Medical Assistant

MyMichigan Health•Alpena, MI

About The Position

Under the direct supervision of a provider, the Medical Assistant supports patient assessment and care, maintains appropriate documentation, and coordinates care to provide high-quality, compassionate service. The role requires basic knowledge of specialty and/or primary care and the ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care. The Medical Assistant maintains and oversees patients at office locations and serves as a liaison with other organizations and departments. Duties may include ordering medical, pharmacy, and office supplies; following MyMichigan Health policies and procedures and applicable OSHA, CLIA, and other regulatory requirements; and coordinating or training new employees, students, and float staff as needed. The role includes patient education, assistance with specialty care and symptom management, emergency response availability, monitoring care management for high-risk patients, education about prescriptions and medication side effects, and coordination of continuity of care with other providers. General office duties may also be assigned. Responsibilities may vary by practice, and the immediate supervisor can clarify role-specific duties.

Requirements

Active Medical Assistant certification or licensure required: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) through AMT, Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through AAMA, or an equivalent Medical Assistant credential such as CCMA.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through AHA required within three months of hire or transfer.
High school education is listed as required.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly with individuals and groups and interact with people at all levels.
Knowledge of medical office policies, practices, and procedures normally acquired through three to five years of work in the health care system or a similar setting.
Ability to use Microsoft Windows and necessary office computer systems.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, OSHA, bloodborne-pathogen, and other applicable safety and regulatory requirements.
Ability to handle multiple tasks, work independently, get along with others, maintain regular and predictable attendance, and stay awake.
Ability to move about the facility with or without an assistive device, perform the job functions, and meet required vision, hearing, dexterity, and movement demands.
Ability to wear personal protective equipment, including latex materials or an appropriate substitute if required.
Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods; frequently change posture, including stooping, kneeling, or crouching; and handle, reach, grasp, finger, and feel.
Ability to occasionally lift or carry 11–20 pounds and frequently handle 10 pounds or perform walking, standing, and pushing or pulling with arm or leg controls.

Nice To Haves

Completion of a Medical Assistant program through an accredited organization is preferred.
Previous experience in a physician clinic setting is preferred.
Medical First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician Basic or Specialist, or Paramedic certification through the State of Michigan, or Registered Radiologic Technologist certification through ARRT, is listed as an equivalent credential.

Responsibilities

Triage calls, schedule daily urgent or emergent add-on appointments, receive and relay test results, and support, direct, or refer patients for consultations, testing, insurance pre-certification, and documentation.
Greet patients and families; perform routine pre-examination procedures, including taking vital signs and assessing and recording objective and subjective information about the presenting condition.
Maintain accurate patient records, including order and medication reconciliation, secure messaging when available, allergy-reaction entries, refill processing within certification scope, and other assigned documentation.
Assist providers with examinations and procedures.
Prepare and clean patient areas, set up equipment, clean and reset rooms after procedures, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments.
Provide patient assessments and care measures within the scope of practice, including injections, minor dressing changes, and blood specimen collection.
Demonstrate competency to assist with procedures such as EKG, PFT, ABI, and NST when required by the practice.
Maintain a clean and safe environment for patients and coworkers; travel to satellite clinics if applicable.
Use required office computer systems and programs, including MAPS, MCIR Practice Management, electronic medical records, LIS, Emageon, dictation systems, and other necessary applications.
Apply critical thinking to patient management and protect patient confidentiality and rights in accordance with procedures and HIPAA.
Perform clerical duties as needed, including completing insurance forms, correspondence, arranging hospital admissions, answering phones, and updating or filing medical records.
Order supplies and medications.
Maintain accurate medical-record documentation and coding in accordance with policy and participate in annual quality and completeness reviews as necessary.
Address the age-specific needs of the population served in accordance with department standards and policies.
Provide patient education, assist with specialty care modalities and symptom management, support emergency care, monitor high-risk patients, explain prescriptions and side effects, and coordinate continuity of care.
Coordinate with and train new employees, students, and float staff as required.
Complete required annual OSHA training and participate in further learning opportunities as required.
Perform other related duties as assigned.