Palliative & Hospice Operations Medical Assistant

HOSPICE AUSTIN•Austin, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Palliative and Hospice Operations Medical Assistant provides clinical, administrative, and operational support to the Palliative Care and Hospice Program to support efficient daily operations and high-quality, patient-centered service. This is an office-based role providing remote support to an interdisciplinary palliative care team serving patients with serious illness across private homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and outpatient environments. Patient and family interactions are conducted by phone; the position does not include in-person or clinic visits. The role supports clinical workflows, documentation, care coordination, provider orders and referrals, admissions, scheduling, intake, records management, and communication with patients, families, providers, and referral sources. The position requires weekend rotation or weekend availability.

Requirements

Hold one of the following credentials: Certified Medical Assistant, Certified Registered Medical Assistant, National Certified Medical Assistant, Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant, or Registered Clinical Medical Assistant Specialist.
Hold AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification.
Demonstrate competencies for the populations served.
Have one year of Medical Assistance experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience in palliative care, hospice, or home health.
Knowledge of medical terminology.
Knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Ability to multitask and manage high call and referral volume.

Responsibilities

Prepare patients for visits, document medical information, reconcile medications, assist with care coordination, and facilitate provider orders, referrals, and follow-up needs.
Enter patient data, plans of care, and demographics into the EMR; verify required visit documentation; run EMR reports; and prepare reports, correspondence, and other materials using Microsoft Office.
Schedule palliative evaluations and admissions, coordinate provider schedules and patient appointments using scheduling tools and EMR systems, maintain accurate patient data, and prepare finalized schedules.
Collaborate with palliative and hospice registered nurses.
Perform clerical and receptionist duties, process intake and referrals, manage records, assist with billing and collections, and complete project-based assignments.
Obtain releases of information for medical-record requests and upload medical records to patient charts.
Provide updates to physicians and referral sources, including contacting specialty providers with updates and clinical notes.
Educate families about palliative or hospice services and benefits; respond to family email requests for information or admission; and send brochures, caregiver lists, and facility lists.
Verify insurance benefits and conduct daily referral follow-ups.
Add admission nurses' schedules to the admission calendar and confirm admission appointments when needed.
Assist with transfers to Christopher House.
Contact pharmacies to check stock items when necessary.
Help patients complete intake paperwork, obtain outside records, and assist with sending referrals under RN supervision.
Provide guidance on team organization and clarify the structure and expectations of patient visits for palliative and hospice care.
Serve as a professional and compassionate point of contact through phone, electronic, and in-person interactions while adhering to privacy, confidentiality, HIPAA regulations, and organizational standards.
Perform additional duties and special projects assigned to support the palliative care and hospice team.