Ophthalmic Assistant (30 hours/week Everett)

About the Role

The Ophthalmic Assistant performs a wide range of clinical and technical duties to support the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of eye conditions under the direct supervision of the Department Manager and guidance of the provider. This role assists medical providers by delivering high-quality ophthalmic care, performing essential diagnostic testing, and ensuring efficient clinic operations. The Ophthalmic Assistant collaborates closely with providers and clinical staff to facilitate smooth patient visits, enhance workflow efficiency, and contribute to excellent patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Reviews scheduled appointments to determine clinic workflow, greets and escorts patients to examination rooms, and prepares them for evaluations or procedures.
• Obtains and documents comprehensive ocular and systemic histories, allergies, medications, and all relevant clinical information in the electronic medical record.
• Performs vision screening and essential ophthalmic testing, including:
  • Distance and near visual acuity (with and without correction)
  • Stereopsis and color vision
  • Extraocular motility and pupil assessments
  • Confrontation visual fields and tonometry using all approved methods
  • Slit lamp assistance, manual and automatic lensometry
• Conducts additional technical procedures under provider direction, such as:
  • Manual and automatic keratometry, retinoscopy, refractometry
  • Potential Acuity Meter testing and visual field testing
  • Fundus and anterior segment photography, external photography
  • A-scan and B-scan ultrasonography
  • Contact lens removal, cleaning, and insertion
• Completes advanced imaging as ordered, including:
  • OCT, Optos imaging, Pentacam
  • Fluorescein Angiography, IOL Master biometry
  • Goldmann Visual Fields, diabetic retinal photography
• Administers ophthalmic medications such as drops and ointments as ordered by the provider.
• Supports therapeutic procedures including foreign body removal.
• Provides scribing support by accurately documenting provider-dictated findings, assessments, treatment plans, and orders into the electronic medical record.
• Scans, uploads, and maintains accurate clinical documentation in alignment with Kaiser Permanente standards.
• Assists during minor surgical, laser, and other ophthalmic procedures by preparing sterile and clean equipment, setting up procedure trays, and monitoring patient needs while adhering to sterile technique.
• Cleans, maintains, and calibrates ophthalmic instruments such as slit lamps, lenses, ophthalmoscopes, and diagnostic devices.
• Packages and sterilizes reusable instruments; arranges repairs or recalibration when needed.
• Ensures all supplies, instruments, and medications are properly stocked, sterile, and ready for use.
• Maintains exam and treatment rooms by cleaning and arranging equipment and supplies, requiring regular bending, reaching, and lifting up to 45 pounds.
• Receives and responds to calls, messages, and clinical inquiries in accordance with scope and workflow protocols.
• Provides clear instructions regarding medications, diagnostic procedures, and follow-up care.
• Coordinates care across ophthalmology, optometry, optical services, pharmacy, family medicine, and other Kaiser Permanente departments.
• Addresses patient concerns directly when appropriate or routes them to the proper personnel or department for resolution.
• Performs administrative tasks including scheduling appointments, answering phones, taking messages, documenting visits, maintaining departmental logs, assisting with supply ordering, and transporting equipment or patients as needed.
• Uses the electronic medical record accurately for documentation, workflow tasks, and communication.
• Adheres to all Kaiser Permanente quality, safety, infection-prevention, emergency preparedness, and confidentiality policies.
• Ensures patient safety through proper medication handling, equipment use, fall prevention practices, infection control standards, and consistent use of two patient identifiers and procedural time outs.
• Reports safety hazards, incidents, and unsafe conditions promptly.
• Completes all required Kaiser Permanente training, including classroom instruction, reading assignments, competency validation, and the Independent Study Course for Ophthalmic Assistants.
• Performs patient care under direct supervision during the training period and demonstrates required skills through competency check-offs.
• May participate in orienting and training new employees.
• Demonstrates service behaviors aligned with the Kaiser Permanente Service Quality Credo and Mission, providing culturally responsive and inclusive service to patients, colleagues, and contracted partners.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned to support clinical operations.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) required.
• Registered Medical Assistant (Washington) or Medical Assistant Certificate (Washington) within 2 months of hire.
• Basic Life Support certification within 2 months of hire.
• Demonstrated customer service skills and customer focus abilities.
• Computer experience in a MS Windows environment; keyboarding skills.
• Strong written and verbal skills for patient history assessment, medical record documentation, and patient/family education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Six months to one year of previous experience as an Ophthalmic Assistant.
• Experience working with contact lens patients and products.
• Experience working in an ophthalmology or optometry practice.
• General medical knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, anatomy, physiology, systemic diseases, ocular diseases, ocular emergencies, and metric conversion fundamentals of microbial control.
• Graduate of an accredited medical assistant, ophthalmic assistant, or allied health professional program.

Schedule

• Part-time, 30 hours per week.
• Shift: Day, Monday through Friday.
• Working hours: 07:30 AM to 06:00 PM.

Pay

$24.28 - $40.79 per hour. Kaiser Permanente strives to offer a market competitive total rewards package and is committed to pay equity and transparency. The posted pay range is based on possible base salaries for the role and does not reflect the full value of our total rewards package. Actual base pay determined at offer will be based on labor market data, internal alignment, and a candidate's years of relevant work experience, education, certifications, skills, and geographic location.

Location

• Primary Location: Everett Medical Center, Everett, Washington.
• Travel: Up to 25% of the time.
• Work Setting: Onsite.