Medical Assistant, Community Based Practice

Care New England Health System • Warwick, RI

3d

About The Position

The Medical Assistant supports daily clinical operations for the VNA of Care New England’s Palliative Care team, delivering patient-centered care while performing clinical and administrative tasks. The position reports to the Hospice Director and works under the supervision of licensed healthcare providers to support efficient patient flow and care delivery. Work may take place in the office or include home visits when needed and directed by a manager.

The role involves patient intake, vital signs, medication reconciliation, documentation, procedure support, referrals, scheduling, records management, insurance-related tasks, and coordination among palliative care, Home Health, and Hospice teams. The Medical Assistant may also assist with telehealth visits in the home with manager approval, participate in interdisciplinary huddles, and support patient transitions and follow-up.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Completion of a medical assistant training program and/or at least six months to one year of job-related experience.
• Ability to complete all competencies required for the assigned practice, including vital signs and medication reconciliation.
• Skill using EHR systems, including EPIC and MatrixCare, for accurate and timely documentation.
• Strong interpersonal skills to deliver compassionate care, educate patients, and collaborate effectively with healthcare teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced settings with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy, infection control, HIPAA regulations, and ethical standards.
• Adaptability to changing environments, physical capability, and commitment to ongoing professional development.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with the EPIC electronic medical record system is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform patient identification, vital signs, medication reconciliation, history intake, and documentation in EPIC.
• Assist with procedures, including specimen collection and assistance with activities of daily living in the home setting as needed.
• Obtain prior authorizations for imaging studies, prescribed medications, and other services.
• Prepare charts by reviewing prior documentation, scanning external records, and verifying completeness.
• Follow infection control protocols, including routine disinfection, hand hygiene, and safe handling of medical equipment.
• Coordinate follow-up appointments, confirm patient appointments and locations the day before, review procedure consents with patients, and ensure paperwork is completed and filed.
• Maintain medical supply inventory, report equipment issues, and ensure clinical areas are stocked and ready.
• Protect patient privacy in accordance with HIPAA and institutional policies.
• Perform EPIC duties including patient registration, merging encounters, discharging patients, charge reconciliation, creating new patient records, and updating provider schedule templates.
• Coordinate communication between palliative care and Home Health and Hospice teams.
• Assist with providing social work resources and follow up on faxed recommendations to primary care and referring providers.
• Coordinate home laboratory draws and follow up on hospice requests.
• Request medical records from outside providers and upload or scan records and documents to the chart for provider review, including DPOH, MOLST, and insurance card images.
• Ask insurance questions and route them to the appropriate person when needed; assist with registration issues involving missing insurance information, authorizations, and claims.
• Ensure palliative care referrals are accounted for and assigned.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team huddles or meetings to share updates on patient and family well-being.
• Assist the hospice team with patient transitions and field calls in the office.
• Assist with telehealth visits in the home when needed and with manager approval.
• Demonstrate professionalism, teamwork, and a patient-centered approach in interactions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED