Clinical Office Assistant, Lead

La Clinica de La Raza•Oakland, CA

17h

About The Position

La Clínica de La Raza is seeking a Lead Clinical Office Assistant to help provide culturally appropriate, high-quality, accessible care and a welcoming experience for patients. As a first point of contact, the role combines efficient administrative work with compassionate service to people from diverse backgrounds in a fast-paced clinic environment. The Lead Clinical Office Assistant supports patient-centered care and clinic operations, helping patients navigate appointments, payments, insurance coverage, and health care services. Working with the Clinic Manager or Supervisor, the Lead coordinates Clinical Office Assistant activities, supports and coaches COAs in daily workflows and professional interactions, and helps maintain schedules. The role also serves as a resource for insurance-related processes and supports the section’s Team Based Care approach to patient services and clinic flow. The position requires professionalism, sound judgment, discretion with patient information, and effective collaboration with care teams, Registration staff, patients, and other clinic staff.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of experience in a clinical or similar professional office setting; customer-service roles and continuous volunteer experience will also be considered.
Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Meet all health clearances required for healthcare settings.
Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills in English.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding patient information.
Ability to follow oral and written instructions and perform arithmetic calculations.
Minimum typing speed of 25–30 words per minute.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, complete daily tasks, and perform detailed administrative work methodically, quickly, and accurately.
Ability to identify effective solutions to customer-service problems and demonstrate sound judgment.
Flexibility and ability to accept changes gracefully.
Ability to work professionally and collaboratively in a team and across cultures, and to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

Medical Office Assistant Certification.
Knowledge of Electronic Health Records and Electronic Practice Management systems.

Responsibilities

Welcome patients and visitors, determine the purpose of their visit, and register patients in the appropriate electronic system.
Verify eligibility in government insurance plans and determine patients’ sources of payment.
Collect payment for services, operate the cash register, and maintain an accurate till.
Hear and resolve patient complaints or escalate them to supervisors as appropriate.
Participate in problem-solving to help meet revenue and customer-satisfaction targets.
Answer telephone inquiries, provide information, or route calls to the appropriate person or department.
Schedule, confirm, and process appointments.
Collaborate with Care Teams to help patients meet health goals, including routine health maintenance needs.
Work with Registration staff and leadership to ensure patients have adequate and accurate insurance coverage for visits.
Perform general office duties, including sorting mail, filing, photocopying, receiving and routing messages or documents, and maintaining records.
Retrieve and enter data in the medical records system and help patients complete forms.
Operate standard office equipment, including computers, calculators, fax machines, and copy machines.
Screen and monitor requests and complete or route them as assigned.
Inventory, order, and verify receipt of medical, laboratory, or office supplies and equipment.
Help create a welcoming clinical space and healthy work environment through relationship building, direct communication, and sound judgment.
Communicate and work effectively with care-team members to serve patients.
Participate in huddles, staff meetings, team-building activities, development opportunities, training programs, and case conferences as required.
Follow La Clínica’s ethical and professional standards, policies, and procedures, and complete required trainings and policy acknowledgements on time.
Coordinate Clinical Office Assistant activities in the section in conjunction with the Clinic Manager or Supervisor.
Assist, advise, and coach COAs on day-to-day tasks, workflows, professional interactions, and development.
Maintain COA schedules and share day-to-day COA functions as necessary.
Identify and solve problems in a timely manner, including customer-service-related issues.
Serve as a resource and expert for insurance-related processes, procedures, and questions.
Work with Registration staff to verify insurance coverage and help under- or uninsured patients apply for additional coverage for which they are eligible.
Support the section’s development of Team Based Care and clinic flow.
Participate in interview panels and help resolve patient complaints.
Interact effectively with on-site security staff and serve as a liaison and source of support for section members as needed.
Perform other related duties as required or assigned.
Participate with other staff in Saturday and/or evening rotation as required.