Medical Assistant - Pediatrics - Agawam

Baystate Health•Agawam, MA

About The Position

The Medical Assistant provides patient-centered care and assists with the examination and treatment of patients under a provider’s direction. The role supports patients during examinations, testing, and procedures; responds to patient needs; maintains confidentiality; and helps ensure smooth transitions throughout patient sessions. Duties include interviewing patients, measuring vital signs, collecting blood samples and preparing specimens when needed, assisting with or performing procedures and testing as directed or by protocol, preparing treatment rooms, providing follow-up education and appointment information, and maintaining accurate patient records. The Medical Assistant works collaboratively with clinical and office staff and seeks thoughtful ways to improve operations and resolve problems. The Medical Assistant II is proficient in the Essential Functions and Practice Specific Skills Inventory for this level and may advance to Medical Assistant III. Responsibilities include preparing patients and rooms; gathering patient history and intake information; implementing clinical orders and protocols; assisting providers; performing approved procedures; documenting care; coordinating discharge, appointments, and referrals; and communicating with the care team. The position may require floating to or cross-training in other practices or departments based on organizational and patient needs. In some service lines, duties may also involve assisting with abortion or pregnancy-loss care, pelvic and breast examinations, cervical cytology, in-office procedures, and care for transgender and non-binary patients seeking gender-affirming therapy or surgery.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited Medical Assistant program, or demonstrate Medical Assistant II competencies as evaluated by the hiring manager.
At least 3 years of current, relevant medical assistant experience in a medical practice setting if qualifying through demonstrated competencies.
Proficiency in the Essential Functions and Practice Specific Skills Inventory for Medical Assistant II.
Ability to perform responsibilities within the applicable scope, protocols, and level of experience.

Nice To Haves

Third-party medical assistant registration or certification, such as ARMA registration; AMT registration; CCMA through NHA or AAMA; or NCMA through NCCT.

Responsibilities

Assess exam requirements from patient intake data and prepare the patient and room for examinations, treatments, or procedures.
Ensure necessary equipment and patient education materials are available; test specialized equipment and contact Clinical Engineering for repairs.
Review patient and physician schedules and suggest changes to improve patient access and flow.
Report non-compliance or concerns involving Joint Commission, DPH, or organizational infection-control standards to the Supervisor/Manager.
Gather or confirm personal and clinical patient information accurately and within established time frames, including health maintenance information, vital signs, medications, and reason for visit.
Use Clinical Information Systems (CIS) and Centricity to enter patient information.
Answer telephone calls according to departmental protocols and gather information for providers or nurses; relay information and outcomes to patients within scope and level of experience.
Implement provider orders, standing orders, and protocols to support care, testing, and coordination with the clinical team.
Refill prescriptions according to protocol; track and prepare controlled-substance contracts and prescriptions; obtain required testing and prior authorizations for medication and imaging; and complete incoming forms.
Chaperone and assist providers as needed, assist with procedures, set up and clean exam or procedure rooms, and anticipate provider needs.
Perform approved procedures independently, including EKGs, vision and hearing screenings, and point-of-care testing; administer immunizations only in accordance with Baystate Medical Practices Policy BMP-MM012.
Complete documentation accurately and within established time frames, ensure patient and provider information is complete, and independently document procedures performed during nurse visits.
Schedule appointments, process referrals, provide patient education materials, review instructions under provider or nurse direction, and clean rooms for the next patient.
Communicate with the care and leadership teams to support smooth patient hand-offs and raise concerns as needed.
Complete referrals and prior authorizations and schedule surgical and other procedures as needed.
Float to or cross-train in other practices or departments based on organizational and patient needs.
In applicable service lines, assist with abortion services or pregnancy-loss visits and procedures, including gathering supplies, printing consents, organizing instruments and medications, and assisting with cervical dilator insertion for surgical abortion procedures.
In applicable service lines, assist providers with pelvic and breast examinations for all patients, cervical cytology screening and related forms, and in-office procedures such as miscarriage management, biopsies, colposcopy, and cervical LEEP procedures.
In applicable service lines, assist transgender and non-binary patients seeking gender-affirming therapy or surgery.