Cancer Center Medical Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SPECIFIC CORE COMPETENCIES:

• The Certified Medical Assistant performs duties associated with direct patient care.
• The Certified Medical Assistant provides clinical care of patients, supporting the nurse and physicians in every aspect of care, consistent with their credential or license.
• The Certified Medical Assistant understands HIPAA guidelines and regulations, acknowledges patient rights.
• The Certified Medical Assistant cultivates effective partnerships and collaborations with providers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, SKILLS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 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.
• 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 nurse and physician 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 per department protocols; cleaning exam/procedure rooms, instruments, and equipment between patient visits to maintain infection control; cleaning sterilizer per scheduled maintenance program and keeping appropriate records; ordering, sorting, storing supplies except for 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.

EXPECTED BEHAVIORS AND 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.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• CPR required
• High School graduate or GED required.
• Medical Assistant must have graduated from a medical assisting program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
• Certification to work in a clinical role providing direct patient care required.
• BLS certification thru the American Heart Association (AHA) required.
• Minimum of one year of recent experience working in a medical facility as a medical assistant and/or documented evidence of externship completed in a medical office preferred.
• Basic computer skills required.
• Mandatory Annual Continuing Education: Customer Service, Fire and Safety, Confidentiality-HIPAA, Infection Control, Corporate Compliance. Annual Department Specific Competencies, and all education required by regulatory, accreditation bodies and/or Hancock Regional Hospital.
• Knowledge of Electrocardiogram (EKG), spirometry, vital signs, immunizations, and venipuncture.