Unit Secretary - St Joseph

Arnot Health System•Elmira, NY

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Unit Secretary coordinates the various activities on the unit, including greeting and directing visitors, patients, physicians, and staff. Responsibilities include assisting with new admissions and discharges/transfers, ensuring patient charts are accurate and up-to-date, and assisting nursing staff with non-clinical duties such as managing equipment and supplies for patients and the unit. The role serves patients of all ages, from newborn to geriatrics, and involves interaction with individuals from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

Requirements

High school diploma required or comparable work experience may be accepted.
Training in secretarial skills and medical terminology preferred.
Evidence of skill in writing and verbal communication very important.
BLS CPR required within 90 days of hire date.
Must be an individual who enjoys working in a busy, crowded, fast-paced setting.
Good verbal and written communication skills are essential.
Must be able to maintain a high degree of accuracy under stress, complete monotonous detail work without error and handle several tasks at once.
Must be willing and able to learn terminology and equipment operation.
Good penmanship necessary.
Maintains confidentiality.
Normal speech, vision, hearing are necessary.
Must be physically able to operate telephone, fax machine, copy machine, and handle medical records and other documents.

Nice To Haves

Training in secretarial skills and medical terminology preferred.
Evidence of skill in writing and verbal communication very important.

Responsibilities

Greets patients and visitors at the desk in a friendly, courteous manner, presenting a positive image and directing them to appropriate areas.
Provides timely notification for absence or tardiness and demonstrates flexibility in work schedule to meet unit needs.
Coordinates patient admissions, completing proper admission documents, assisting with room assignments, initiating medical records, and assuring prompt completion of diagnostic work.
Coordinates patient discharge/transfer, preparing the medical record and taking it to HIS after discharge.
Answers the telephone efficiently and courteously, relaying messages and calls to appropriate personnel and patients, and answering patient intercoms promptly.
Processes physician orders, ensuring completion, notifying nurses of new orders, and referring telephone and verbal orders to the nurse.
Coordinates patient activities, noting departures and returns to/from other departments, notifying departments of status changes, and assisting nursing staff with equipment and supply needs.
Maintains medical records in an orderly manner, notifying nurses of missing information, keeping charts supplied with forms, and ensuring all forms have an ID label.
Operates copy and fax machines.
Makes appointments for patients and arranges transportation as requested.
Assists the Unit Director with data collection for Quality Improvement (QI) studies.
Monitors patients' charts for history, physicals, consents, and other important documents.
Keeps the desk stocked with needed clerical supplies.
Initiates and monitors work orders for Facility Engineering and Clinical Engineering.
Participates in monthly department staff meetings and unit clerk meetings, completing mandatory and recommended in-services.
Answers patient call lights and assists with patients as appropriate.
May be required to perform other duties as qualified.
Attends all annual mandatory educational programs as required by position.
Understands and demonstrates the importance of satisfying customer/patient needs by interacting in a friendly and caring way, being attentive to needs, and taking initiative to maintain communication.
Performs within the prescribed limits of the hospitals/departments Ethics and Compliance and HIPAA Program, and reports compliance variances.