Medical Assistant

Back Office Medical Assistant

Back Office Medical Assistant reports to the office manager. The position encompasses both administrative and clinical aspects of medical assisting. It includes, performing check-in/check-out functions, answering phone calls, verifying insurance benefits, scheduling and confirming appointments, collecting copays, deductibles, and co-insurances, rooming patients, interviewing and giving instructions to patients as directed by physician or physician assistant or nurse practitioner, handling incoming and outgoing correspondence with other providers or pharmacies, processing requests for medical records, obtaining vitals and other pertinent patient information, assisting providers with exams and procedures, and performing diagnostic testing.

Responsibilities include:

• Greets patients and performs Check-in/Check-out procedures in an accurate and timely manner. Collects co-pays and outstanding patient balances, prints orders and educational materials for patients, schedules procedures, obtains insurance card and payment guarantor information, and checks insurance eligibility.
• Answers phone calls in a timely manner, schedules appointments, and maintains assigned clinical inboxes in athenaClinicals electronic medical record system. Demonstrates phone etiquette in accordance with Panoramic Health standards of behavior.
• Rooms patients and completes full patient intake, including vitals, allergies, medication reconciliation, and recording recent flu and pneumonia vaccinations. Assess patient symptoms, reactions, and physical condition. Records all data in athenaClinicals.
• Ability to effectively determine response priority and level for patient telephone calls and patient portal messages, consult with physician or physician assistant or nurse practitioner and document appropriately.
• Responsible for collecting specimens and following CLIA regulations.
• May assist with facilitating referrals to specialty care, imaging or laboratory studies as ordered by the physician or physician assistant or nurse practitioner. Coordinates with others to make sure patient is appropriately set up for any required lab studies or imaging.
• Calls patients with test results or instructions as provided by the physician or physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
• Prepares for patient office visits and prepare lab work in patient charts. Makes patient reminder calls for lab work (2) two weeks prior to patient appointments.
• Scans and attaches patient medical records and administrative documents in athenaClinicals. Reviews and processes incoming faxes and flow labs that are not electronically sent.
• May participate in preparing payment batches and maintaining accurate office cash transactions.
• Processes medication authorizations and refills. Organizes drug sample closet and discards expired medications appropriately.
• Reschedule patients as appropriate by maintaining athenaclinicals automated appointment scheduling reminder system. Maintain appointment waitlist and schedule appointment from waitlist when feasible.
• Exercises sound judgment when dealing with challenging and stressful situations.
• May occasionally act as a trainer for other medical support staff or students.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required, assigned, or requested.

Qualifications:

• Completion of an accredited Medical Assistant program.
• Current Medical Assistant Certification by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Certified or other equivalent certification organization highly preferred.
• Current CPR certification preferred.
• At least 1-year of relevant medical assistant experience in a physician office.
• Broad understanding of clinical operations and physician office practice.
• Nephrology medical office or dialysis experience highly preferred.
• athenaClinicals electronic health record experience.
• Experience with other secure clinical communication and billing applications such as PMD soft.
• Ability to perform basic patient data entry into athenaClinicals electronic health record and use Microsoft Office suite.
• Skill in use of computer, calculator, copy machine.
• Basic knowledge of correct English usage, spelling, and punctuation.
• Basic knowledge of modern office practices, materials, and procedures.
• Basic knowledge of medical examination, diagnostic and treatment room procedures.
• Basic knowledge of insurance requirements and procedures.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Proficient with general math skills.
• Comply with all HIPAA, OSHA, Compliance, and IT standards and policies.