Administrative Assistant - Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Non-Exempt) (Union)

University of Southern California•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

The Administrative Assistant for the Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic provides administrative and secretarial support to the Doctor and assists with patient care coordination, outpatient clinic scheduling, appointments, and follow-up. The role handles office and clerical duties, including arranging post-surgical follow-up appointments and organizing clinic scheduling and case flow. The Administrative Assistant supports the multidisciplinary team through patient intake and evaluations, serving as a liaison between the clinic and referring physicians. The position also coordinates calendars and daily priorities and contributes to independent and collaborative projects as needed. Additional duties include coordinating treatment authorizations with insurance carriers and medical groups; drafting and transcribing letters; greeting patients professionally; protecting patient confidentiality; processing referrals and preparing patient records and financial clearance information; scheduling evaluations, tests, consultations, and required teaching classes; communicating appointment and case changes; maintaining accurate information in computer systems; preparing charts for clinic and applicable review meetings; providing phone coverage and translation assistance as applicable; and helping cover colleagues’ absences. The role requires the ability to work independently and collaboratively, knowledge of proper chart format, and performance of other duties as assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
24–36 months of administrative or office experience in a medical or clinical setting.
Professional English verbal and written communication skills.
Strong organizational skills.
Computer literacy, including word processing and spreadsheets.
Fire Life Safety Training (LA City); if the applicant does not have a card upon hire, it must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained through renewal before expiration. This requirement applies within LA City only.

Nice To Haves

Specialized or technical training.
Formal secretarial training or equivalent education.
Experience in an acute care or ambulatory care setting.
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Familiarity with word processing, IDX, Cerner, PBAR, and scheduling software.
Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider certification from the American Heart Association.

Responsibilities

Provide administrative and secretarial support to the Doctor in the department or unit.
Assist with patient care, outpatient clinic coordination, patient appointments, and follow-up.
Schedule post-surgical follow-up appointments and organize efficient clinic scheduling and case flow.
Support the multidisciplinary team throughout patient intake and evaluations, acting as a liaison between the clinic and referring physicians.
Coordinate with insurance carriers and medical groups to obtain treatment authorizations for office visits.
Draft and transcribe letters.
Greet patients courteously and professionally and protect patient confidentiality.
Process new referrals in a timely manner, including obtaining outside medical records, entering demographics into computer systems and PBAR, providing records to the physician or multidisciplinary team, submitting insurance information for financial clearance, and scheduling patients.
Schedule patient evaluations in a timely manner while accommodating patient needs, including laboratories, diagnostic testing, and consultations as needed.
Schedule mandatory patient teaching classes and provide appropriate patient instructions.
Notify patients of upcoming appointments and arrange clinic appointments as requested by the physician.
Communicate changes to patient and case information to all involved personnel.
Enter information accurately and thoroughly into Cerner and PBAR.
Work with hospital personnel to resolve issues and accommodate patients.
Prepare charts for clinic, selection committee, and tumor board, if applicable.
Assist with clinic clerical and scheduling needs and provide phone coverage as needed.
Assist with translation as needed, if applicable.
Cover other staff members during sick time, vacation, or leave of absence.
Work independently and as part of a team to complete duties in a timely manner.
Coordinate calendars and daily priorities and participate in independent and collaborative projects as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.