MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT

JOB SUMMARY: The Medical Office Assistant will provide a variety of clerical duties associated with patient care. The Medical Office Assistant maintains a pleasant, courteous and cooperative manner with patients, visitors and Center's personnel.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Greets, registers, and receives all patients, visitors, and staff in a professional and courteous manner. Ascertains nature of business and directs patients, visitors, staff or callers to appropriate department or person.
• Answers telephone and gives information to callers, screens and route calls to appropriate destination in a courteous, professional, and efficient manner. Obtains and records caller's name, time of call, nature of business, and person called upon.
• Schedules patient appointments for provider. Prepare daily appointment schedule printout for provider(s).
• Retrieve patient charts for office visits, doctors' or nurses' telephone calls requiring patient's information.
• Interviews patients to obtain demographic data on initial office visit. Update patient demographical data and proof of income every six months or as necessary.
• Reviews patients and appropriate family members’ income to determine qualification for sliding fee scale adjustments.
• Generates encounter forms. Assembles medical record charts (if new patient) or retrieve charts, place encounter forms on charts and route to nurses’ station. Places charts in sequence for provider examination or treatment.
• Keeps patient records accurately identified.
• Checks charts daily for incomplete histories and brings same to the attention of the appropriate member of the health care team for correction.
• Receives and processes patient payments. Reconciles payment receipts by matching receipts against money sheets and entry sessions total on computer terminals at the end of each day. Prepares, mails and maintain records for insurance claims process.
• Prepares deposit slip and secure for transport to account receivable.
• Match encounter forms at the end of day and have duplicates made as necessary.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient's medical information and work materials as appropriate.

The above reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and shall not be considered a detailed description of all work that may be assigned by the supervisor or that may be inherent in the position.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Maintains reception area in neat and orderly condition at all times.

2. Prompt arrival and regular attendance at work.

• May perform work of a higher level in preparation for increased responsibility.
• Responsible for incoming mail and outgoing mail distribution for assigned department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION REQUIREMENTS: Must provide the very best customer satisfaction to patients, visitors, and co-worker at all time in a professional and courteous manner. Doing things right the first time. Making people feel welcome. Shows respect for each customer. Anticipate customer needs and concerns. Keeps customers informed. Helping and going the extra mile. Respond quickly. Protect privacy and confidentiality. Demonstrate proper telephone etiquette. Take responsibility for handling complaints. Be professional. Taking ownership of your attitude toward Service Excellenc

PRIVACY RULE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Adheres to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA Privacy Rule) policies and procedures.
• Must successfully complete Privacy Rule compliance training annually or as revisions are made to the policies and procedures.
• Must comply with Privacy Rule guidelines by learning to protect FPHC patient’s medical privacy.
• Must comply with Privacy Rule guidelines by appropriately maintaining our patient information in compliance with national standards.

5. Must comply with Privacy Rule guidelines by providing appropriate security of FPHC patient records

HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: The health and safety requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

1. Must adhere to safety regulations, personnel policies and procedures.

2. Must receive Safety and Hazardous Communication training annually.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS: Performance will be evaluated by the Office Manager or designee annually wherein an overall satisfactory rating is considered as a minimum acceptable level of performance.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: 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 and public relations skills are required. Good communication skills

EXPERIENCE: One or more years work experience in medical setting with knowledge of medical terminology and CPT coding helpful. Insurance billing work experience for Medicaid, Medicare, and other third party insurance carriers.

SKILLS: Medical terminology, CPT and ICD-9 coding experience. Good human relations skills to deal effectively with patients/visitors in person or via telephone. Keyboard, insurance billing and medical records experience required. Operate a multi-line telephone, copier, adding machine, fax machine and other office equipment.

CERTIFICATION, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: 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 copier, computer terminals and keyboards, telephones, calculators or fax machines. Requires normal vision range. Requires frequent standing, sitting, bending, stooping or stretching.