Medical Practice Assistant

**Primary Purpose** Accountable for providing patient centered care and operational support to the medical team to ensure an optimal patient experience. Coordinates activities in the clinical areas and facilities a smooth patient flow. Assists with patient data collection, performs select screenings and completes medical office functions relevant to area/assignment. **MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS** **Education** * None. **Experience** * Must have three years of customer service experience, preferably in a medical/healthcare/health insurance setting. * Patient registration experience preferred. * Prefer completion of course work towards an accredited medical terminology. * Medical Office Assistance experience or training a plus. **Equivalent Education and/or Experience** * Completion of a Parkland Workforce Development Training Program may substitute for the required education and experience. **Certification/Registration/Licensure** **Required Tests for Placement** **Skills or Special Abilities** * Must be able to work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver patient/customer services that exceeds patient expectations as evidenced by patient satisfaction scores. * Must be able to demonstrate competency required as applicable to specialty area. * Must have demonstrated communication skills to include above average verbal skills (heavy public contact) and written skills. Bilingual skills preferred. * Must have familiarity with diagnostic ICD-9 CM coding and HCPCS-CPT4 procedure codes. * Must have working knowledge of medical terminology. * Must be able to demonstrate basic clerical skills and working knowledge of standard office equipment. * Must be detail oriented and have sharp analytical skills to resolve registration issues as related to multiple groups including third-party payors, physicians, patients and the system. * Must be able to solve problems within the guidelines of established policies and procedures. * Must be able to adjust to multiple demands, shifting priorities and rapid change. **Virtual Care Only:** * Must be able to work collaboratively and optimally with patients with serious health conditions and barriers to care. * Must be able to recognize and escalate clinical decision making to appropriate team members of the multidisciplinary team. * Must demonstrate strength in documenting within an electronic health record with ability to effectively problem-solve when faced with decision-making challenges and escalate as appropriate. * Confident with technology, specifically electronic medical record, video encounters and computer applications. **Responsibilities** * Proficiently performs patient service activities in coordination with clinical team, including but not limited to: * Ensures patient and family comfort, safety, privacy and confidentiality at all times. * Adapts work methods to specifically accommodate the population-specific care needs (physical, psychosocial, cultural, age/developmental) of each patient. * Greets patients and families making them feel welcome and wanted. * Assists patients and families with directions, inquiries and information as requested. Ensures needs are addressed satisfactorily. * Keeps patients and families informed of wait times and any other circumstances that may impact the visit. * Stays cognizant of clinical/area needs to facilitate patient care and flow. * Assess patient experience at the end of each visit to determine if patient needs were met. * Virtual Care Only: * Proactively outreaches patient utilizing motivational interviewing, demonstrating effective and caring communication to develop patient trust and establish and maintain relationships to gather information, encourage patient self-interest in healthcare, and follow up on patient established goals. * Assists patients and families with health system navigation, making appointments, patient advocacy, determination of community resources to reduce barriers to care, and support set-up and initiation of electronic communication modes (email, MyChart, etc.). * Coordinates clinic/area activities and facilitates business processes according to standards. * Performs pre-visit activities to gather patient information from internal and external service or entities to ensure information is available to the clinic team for the visit. * Checks the patient into the clinic. Correctly identifies patient prior to performing tasks. Reviews and updates patient account to ensure registration and coverage is current and complete. * Confirms or verifies coverage as needed. Identifies and refers patients for financial counseling as appropriate. * Performs upfront cash collections; receives, verifies and posts money transactions following Parkland cash management policies and procedures. All monies must be accounted for through the patient accounting system and/or point of sale system. Verifies and completes daily reconciliations that ensure cash transactions are handled accurately and deposits made daily. * Assists with the process of internal and external appointments, referrals and information retrieval. Schedules appointments in accordance with clinical team directive and patient desires/availability. * Performs charge capture and charge reconciliation to ensure encounters are complete and closed in a timely manner. **Virtual Care Only:** * Collaborates with multidisciplinary team to improve patient access to care and reduce avoidable organization utilization. * Documents (paper or electronic) completely, accurately, legibly and timely. * Ensures applicable documentation is obtained for registration and patient visit. Provides explanation for all requested forms to ensure patient understanding. * Performs data entry/documentation of patient care intake information. **Virtual Care Only:** * Performs data entry/documentation of patient encounter. * Assists with maintenance of clinic supplies and equipment. * Assists with stocking and inventory of supplies, as appropriate. * Keeps appropriate persons informed of status of supplies and equipment. * Completes requisition documentation for supplies, equipment and services, as applicable. * Practices patient safety measures and in association with site leadership: * Complies with proper hand hygiene (hand washing/hand sanitizer gel/foam use). * Applies or practices proper infection control methods. * Identifies, corrects and/or reports safety hazards at the time of discovery. * Identifies and/or facilitates maintenance problems with equipment, initiates requests for work order, and removes from patient care area, as appropriate. * Informs Environmental Services when additional cleaning activities are needed. **Virtual Care Only:** * Elevates critical incidents and information regarding any quality-of-care concerns to multidisciplinary team. * Participates in performance improvement and quality initiatives. * Participates in the unit performance improvement initiatives. * Meets expected performance quality measures as outlined for area(s) or responsibility. * Based on operational need, may be required to perform role in an alternate Parkland location.