Medical Office Assistant - Harm Reduction Clinic$17 - $20Report to : Specialties Dep SupervisorPOSITION SUMMARY:Coordinates clerical aspects of patient services to ensure completeness and continuity of care for BNHC's substance use disorder treatment program, the Harm Reduction Clinic (HRC).The HRC Clinical Secretary is responsible for all functions performed during the patient check-in to clinical areas and the check-out process and must bring a friendly, nonjudgmental demeanor to their work. Tasks include, but are not limited to, scheduling follow-up appointments, patient registration, collecting copays, and posting daily encounters, taking and returning patient phone calls and handling other patient correspondence, and mailing/faxing medical information to consultants. Works collaboratively with HRC nurses to communicate any reported issues with patient prescriptions. The HRC Clinical Secretary will schedule internal referral appointments regularly, and external appointments, including authorizations, as needed. They will also help the HRC team in the completion of Department of Public Health required office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) paperwork.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:- Telephone calls - answers calls, assists the caller, forwarding the call as needed. Overall service to the caller to completion.
- Internal appointments - schedules patients for follow-up and specialist visits at health center
- Referral appointments - schedules referral appointments for the patients at the referral specialties/facilities. Whenever possible, appointments are made with patient present. Provides patient referral information to the referred facility in accordance with the patient's insurance plan. Liaison between BNHC, referral facility/specialty and the patient. Consults with other clinical staff as needed. Gives complete, accurate, and adequate information to the referred facility and to the patients, including written and oral.
- Referral tracking - maintains a tracking system of all external and internal referrals. Follow up on appointments as needed.
- Check-in - patients checked from the registration areas into the specific waiting areas prior to being seen by their providers. Waiting room monitored. Patients and providers will be notified of any delays in scheduled appointments.
- Copay collection - collects any additional patient copays and deductibles. Balances daily cash drawer and credit card receipts.
- Communication - Serves as liaison between BNHC clinical areas, patients and other agencies to ensure continuity of patients' care. Any patient issues received via telephone, voicemail, letters, or walk-ins will be communicated to providers.
- Forms - Assists with any patient correspondence as directed, including OBOT forms.
- Reporting - may be required to gather clinical information for reporting needs.
- Interprets - may be called without notice to assist providers with interpreting.
- Equipment & software - ensures proper use of all office equipment (fax, copier, PC, email, practice management software, printers, phones, voicemail, etc) in accordance with office policy. Maintains proper supplies for its use. Immediately reports any malfunction.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities:- May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head.
- Attend meetings and seminars to keep abreast of changing needs within the industry and department.
Professional Behavior:- Brings a caring, nonjudgmental demeanor to work everyday
- Maintains a professional environment in a multi-provider, multidiscipline organization.
- Maintains a patient centered environment to ensure patients' continuity of care; advocate for patients.
- Positive attitude towards co-workers and other health center departments.
- Performs tasks within the scope of secretarial standards.
- Demonstrates characteristics of accountability and responsibility.
- Is reliable and dependable as demonstrated by excellent attendance, punctuality, and thorough follow through of work tasks.
- Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
- Maintains discretion of conversation in work areas.
- Is pleasant, courteous, and considerate of patients and co-workers. Interacts properly and professionally with patients and other co-workers.
- Demonstrates ability to prioritize demands, work with distractions, adapt to change, exercise efficient time management, and work independently.
- Demonstrates good communication skills.
- Maintains appropriate chain of command.
- Attends meetings
QUALITY ASSURANCE/IMPROVEMENT:- Participates in the betterment of the health center through studies and reviews as necessary.
- Goal setting - continually assess personal, team and organization goals.
TEAMWORK ORIENTATION:- Maintains and encourages teamwork.
- Maintains consistent effort to further goals by modifying and/or improving individual procedures and tasks.
- Conflict Management
- Demonstrates and implements effective problem solving.
- Identify and report task and/or operational problems.
- Manages conflict with staff appropriately.
- Maintains good communication skills.
- Participates in orientation of new staff and/or students.
QUALIFICATIONS:- Graduate of a medical secretary program preferred.
- High School graduate or equivalent.
- Willingness and ability to learn all aspects of job requirements.
- High level of interpersonal and professional skills.
- Bilingual required.
MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE:Demonstrates knowledge of:
- Moderate computer skills.
- Proper telephone etiquette.
- Good customer service skills.
- Basic knowledge of managed care.
- Knowledge of insurance plans.
WORKING CONDITIONS:Works in a busy community health center in a high crime, urban neighborhood. Interruptions are present and can be disruptive to work flow. Stress is present due to high volume of work, diversified nature of activities and frequent crises and deadlines. Performs other employee duties to cover for staff absences. Works overtime as needed for emergencies or to meet project deadlines.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:Mostly sitting and walking. Physical demands require lifting small office supplies (not over 25 lbs.), mostly sedentary with some walking within office and to and from other departments. Visual acuity sufficient for frequent reading. Hearing acuity sufficient for holding conversations with or without audio devices.
About us: BNHC is a multicultural organization that collaborates with community agencies and residents to provide high quality comprehensive health care. We are committed to health promotion and disease prevention. BNHC began providing services in 1994 in a mobile medical van operating out of a church parking lot. Since then, the center has rapidly grown to provide desperately needed services to low-income and marginalized populations in the greater Brockton area. BNHC is committed to providing care that is responsive to community health needs and is linguistically, culturally and financially accessible. BNHC serves an extremely diverse patient population including Brazilian, Cape Verdean, Haitian, Latino, Portuguese, African American and Caucasian, 77% of whom live in poverty.
BNHC is committed to providing a safe and heathy environment for patients and staff. As a condition of employment, employees, to include new hires, are required to be fully vaccinated to include the most recent COVID 19 booster and annual flu vaccines, with the exception of those who have documented medical or religious exemptions, that must be approved by BNHC according to its protocols. Additional vaccines may be required based on the recommendation of the CDC. New hires who are not yet vaccinated for flu or COVID can arrange to be vaccinated on site.