Medical Assistant - Family Practice

WellSpan Health•Chambersburg, PA

About The Position

Provides safe, therapeutic, and efficient care and services to patients in a family practice setting. Assists with direct patient care, performs treatments, and administers medications when qualified and appropriately supervised. Instructs patients and their families in appropriate care as directed by providers and participates in developing office workflows that support patient-centered care. Specific clinical duties may vary by specialty and department competency requirements. The role supports providers during patient visits and examinations by gathering and documenting health information, carrying out orders, maintaining patient records, coordinating care and follow-up, and providing patient education. It also contributes to safe and effective office operations, patient flow, quality improvement, confidentiality, and teamwork. Schedule: Full-time, days, Monday through Friday.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least one year of Medical Assistant experience or completion of a Medical Assistant program.
Basic Life Support certification upon hire.
Completion of required education programs and competency testing needed to perform at an advanced level.
Medical terminology knowledge upon hire.
Proficient communication skills, including use of the SBAR technique.
Ability to effectively present clinical information to the care team.
Proficiency navigating and entering information into an electronic health record.
Ability to model teamwork, work independently, and be self-motivated and dependable.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in Medical Assisting or a Medical Assistant diploma program.
Certified Medical Assistant certification upon hire.

Responsibilities

Obtain and document visit reasons and patient vital signs, which may include temperature, blood pressure, weight, BMI, respirations, and pulse.
Collect, process, handle, store, and track specimens according to provider direction and applicable protocols before transport to the laboratory.
Keep patient care areas stocked with unexpired supplies and ensure equipment is in good working condition with current biomedical assessment checks.
Handle, store, and clean instruments, equipment, and supplies according to manufacturer guidelines.
Prepare patients and set up instruments and supplies for scheduled procedures.
Use Standard Precautions during all patient encounters.
Arrange ordered diagnostic and therapeutic services by completing paperwork and scheduling appointments.
Track, review, and monitor diagnostic test results under provider direction; relay provider information and follow-up instructions to patients.
Prepare and administer prescribed vaccines, medications, and controlled substances under direct supervision of a licensed nurse or provider, within demonstrated competencies; ask screening questions and monitor for risks, contraindications, and responses.
Document and process prescription requests and refills according to protocol.
Perform basic office procedures, examinations, and tests ordered by providers and within demonstrated competencies, such as EKGs, ear lavage, and vision tests.
Provide and review standard patient care instructions and education with patients and family members as directed by providers.
Gather health information from patients or family members for provider review, including information used to assess urgency and appropriate care options for acute problems; return calls in a timely manner.
Complete pre-visit planning and visit preparation according to established guidelines.
Gather comprehensive health information during visits, including review of systems and relevant medical, social, and history-of-present-illness information; review medications and update the electronic health record.
Complete office standing orders for patients' chronic and preventive healthcare needs.
Manage daily patient flow and prioritize delegated patient care tasks, including in-basket management.
Take ownership of an office function or process improvement under supervisor direction.
Maintain confidentiality of patient health information and complete required annual compliance and other mandatory education.
Support providers during visits and examinations by collecting and entering information in patient records, carrying out orders, and completing post-visit education and instructions.
Maintain a score of at least 80% on yearly audits.
Follow safety, quality, environmental, and infection-control policies; report actual and potential errors and hazards, identify opportunities to standardize and error-proof processes, and participate in safety education and root-cause analyses as required.
Maintain clean work areas, professional growth, required clinical competencies, and the care and maintenance of department equipment and supplies; distribute mail.
Promote positive patient and family experiences, teamwork, fiscal responsibility, and improvement and innovation; attend practice meetings.
Enter and retrieve data from established computer files using relevant software applications.