Medical Assistant

Neighborhood Health seeking

Medical Assistants

Neighborhood Health is an innovative network of 11 community health centers in Nashville, Gallatin, and Lebanon, Tennessee. We provide comprehensive primary care, integrated behavioral health, and dental services to almost 30,000 patients. Our patients primarily include immigrants, residents of public housing, individuals experiencing homelessness, and person living with addiction. As a federally qualified health center, we provide care without regard to health insurance or a patient’s ability to pay. We also strive to improve our Patient Centered Medical Home model to ensure all patients get the right high-quality care, at the right place and the right time.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Medical Assistant is a member of the clinical team, working closely with the front office, other medical assistants and nurses and providers to assure that patients are seen as quickly and efficiently as possible and provided the full range of primary and preventive care of the highest quality as established by protocol in a sensitive manner. Position may be assigned a specific range of duties to improve customer service, efficiency and assure quality of patient care. Must be able to work in a Patient Centered Medical Home model. Must facilitate partnerships between patients, physicians and health teams with focus on care coordination and integration of treatment internally and externally. Must work diligently to assure that services are accessible, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective. Must be committed to eliminating barriers to care that is centered on the needs and convenience of patients above all other factors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Perform initial patient work-up

• Monitor the front office to assure that patients are moved from the waiting room as soon after they complete registration as possible
• Take and record vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, etc.
• Take history and/or presenting problem
• Chaperon and/or assisting providers.
• Perform foot checks, Prime MD, immunizations, injections, EKGs, etc.
• Make referral and follow-up phone calls
• Complete all charting requirements

B. Assist Provider

• Assist provider in making the patient visit efficient, sensitive and thorough
• Assist provider in procedures including pelvic exams, suturing, etc.
• Respond to provider requests promptly and efficiently
• Assist provider with translation in patient care, if bilingual

C. Perform basic lab work

• Collect laboratory specimens, cultures, UA’s, pap, etc. and perform tests or send to lab
• Draw blood specimen and send to lab
• Order labs by paper or computer with accurate billing information
• Maintain labs and paper work
• Lab upkeep, sterilization, cleaning, etc.
• Follow-up on labs by filing in charts, routing to provider, scheduling referrals and follow-up, etc.
• Give out/send prescriptions

D. Maintain needed charts and documents

• Place needed forms in chart for completion including foot check, prime MD, and other preventive health screening tools
• Pull, file, and copy charts
• File lab results, referrals and other documentation in patient charts

E. Maintain supplies and equipment

• Keep assigned person informed of needed supplies in a timely way
• Maintain exam rooms clean and well stocked and well-organized for procedures
• Inform appropriate person if machines malfunction, scales not calibrated, etc.

F. Member of Health Care Team

• Maintain a warm and professional demeanor
• Maintain cultural sensitivity to a diverse customer and team composition
• Act as a team member
• Take initiative in assisting other team members during lulls in one’s assigned duties
• Understand and comply with JCAHO patient safety standards including read-back, repeat orders, abbreviation use, etc.
• Understands and complies with MSDS and UNHS policies; OSHA’s Blood-borne Pathogen Standard and other OSHA safety measures; infection-control precautions; and HIPAA and patient confidentiality standards
• Understands and applies knowledge of age appropriate care
• Keep abreast of insurance and TennCare information as it affects services
• Participate in continuing education and staff meetings and committees as requested
• Participate in cross-training to assure ability to move among clinic support positions
• Assist all sites in necessary staffing as requested
• Act as a team member promoting Patient Centered Health Home Philosophy and Practice
• Related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• One to two years of medical assistant experience or a combination of education and experience that results in required competencies or successful completion of educational training as medical assistant is preferred; Medical Assistant training by accredited school is required.
• Good computer, spelling, filing and other general office skills
• Good basic reading, writing and math skills
• Good basic technical knowledge and skills related to clinical duties
• Ability to speak clearly and to use tact, discretion and sensitivity with patients
• Ability to deal courteously and efficiently with providers, referral sources and other business representatives.
• Ability to use discretion in handling confidential information
• A strong focus on quality service; previous customer service experience a plus
• Proven success in a fast paced environment requiring multi-tasking skills
• Ability to work effectively in environments reflecting great diversity of ethnicity and income
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred, not required

SALARY GRADE AND CLASSIFICATION: Non-exempt

RESPONSIBLE TO: Clinic Director, Chief Operating Officer, Provider, or other senior staff member

DECISION-MAKING: Moderate supervision to minimal with competency and experience

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT

• Report to work at location as assigned
• Requires continual movement with limited lifting
• Have sufficient manual dexterity to operate telephone system. computer keyboard, copier, fax or other office or medical equipment
• Be sufficiently mobile (standing and reaching) to access and utilize required equipment, supplies and resource material with reasonable accommodation
• Possess sufficient vision and hearing acuity to see and hear callers, team members and patients with reasonable accommodation.
• The medical assistant works in an environment with limited physical effort and limited clinical safety hazards

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None

EOE