MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT-BALDWIN

Department: Operations • Accountable To: Office Manager; Assistant Office Manager • Classification: Non-Exempt

About the role

The Medical Office Assistant provides a variety of clerical duties associated with patient care. The Medical Office Assistant maintains a pleasant, courteous, and cooperative manner with patients, visitors, and Franklin Primary Health Center personnel.

Responsibilities

• Greet, register, and receive all patients, visitors, and staff in a professional and courteous manner.
• Ascertain the nature of business and direct patients, visitors, staff, or callers to the appropriate department or person.
• Answer the telephone and provide information to callers, screen and route calls to the appropriate destination in a courteous, professional, and efficient manner.
• Obtain and record the caller’s name, time of call, nature of business, and person called upon.
• Schedule patient appointments for providers and prepare daily appointment schedule printouts for provider(s).
• Retrieve patient charts for office visits and for doctors’ or nurses’ telephone calls requiring patient information.
• Interview patients to obtain demographic data during the initial office visit. Update patient demographic information and proof of income every six months or as necessary.
• Review patient and appropriate family member income information to determine qualification for sliding fee scale adjustments.
• Generate encounter forms. Assemble medical record charts for new patients or retrieve existing charts, place encounter forms on charts, and route them to the nurses’ station. Place charts in sequence for provider examination or treatment.
• Keep patient records accurately identified.
• Check charts daily for incomplete histories and bring incomplete information to the attention of the appropriate member of the healthcare team for correction.
• Receive and process patient payments. Reconcile payment receipts by matching receipts against money sheets and entry session totals on computer terminals at the end of each day.
• Prepare, mail, and maintain records for the insurance claims process.
• Prepare deposit slips and secure deposits for transport to Accounts Receivable.
• Match encounter forms at the end of the day and have duplicates made as necessary.
• Maintain the confidentiality of patient medical information and work materials as appropriate.
• Maintain the reception area in a neat and orderly condition at all times.
• Maintain prompt arrival and regular attendance at work.
• Perform work of a higher level in preparation for increased responsibility.
• Responsible for incoming and outgoing mail distribution for the assigned department.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Customer Satisfaction Requirements

• Provide the very best customer satisfaction to patients, visitors, and co-workers at all times in a professional and courteous manner.
• Do things right the first time, make people feel welcome, show respect for each customer, anticipate customer needs and concerns.
• Keep customers informed, help and go the extra mile, respond quickly, protect privacy and confidentiality.
• Demonstrate proper telephone etiquette, take responsibility for handling complaints, be professional, and take ownership of one’s attitude toward Service Excellence.

Privacy Rule Compliance Requirements

• Adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA Privacy Rule) policies and procedures.
• Successfully complete Privacy Rule compliance training annually or as revisions are made to policies and procedures.
• Comply with Privacy Rule guidelines by protecting FPHC patients’ medical privacy.
• Appropriately maintain patient information in compliance with national standards.
• Provide appropriate security of FPHC patient records.

Health and Safety Requirements

• Adhere to safety regulations, personnel policies, and procedures.
• Receive Safety and Hazardous Communication training annually.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or GED equivalent.
• Graduate of an approved Medical Office Assistant Program or an equivalent combination of training, education, and work experience relative to the position.
• Pleasant personality, good telephone etiquette, public relations skills, and good communication skills are required.
• One or more years of work experience in a medical setting with knowledge of medical terminology and CPT coding helpful.
• Insurance billing work experience involving Medicaid, Medicare, and other third-party insurance carriers.

Skills

• Medical terminology and CPT and ICD-9 coding experience.
• Good human relations skills with the ability to deal effectively with patients and visitors in person or by telephone.
• Keyboard, insurance billing, and medical records experience required.
• Ability to operate a multi-line telephone, copier, adding machine, fax machine, and other office equipment.
• Strong English communication skills are required.
• Bilingual and bicultural candidates are encouraged to apply.

Physical/Mental Demands

• Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity.
• Requires the ability to distinguish letters or symbols.
• Requires the use of office equipment such as copiers, computer terminals and keyboards, telephones, calculators, and fax machines.
• Requires normal vision range and frequent standing, sitting, bending, stooping, or stretching.

Protected Health Information (PHI) Access

Restricted Access: For purposes of HIPAA compliance, this position is classified under Administrative Staff and is therefore granted restricted access to Protected Health Information (PHI), as defined according to the purpose for which the use or disclosure is intended.