Perioperative Services Practice Assistant BWH

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals to advance our mission as a not-for-profit supporting patient care, research, teaching, and community service. We believe high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us.

About the role

Under the direction of the Senior Operations Manager, the Practice Assistant coordinates the safe, efficient, and effective flow of patients through the Perioperative Services unit, managing forty to sixty daily admissions and discharges. This role involves frequent interaction with anxious perioperative patients, their families, and a multidisciplinary surgical team.

Responsibilities

• Courteously greet patients and family members, complete admission information, correctly identify patients, place armbands, and determine NPO status.
• Notify appropriate nursing staff of patient arrivals (Day Surgery, Pre-op Holding, PACU).
• Assign patients to beds according to the Nurse in Charge’s plan.
• Log patients into Epic accurately for event times and length of stay to ensure correct statistical data and financial reimbursement; correct patient files by deleting discharged patients.
• Prepare and update patient schedules for front desk check-in, pre- and postoperative areas, and PACU; inform personnel of OR time changes.
• Ensure valuables are properly cared for; document family information for physicians and determine discharge transportation for day surgery patients.
• Update families on patient status, changes, and delays; act as liaison among patients, families, and surgical staff.
• Review preoperative charts for abnormal flagged items in Epic; maintain and update MD service lists, radiology, respiratory, EKG technicians, and Anesthesia staff coverage.
• Answer a multi-line telephone within four rings, confirm arrival times, issue preoperative instructions, accept clearance calls from 48 operating rooms, and route calls appropriately.
• Arrange language interpretation for patients and families.
• Maintain par levels for unit supplies (forms, secretarial supplies, respiratory, value links, food, patient-controlled anesthesia, epidural pumps, oximeter probes, EKG supplies).
• Follow up with Clinical Engineering on equipment repairs/replacements and report to the Nurse in Charge.
• Document quality assurance activities for procedures and devices as needed.
• Arrange or directly participate in patient transportation; float to other areas as necessary.
• Perform essential secretarial duties for PACU, Preop, ERU, and OR desks.
• Run reports from Epic to determine out-of-OR patients, flag arrival times, and place reminder calls to surgical patients.
• Escort out-of-OR patients to appointment destinations (Mammography, Nuclear Medicine, CT Scan, Radiology).
• Perform all other assigned duties.

Requirements

• High school diploma (partial college preferred).
• Customer service and secretarial experience in a hospital setting.
• Bilingual skills desirable.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills for high-stress, sensitive interactions with patients and families.
• Knowledge of medical/surgical technology and electronic medical record systems (Epic helpful).
• General computer literacy and data entry skills.
• Self-direction, independent thinking, prioritization, and confidentiality.
• Physical ability to push/pull occupied beds and wheelchairs.

Schedule

• 40 hours per week, evening shift.

Pay

$17.71 - $24.94/hourly (Grade 3). Compensation is based on skills, experience, education, certifications, and other relevant factors. Additional benefits, differentials, premiums, and bonuses may apply.

Work Location: 75 Francis Street (onsite).