Ambulatory Office Assistant I, Little Falls Primary Care

Bassett Healthcare Network•City of Little Falls, NY

20d

About The Position

The Ambulatory Office Assistant I is the first point of contact for patients at Bassett Healthcare Network and a key member of the patient-centered care team. The role provides administrative and, as applicable, clinical support to ambulatory care teams, with a focus on customer service, accurate communication, scheduling, registration, revenue capture, and a high-quality patient experience. Some duties may involve direct patient care. The position supports patients throughout the care process, including greeting and directing them, scheduling appointments and referrals, maintaining accurate demographic and insurance information, preparing charts, rooming patients, documenting clinical information, and coordinating communications with providers and other departments. The assistant may perform point-of-care testing and EKGs, handle payments, process patient records, and maintain clinic supplies and records. The role also requires following organizational procedures and regulatory requirements, completing training and competency activities, and adapting to workflows across locations as needed.

Requirements

Minimum one year of relevant work experience; an associate degree or higher may be substituted.
BLS certification within six months of hire.
Computer skills.
Customer service skills.
Time management skills.
Ability to multitask.
Communication skills.
Ability to meet the stated physical requirements, including exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly; occasional listed movements and constant clerical, computer, sensory, and communication activities.
Ability to work with the stated occasional hazards and environmental conditions.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED.
Customer service experience.
Medical Office Assistant or Medical Assistant license or certification.

Responsibilities

Greet patients courteously, provide new-patient information, answer questions, and direct patients to appropriate clinical locations.
Answer and manage phone calls, take accurate messages and prescription requests, follow up to ensure patient needs are met, and communicate patient issues to nurses and providers.
Keep patients informed about provider delays and maintain their communication preferences for appointment reminders.
Schedule and reschedule appointments according to patient needs and departmental guidelines; offer alternate providers or locations when appropriate and escalate needs that cannot be met.
Complete outpatient registration and maintain accurate demographic, insurance, regulatory, and compliance information in applicable systems.
Support revenue capture by communicating expected copayments, collecting and receipting payments, balancing the cash drawer, and entering charges for supplies and clinical testing.
Process urgent and routine referrals within established timeframes, document required information and prior authorizations, work incoming and outgoing queues, and follow up with referred-to providers regarding appointments and results.
Prepare for provider clinics by reviewing charts and obtaining relevant reports, lab work, films, and other patient information; assess language barriers and arrange authorizations or equipment when needed.
Perform applicable patient-care duties, including rooming and identifying patients, documenting vital signs and intake information, performing point-of-care tests and EKGs, and communicating concerns to providers.
Run controls and maintain log books for point-of-care testing equipment; clean and stock exam rooms and check medications and supplies for expiration and inventory needs.
Prepare medication refill messages and distribute patient literature as needed.
Date-stamp, route, file, scan, index, or prepare patient-related documents and records according to organizational procedures; process medical-record requests or direct them to Health Information Management as appropriate.
Maintain office supplies, forms, filing systems, and departmental records; open or close clinics according to guidelines and complete appropriate hand-offs in 24-hour departments.
Follow procedures for access to secure areas and cover at other locations or departments with orientation as requested.
Attend required in-services and educational opportunities, maintain job-specific knowledge and competencies, and perform similar duties as directed.