Sr Medical Assistant Certified - Cancer Center - West/Katy

About the role

At Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group, the Senior Medical Assistant Certified (Sr. MA) position functions as an expert and demonstrates highly competent knowledge in advanced examinations and treatments, communicating appropriately and carrying out delegated medical assistant tasks under the direct supervision of a Physician and/or Registered Nurse for assigned patient populations. The role provides high-quality support of patient care and services, oversees appropriate scope of practice (e.g., Hand Hygiene Validator, EMR super-user), assists with patient examinations, procedures, diagnostic studies, treatment, and dressing changes, and performs general administrative duties in accordance with CLIA, HIPAA, NCQA, government standards, and company policies. The Sr. MA may schedule appointments, ensure medical necessity compliance, verify eligibility for care, and independently serve as a preceptor and clinical resource to Medical Assistants, training and orienting others as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Education: High School diploma or equivalent (e.g., GED, homeschool equivalency, partial or full post-secondary education)
• Experience: Five years of medical assistant experience with highly complex, chronic disease management or in a specialty discipline
• Licenses and Certifications:
  • Required: Certified Medical Assistant through AAMA, NAHP, NCCT, NHA, or Registered Medical Assistant or EMT
  • Required: BLS – Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA)
  • Preferred: CPT – Certified Phlebotomy Technician (ACA)

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform assigned job duties, verified through ongoing assessments and evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential functions, especially regarding patient and employee safety
• Effective communication with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers consistent with customer service focus and positive language principles
• Knowledge of medical practice and patient care; ability to assist with examinations, diagnostic and treatment procedures, and medical equipment/instruments
• Skill in developing and maintaining clinical quality assurance to ensure accurate medical records
• Learning attitude toward problem solving with good reasoning and judgment
• Provides safe, patient-centered, compassionate, and competent care
• Proficient in computer skills for documentation and work-related purposes
• Completes required continuous training and education, including department-specific requirements; maintains current certifications
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with patients, medical staff, coworkers, and the public
• Works effectively in team situations and understands patient population clinical disease processes
• Demonstrates advanced assessment competencies appropriate for level of practice

Essential Functions

People

• Role models and promotes a positive work environment that assists the interprofessional care team to achieve optimal department results
• Contributes to the work effort by leading and initiating problem resolution within the work unit
• Facilitates teamwork by anticipating needs for assistance and responding positively to requests
• Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional healthcare team by communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information comprehensively
• Teaches peers to critically think by verbally expressing rationale for decisions and follows up consistently
• Facilitates open, professional communication to achieve mutual understanding, role modeling by example
• Independently executes preceptor duties and serves as a clinical resource using advanced skills and competencies
• Guides and mentors colleagues through their thought processes to provide optimal patient care
• Provides structured feedback with examples

Service

• Provides care to clinic patients under the direct supervision of a Physician, Registered Nurse, or clinic leadership
• Completes pre-visit planning workflow prior to visits whenever possible, including completing and/or requesting appropriate documentation
• In collaboration with the provider team, anticipates the needs of the specific patient population
• Communicates with patients, obtains and documents vital signs (pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure, weight, height), chief complaints, performs medication review, and discusses/reviews medical and social history as appropriate
• Documents in the patient’s electronic medical record all care administered, diagnostic measurements, treatments, and procedures in accordance with established policies
• Follows up with patients as appropriate to ensure compliance with recommendations, medications, lab/x-ray results, special visits, PCP visits, dieticians, diabetes educators, etc.
• Ensures patient utilization and activation of MyChart
• Provides care coordination with hospital, ED, consulting physicians, and/or community resources as appropriate, including handling patient inquiries
• Role models behaviors and skills through peer-to-peer accountability to improve department patient satisfaction scores

Quality/Safety

• Reports observations, conditions, and problems of patients to the physician and/or nurse
• Recognizes abnormal clinical findings and reports them appropriately
• Provides for patient and family privacy while keeping patient safety in mind
• Accurately performs routine tests such as EKG, rapid strep, urinalysis, and urine pregnancy tests
• Sterilizes instruments and equipment; prepares, cleans, and maintains exam and treatment rooms, supplies, and equipment

Finance

• Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies
• Responsible for stocking exam rooms, taking inventory, and ordering supplies
• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, minimizing incidental overtime
• Role models effective time management and coordinates colleagues to meet overall department demands

Growth/Innovation

• Develops skills of team members and assists with improving skills, performance, and outcomes
• Actively participates in professional development and department-based educational activities
• Offers innovative solutions through participation in performance improvement activities
• Completes and updates My Development plan on an ongoing basis

Supplemental Requirements

• Work Attire: Uniform: Yes; Scrubs: Yes; Business professional: No; Other (department approved): Yes
• On-Call: No
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes; May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: No