Medical Assistant II

Merrimack Health•Andover, MA

About The Position

The Medical Assistant II takes a proactive approach to using available resources to serve patients and provides general front- and back-office administrative support to professional staff. The role assists providers with the clinical care and treatment of patients and requires competency in patient-care skills within the employee’s scope of practice and in accordance with organizational policies, accrediting bodies, and licensing requirements. Working within a team model, the Medical Assistant II helps improve the patient experience, communication, access to care, and patient satisfaction. The position communicates with patients and families, schedules appointments and referrals, documents interactions, rooms patients, prepares treatment rooms, gathers clinical information and vital signs, and assists providers with examinations, procedures, specimens, and patient education. It also supports medical-record and software workflows, prior authorizations, referrals, supply management, quality activities, and emergency response. The Medical Assistant II serves as a preceptor for Medical Assistant I and participates in continuing education and clinical development.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Demonstrated medical assistant competencies or equivalent medical assistant experience gained through a medical assistant certificate, an associate degree in Medical Assisting, CNA or LNA qualification, EMT qualification, PCT certificate, or graduation from an accredited Medical Assistant Program.
At least one cumulative year of experience as a Medical Assistant.
Demonstrated strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to work well as a member of a team.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in an ambulatory or specialty practice setting.
Computer skills.
Bilingual speaking ability in Spanish and English.

Responsibilities

Communicate with patients and families in person and by telephone, including greeting them, identifying oneself by name and role, and retrieving and returning calls promptly.
Follow telephone-screening guidelines, identify patient health concerns, direct calls, and triage calls with appropriate action.
Schedule patient appointments and referrals according to scheduling guidelines and patient needs, and clearly document appointment reasons.
Document patient interactions accurately and promptly.
Room patients and prepare examination rooms, including stocking and cleaning them.
Clean and prepare instruments for sterilization and safely manage sharps containers, including replacing, packaging, transporting, and discarding full containers.
Interview patients and obtain and document information relevant to patient care and medication management.
Measure and document blood pressure, apical pulse, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry, and temperature accurately.
Generate intake information and record basic details about presenting and previous conditions.
Prepare patients for physical examinations, assist providers with procedures, and collect and label provider-ordered specimens.
Scan appropriate information into patient medical records and perform basic chart scrubbing before visits.
Review whether preventive measures, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, are up to date.
Use EMR, email, registries, portals, and other software according to established protocols for documentation, responding to requests, and initiating appropriate tests and orders.
Maintain clinical proficiency and demonstrate practice-specific competencies.
Reinforce patient and family education and identify opportunities for additional education.
Handle medication and procedure prior authorizations and maintain proper documentation.
Keep service areas orderly and stocked; manage clinical supplies to ensure stock is current, properly stored and labeled, and maintained at par levels.
Act as a preceptor for Medical Assistant I.
Participate in clinical development projects and support quality activities.
Identify emergent situations and communicate with the clinical manager for interventions; function appropriately in emergencies relevant to the role.
Handle patient complaints or negative feedback professionally and direct them to the manager or director as appropriate.
Assist with patient referrals and document them appropriately.
Support teamwork and professional relationships within the organization.
Participate in continuing education to enhance knowledge and skills and maintain certification status.
Perform job-specific requirements and other duties as assigned.