Medical Office Assistant I

About the role

The Medical Office Assistant I serves as the first point of contact for patients within the Bassett Healthcare Network. This is a key role in the patient-centered care team, demonstrating excellence in all patient and customer encounters including face-to-face and telephone interactions. You will provide administrative support to ambulatory patient care teams through excellent customer service, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills, ensuring a high-quality patient experience.

Responsibilities

• Reception/Call Handling
  • Greet every patient courteously and positively, meeting patient needs as observed by supervisors and patient satisfaction surveys.
  • Provide new patients with a Welcome to Bassett Network Packet, including Advance Directive information, Health Information Privacy documents, and brochures. Ensure established patients over 18 without documented Advance Directives receive this information.
  • Escalate emergent situations or patient problems to a Supervisor or Supervising Nurse.
  • Answer phones within 3 rings using a 3-part greeting (Department name, your name, "How may I help you?").
  • End calls by asking if there is anything else you can assist with today.
  • Take clear, complete, and accurate phone messages or prescription requests using the electronic medical record messaging system, ensuring follow-up.
  • Maintain operator statistics at or above institutional standards.
  • Offer patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett via phone or in person.
  • Proactively inform patients of any delays in their provider’s schedule.
• Registration/Appointment Scheduling/Referrals
  • Complete outpatient registration, ensuring accurate demographic and insurance information is entered or scanned into the system.
  • Confirm attending PCP and Billing PCP when appropriate.
  • Ensure accurate data capture for regulatory agencies and compliance requirements (e.g., MSPQ).
  • Maintain proficiency in core front desk functions, including insurance eligibility and verification.
  • Support the collection of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures for Medicare compliance.
  • Correct missing items (demographics, insurance eligibility) within 24 hours of system notifications.
  • Answer patient questions about the organization/services and provide directions to clinical locations.
  • Schedule outpatient appointments following department guidelines, offering alternate providers/locations when appropriate.
  • Accurately complete the Interactive Face Sheet and update demographic/insurance information as needed.
  • Ensure patient communication preferences are up-to-date for appointment reminders.
  • Remind patients of co-pay collection expectations at the time of visit.
  • Utilize scheduling tools (Auto Search, Combine Departments, Schedule Scanner) to optimize appointments.
  • Edit daily appointment schedules as requested by supervisors, following rescheduling policies.
  • Direct schedule adjustment requests from providers/staff to supervisors for approval.
  • Confirm appointments with patients 24-72 hours in advance using the electronic Confirm List.
  • Review automated reminder lists (e.g., Televox, Phytel) in a timely manner.
  • Process urgent referrals same-day and routine referrals within 24-72 hours.
  • Ensure complete and accurate referral information for reimbursement, regulatory compliance, and patient care, including prior authorizations.
  • Work "Incoming" and "Outgoing" queues according to departmental standards.
  • Follow up with referred providers to confirm patient appointments and receipt of results.
  • Display ownership of the entire patient experience, including scheduling, registration, lobby awareness, and referral duties.
• Collection of Payment/Cash Handling
  • Convey payment due based on insurance verification and request payment method (cash, check, credit card).
  • Receive and receipt all payments with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter, adhering to finance policies.
  • Maintain and balance cash drawer daily with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter.
• Office Support/Cross Coverage/Confidentiality
  • Date-stamp and deliver incoming patient-related information to appropriate providers/staff daily.
  • Complete basic patient demographic information on forms (e.g., Disability, Workers Comp) before delivering to nurses/providers.
  • Mail outgoing patient information (e.g., lab letters, completed forms) per Bassett policy.
  • Prepare correspondence to patients or other entities as directed by providers/supervisors.
  • Prepare outside patient health information for scanning per Document Imaging procedures.
  • Complete indexing and scanning of hard-copy patient health information into the electronic health record or send to HIM for scanning.
  • Process routine or subpoenaed medical record releases to assigned HIM locations; handle same-day requests for continuity of care.
  • Maintain office supply inventory and required forms for daily operations.
  • Establish and maintain departmental record-keeping and filing systems.
  • Open/close clinics per divisional guidelines, including appropriate hand-offs for 24-hour departments.
  • Cover other locations/departments as requested, performing similar office functions.
  • Adapt to various workflows, processes, and policies to support network operations and patient care.
  • Greet patients in the waiting area and inform them of delays or appointment changes.
  • Identify patients using 2 identifiers (e.g., name, date of birth) per National Patient Safety Goals.
  • Communicate patient issues/concerns to providers.
  • Provide appropriate forms to patients based on appointment type/specialty.
  • Assist patients in navigating all stages of their visit.
  • Access patient health information only for job responsibilities, maintaining confidentiality on a need-to-know basis.
• Professional Development
  • Maintain competency in required programs (clinical information systems, office automation, insurance issues).
  • Attend required in-services and identify needs for computer training/refresher courses.
  • Attend 85-90% of staff meetings, reviewing minutes for missed meetings with no more than 1 unexcused absence per year.
  • Maintain job-specific knowledge (e.g., insurance, scheduling, charge coding) through meetings, training, and documentation.
  • Stay informed about insurance and local carrier medical coverage policies.
  • Attend at least 4 educational opportunities per year (e.g., BIL, PARS).

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED (preferred).
• 2-year/Associate Degree (preferred).
• Minimum one year of relevant work experience (required).
• Minimum one year of customer service experience (preferred).
• An associate degree may substitute for one year of relevant work experience.

Skills

• Proficiency in computer skills.