regular use of both hands for power grasping, fine manipulation, pushing/pulling, and keyboard use.
• Lifting and carrying items up to 10 lbs frequently; occasionally up to 25 lbs; rarely up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional reaching above shoulder height and pushing items up to 25 lbs.
• Rarely assisting with pushing wheelchairs or wheeled beds containing patients up to 250 pounds.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $21.00 - $28.26 per hour. Actual compensation is determined based on factors such as seniority, education, training, relevant experience, certifications, geography, and job responsibilities. Additional compensation may include shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime, and other applicable pay practices.

Additional Requirements

• All staff must be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.