Medical Lab Assistant II

Lexington Health is a comprehensive network of care that includes six community medical and urgent care centers, nearly 80 physician practices, more than 9,000 health care professionals, and Lexington Medical Center—a 607-bed teaching hospital in West Columbia, South Carolina. Recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare and the first in the state to achieve Magnet with Distinction status for nursing excellence, Lexington Health consistently ranks as the best in the Columbia Metro area. The system delivers over 4,000 babies annually, performs more than 34,000 surgeries, and is the region’s third-largest employer. It also includes an accredited Cancer Center of Excellence, the state’s first HeartCARE Center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, and an Alzheimer’s care center. Postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine, transitional year residencies, and an informatics fellowship.

About the role

The Medical Laboratory Assistant II performs advanced specimen collection, processing, and pre-analytical laboratory functions to support accurate and timely diagnostic testing in the clinical laboratory. This role independently manages complex registration, specimen handling, and laboratory workflows; ensures compliance with regulatory, safety, and quality standards; and serves as a resource to patients, clinical staff, and entry-level laboratory personnel. The MLA II demonstrates proficiency across laboratory computer systems, including EPIC, provides high-quality customer service, supports problem resolution, and assists with training, workflow coordination, and quality improvement activities while maintaining a safe, organized, and efficient laboratory environment.

Responsibilities

• Greets patients and/or representatives professionally to obtain proper identification, insurance information, and physician orders for registration.
• Provides instructions for proper preparation and collection of self-collected tests (e.g., stool, urine, semen).
• Performs venipuncture and capillary punctures for blood specimens across various patient ages (Outpatient Lab and Outreach only).
• Orders, receives, tracks, and delivers specimens to testing departments and designated holding locations; manages storage and disposal of patient samples and materials.
• Ensures specimens are labeled properly to maintain accurate patient identification.
• Answers telephone inquiries with excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Monitors department pending and overdue lists, including searching, locating, following up, and filing documentation.
• Collects urine specimens following Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines for federal transportation or post-accident collections (Outreach only).
• Delivers high-quality service for laboratory testing inquiries and serves as a resource for problem resolution.
• Prepares, processes, stores, and disposes of biologically hazardous reagents, chemicals, and specimens in compliance with regulatory and safety policies.
• Interprets physician orders (verbal or written) and communicates with medical personnel for clarification as needed.
• Maintains competence in laboratory policies, procedures, and IT systems, including middleware upgrades.
• Navigates reference lab portals to manage patient orders and results.
• Assists professional staff, including pathologists, cytotechnologists, pathology assistants, and medical laboratory scientists.
• Prioritizes and organizes workload in a dynamic environment to meet daily needs and deadlines.
• Delegates workload among personnel to optimize coverage and efficiency.
• Applies appropriate charge codes and schedules CT, ultrasound-guided FNAs, and pathologist-performed FNAs.
• Assists, instructs, and prepares patients for FNA procedures (Cytology only).
• Performs filing, archiving, and retrieving of slides/blocks (Anatomic Pathology only).
• Scans and enters results (transcription of cytotechnologist and pathologist diagnoses) and encodes results for future reference.
• Adapts to changes in the work environment, job situation, and requirements.
• Maintains a professional image and exhibits excellent customer service.
• Works independently and as part of a team while complying with hospital and laboratory policies.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory policies (CLIA, CAP, FDA, OSHA, DNV, SC Dept of Public Health) and maintains a clean, safe work area.
• Demonstrates competence in providing developmentally appropriate care for all patient populations (infant to geriatric).
• Prepares and maintains pending workload and processes various specimen types for interpretive review.
• Operates, maintains, and troubleshoots laboratory instruments; documents events such as temperature/humidity checks.
• Prepares and maintains reports, including abnormal patient result lists and QA/QC logs.
• Manages hazardous waste disposal, including pharmaceuticals, in compliance with RCRA regulations (training provided).
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum Education: BS or BA in Natural Sciences or equivalent.
• Minimum Experience: Six months in a laboratory setting or equivalent customer service/general office experience.
• Substitutable Education/Experience:
  • Associate’s Degree with 3+ years of Clinical or Anatomic Pathology Lab experience.
  • High School Diploma or equivalent with 5+ years of experience at Lexington Medical Center in a clinical lab setting.
• Excellent computer knowledge and skills; interest/skills in biological sciences and medical terminology preferred.

Benefits

• Day-one medical, dental, and life insurance benefits.
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
• 403(b) match plan with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6%.
• Employer-paid life insurance equal to 1x salary; optional supplemental life insurance up to 3x salary.
• Adoption assistance.
• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage after 90 days of eligible employment.
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan forgiveness.

Schedule

Full-time, AM/PM shift: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.