MED OFFICE LAB ASSISTANT

Covenant Health•Oak Ridge, TN

About The Position

The Medical Office Laboratory Assistant performs venipunctures and processes clinical laboratory specimens for diagnosis and treatment. The role also performs test analyses, reports results, and maintains patient records for waived and moderately complex testing validated for the physician office laboratory. Testing may be referred to a reference laboratory when appropriate under laboratory policy. The assistant performs only processes authorized by the laboratory director and consistent with their education, training, experience, and technical abilities. The position is with Medical Oncology in Oak Ridge and is full-time, 80 hours per pay period, on the day shift. Local travel is required. The role supports patient registration and care, specimen collection and handling, laboratory testing and quality activities, equipment and records maintenance, inventory, and communication with patients, clinical staff, and reference laboratories.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Basic computer skills, medical terminology, registration, and phlebotomy skills, or an equivalent combination of clinical and clerical skills.
Valid Tennessee driver’s license and state-mandated minimum insurance coverage.
Driving record must meet Covenant Health minimum standards at hire and throughout employment.
Ability to perform only processes authorized by the laboratory director, commensurate with education, training, experience, and technical abilities.

Responsibilities

Register patient accounts when indicated, verify patient identification and billing accuracy, and assist with account and billing troubleshooting.
Track and submit testing records to appropriate financial departments.
Direct, escort, or provide wheelchair assistance to patients and explain the next step of their visit.
Collect venous blood samples according to procedures, use two unique patient identifiers, and accurately label specimens.
Use the referring hospital’s Blood Bank identification system and apply the required Blood Bank armband when collecting Blood Bank specimens.
Use aseptic technique for blood culture collection.
Provide patients with supplies and instructions for specimens they collect themselves, such as 24-hour urine and fecal hemoccult specimens.
Process, handle, prioritize, label, store, and prepare specimens for transport according to procedures and special requirements.
Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot applicable laboratory and office equipment; notify the Laboratory Manager when repair or replacement is needed.
Document maintenance, corrective actions, quality control activities, calibrations, and other required records and logs.
Follow laboratory corrective-action and quality-control policies, including actions when test systems fall outside acceptable performance levels.
Prepare and store calibrators, quality-control materials, reagents, consumables, and linearity kits according to manufacturer instructions; perform parallel testing of new lots or shipments when policy requires.
Submit quality-control data to the appropriate agency when required.
Perform laboratory testing accurately and efficiently, document patient results, and evaluate specimen quality and result validity according to policy.
Identify problems that may affect testing or results, correct them when possible, or immediately notify the Laboratory Manager.
Participate in an outside proficiency-testing program and maintain records showing challenge samples are tested in the same manner as patient samples.
Assist the Laboratory Manager with instrument validations, linearity studies, and other investigatory work as assigned.
Provide support to Genetic Testing and Clinical Trials departments when needed.
Communicate with reference laboratories about incomplete test orders, specimen requirements, and quality metrics.
Maintain and disinfect the work area; follow standard precautions and policies for biohazard waste, PPE, and sharps safety.
Use the EMR and related systems to manage schedules, test orders, and results, and monitor incomplete testing and collection lists.
Plan work to maximize productivity, minimize carryover work and overtime, communicate relevant sample or equipment information, and prioritize varying tasks.
Use time and supplies cost-consciously as directed by the Laboratory Manager.
Use HIS, LIS, registration, scheduling, and reference-laboratory computer systems; follow manual processes during network downtime and notify leadership of unscheduled downtime.
Monitor supply expiration and rotation and order inventory as needed.
Assume responsibility for the area when the Laboratory Manager is absent.
Participate in department meetings and remain accountable for communicated information.
Communicate professionally with patients, physicians, visitors, and hospital staff, and maintain confidentiality of patient information.
Assist with orientation and training of new and existing employees.
Complete required annual education, follow policies and safety standards, work toward goals and objectives, and participate in quality-improvement initiatives as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Travel locally as required.