Position Purpose: A nonexempt position responsible for performing a variety of duties depending on whether it is a small clinic, large medical practice, multi-clinic, or a specialty office. They are involved in the clinical care of patients within the clinic, supporting the physicians in every aspect of care, consistent with their credential or license.

PREREQUISITE SKILLS:

• Demonstrated communication skills to effectively communicate with management, providers, and patients.
• Operational knowledge of telephones, fax machines, postage machines, and other office equipment.
• Demonstrated ability in handling patient confidentiality.
• Ability to work with peers in a team situation and create a positive work environment for team members.
• Demonstrate a functional and technical understanding of applicable scheduling and billing software, Intranet and Internet usage, Excel/Word software, E-mail Usage and Web-based applications. Required to check e-mail daily and use as a source of internal and external communication. Required to understand and utilize electronic medical record technology.

Essential Functions:

The following list describes the essential duties of this role. Individuals in this role may not perform all of these duties, or may perform additional, related duties not listed here.

• Fulfills patient care responsibilities as assigned that may include checking schedules and organizing patient flow; accompanying patients to exam/procedure room; assisting patients as needed with walking transfers, dressing, collecting specimens, preparing for exam, etc.; collecting patient history; performing screenings per provider guidelines; assisting physicians/nurses with various procedures; charting; relaying instructions to patients/families; answering calls, and providing pertinent information.
• Fulfills clerical responsibilities as assigned that may include advising business manager of the need to send medical records, receives medical records that have been requested; obtaining lab/X-ray reports, hospital notes, referral information, etc.; completing forms/requisitions as needed; scheduling appointments; verifying patient demographics; managing and updating charts to ensure that information is complete and filed appropriately.
• Fulfills environmental responsibilities as assigned that may include setting up instruments and equipment according to department protocols; cleaning exam/procedure rooms, instruments, and equipment between patient visits to maintain infection control; cleaning sterilizer according to scheduled maintenance program and keeping appropriate records; ordering, sorting, storing supplies with the exception of vaccines; and restocking exam/procedure rooms.
• Fulfills organizational responsibilities as assigned including respecting/promoting patient rights; responding appropriately to emergency codes; sharing problems relating to patients and/or staff with immediate supervisor.
• Fulfills clinical medical assisting responsibilities that within scope of practice as described by nurse practice act, which may include medical/surgical asepsis, sterilization, instrument wrapping and autoclaving; checking vital signs ; physical examination preparations; clinical pharmacology; drug administration through various routes including injections; prescription verifications with physician’s orders; minor surgery assists including surgical tray set-up pre/post-surgical care, applying dressings, and suture removal; biohazard waste disposal and monitoring; therapeutic modalities; instructing patients with assistive devices, body mechanics, and home care; laboratory procedures including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines; quality control methods; CLIA-waived testing; capillary punctures and venipuncture; specimen handling such as urine, throat, vaginal, stool, and sputum; electrocardiography including mounting, emergency triage, and first aid. Medical assistants must adhere to the MA scope of practice in the laboratory.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

Demonstrates the following competencies:

• Demonstrates professional/appropriate dress, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and effective written communication skills
• Understands HIPAA guidelines and regulations, acknowledges patient rights
• Stands as a patient advocate, with appropriate empathy, resolve and respect in communication and actions with patient and family. Recognizes opportunity for improvement regarding patient concerns.
• Demonstrates continual learning, utilizes evidence based practice to affect change.
• Cultivates effective partnerships and collaborations with providers
• Understands IT resources
• Appropriately delegates to ensure optimal operational workflow

Attitude/Customer Competencies

• Caring, compassionate, and approachable in all customer contacts
• Privacy – respects customers’ right to privacy and modesty
• Confidentiality – maintains customers’ confidentiality
• Telephone etiquette – speaks so that customers hear a smile
• Appearance – takes personal ownership in appearance and that of work environment
• Initiative – takes necessary steps to fix problems immediately
• Providing Direction and Customer Acknowledgment – provides personalized attention by being courteous, friendly, and helpful when responding to customers’ needs
• Timely service – recognizes that customers’ time is very valuable; provides them with prompt service
• Customer information/education – provides customers with the best information needed to make informed choices

Relationship Competencies/Work Group Competencies

• Demonstrates advocacy, respect and truth telling
• Demonstrates accountability for own actions
• Demonstrates ability to respectfully address interpersonal conflicts
• Takes initiative to help others
• Demonstrates a learning attitude toward solving problems
• Demonstrates openness to change and new learning
• Reports to work on time and has regular attendance
• Adheres to practice defined dress code
• Attends Staff meetings

Ethical Decision-Making

• Respects the needs, expectations and rights of all individuals
• Advocates the rights of all to a safe environment
• Uses sensitivity to cultural diversity to guide decision-making

Performance Improvement

• Identifies work processes and strives to reduce cost and increase satisfaction
• Identifies customers and demonstrates understanding of customers’ expectations
• Actively works to increase satisfaction of all
• Monitors customers’ satisfaction
• Takes active role in department process improvement efforts; demonstrates understanding of outcomes
• Demonstrates an understanding of responsibilities
• Demonstrates diagnostic thinking/reasoning
• Utilizes feedback from peers, supervisor, customers to drive performance and behaviors
• Prioritizes workplace safety