Ambulatory Office Assistant I

Bassett Healthcare • Middleburgh, NY

67d • $16 - $25

About The Position

The Ambulatory Office Assistant I serves as the first point of contact for patients within the Bassett Healthcare Network. This is a key role in the patient centered care team. Demonstrates excellence in all patient and customer encounters including face-to-face and telephone interactions. Assures that a high quality patient experience takes place by providing administrative and/or clinical support to ambulatory patient care teams through excellent customer service, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills. Responsible for providing clear, accurate, timely communication to nurses and providers regarding patients. Responsible for accurate, appropriate scheduling of patients for optimum care and provider efficiency. Responsible for collecting demographic and financial information during the scheduling and/or registration processes to ensure full and timely revenue capture. May have direct revenue responsibility through payment collection, cash handling, processing of insurance eligibility and managed care information. May also have direct patient care responsibilities.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED, preferred
• Minimum one year relevant work experience (Associates degree or higher may be substituted), required
• Customer service experience, preferred
• Medical Office Assistant or Medical Assistant, preferred
• BLS certification within 6 months of date of hire

Nice To Haves

• Customer Service
• Time Management
• Multi-Tasking
• Communication

Responsibilities

• Receives and greets every patient in a courteous and friendly manner using a welcoming positive tone, words and actions.
• Ensures new patients are provided with Welcome to Bassett Network information.
• Raises up emergent situations or expressed patient problems directly to Supervisor or Supervising Nurse for assistance.
• Answers phones within 3 rings using a 3-part greeting (Name of Dept, your name, 'How may I help you?').
• Ends calls by asking patient if there is anything else we can do for them today as observed by Supervisor and as noted in compliance reports.
• Takes clear, complete and accurate phone messages, (and follows up on these messages to make sure the patients needs are met) or prescription requests using the electronic medical record messaging system.
• Offers patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett.
• Pro-actively keeps patients informed of any delays in their providers schedules that may impact their time to be seen.
• Ensures patient preferences for communication are up to date.
• Obtains all information necessary to complete the outpatient registration process assuring demographic and insurance information is correct and is entered or scanned into the system accurately as monitored by system audit.
• Accurate confirmation of attending PCP and Billing PCP, when appropriate.
• Assures correct data capture and data entry (such as MSPQ) necessary for regulatory agencies and compliance requirements is accurate and complete as monitored by systems audits.
• Maintains required level of knowledge and proficiency in all core functions of front desk services as measured by system audits.
• Supports the collection of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures and form processing to meet Medicare regulations.
• Ensures all corrections (demographics, insurance eligibility etc. based on the missing items work-queue) are made in the appropriate Bassett system within 24 hours of system notifications.
• Answers questions from patients regarding the organization and/or services, and provides directions to the appropriate clinical location as necessary.
• Listens to patient's request for an appointment, then schedules an outpatient appointment to meet the patient's needs while following department scheduling guidelines.
• Reminds patients that the collection of their co-pay will be expected at the time of the visit.
• When scheduling, utilizes all available functions to ensure that the best possible appointment selection is made for business operations and patient satisfaction.
• Performs edits of daily appointment schedules at the request of their Supervisor.
• May review the electronic Confirm List daily, to confirm appointments with patients 24-72 hours in advance of appointment.
• Processes electronic or written requests for urgent referrals same day.
• Displays ownership of the entire patient experience, including but not limited to, scheduling, registration, being aware of the patients' lobby experience, and completion of all referral duties.
• Performs chart review in preparation for providers clinic.
• Prepares medication refill messages by obtaining all required information per provider and departmental guidelines.
• Distributes patient literature as necessary.
• Performs all point of care testing as necessary per department.
• Runs controls on point of care testing equipment and ensures log books are updated appropriately.
• Performs EKG's per departmental protocol.
• Greet patient as observed by supervisor and/or peer review, and rooms patient as soon as possible and escorts to exam room.
• Patient is identified using 2 identifiers, such as name and date of birth.
• Documents with accuracy patient work-up information, such as vital signs, intake questions etc.
• Utilizes the EMR clinical documentation system in support of patient care duties.
• Cleans and stocks exam rooms on a daily basis or according to need.
• Checks medications and supplies for out-dates according to standards set forth by clinical area.
• Monitors supply levels to improve inventory control.
• Enters charges for supplies and clinical testing.
• Conveys to patient what payment is due based on Insurance Card or Insurance Verification system.
• Receive and receipt all payments in accordance with finance policy and procedures.
• Maintain and balance cash drawer daily in accordance with finance policy and procedures.
• Date stamps in all incoming patient related information and delivers to appropriate provider or staff person for action on a daily basis.
• Completes all basic patient demographic information on forms before delivering to nurse or provider to complete.
• Mails outgoing patient information such as lab letters and completed forms in accordance with Bassett policy.
• Assists with routing forms to appropriate Bassett department.
• Prepares correspondence to patients and/or other entities as directed by providers or supervisors.
• Prepares outside patient health information for scanning per Document Imaging procedures.
• May complete indexing and scanning of hard-copy patient health information into electronic health record.
• Sends requests for routine or subpoenaed medical record releases to assigned HIM location for processing.
• Maintain appropriate inventory of office supplies and required forms for daily operations following established procedures.
• Establishes and maintains departmental record keeping and filing systems.
• Opens and/or closes clinic per divisional guidelines.
• Following proper procedures for accessing secure areas.
• Covers at other locations or departments, with orientation, as requested performing like office functions.
• Ability to adapt to various work-flows, processes and policies to support the operations and patient care throughout the network.
• Attends required in-services as requested by supervisor.
• Identifies need for computer training or refresher courses and attends as necessary.
• Maintains job specific knowledge and proficiency by attending meetings, training and reading all pertinent training documentation and memos.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge and understanding of insurance and local carrier's medical coverage policies as they relate to the appointment.
• Maintains job specific knowledge and proficiency by attending meetings, training and reading all pertinent training documentation and memos.
• Required to attend at least 4 educational opportunities per year.
• Performs similar or related duties as requested or directed.

Benefits

• Paid time off, including company holidays, vacation, and sick time
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Life insurance and disability protection
• Retirement benefits including an employer match

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees