Medical Assistant 3 - Interventional Cardiology

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general direction and supervision of the Director of the Interventional Cardiology Service Line and guided by the policies and procedures of Ambulatory Services, the Assistant will serve as an integral member of the patient care team. The Assistant will support the UCSF Health Interventional Cardiology Program by coordinating referral intake, facilitating appropriate routing and scheduling of referrals, and ensuring timely access to specialty care. Responsibilities include patient telephone communication, prior authorization coordination, referral tracking, appointment scheduling, and other administrative and clinical support activities within the Medical Assistant scope of practice. This role will also assist with data collection, documentation, and workflow coordination to support compliance with applicable cardiology registries and associated quality reporting requirements. This role will work closely with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and administrative staff to streamline workflows, improve care coordination, and ensure a seamless patient experience across the interventional cardiology care continuum.

This applies to adult functions in the clinical settings at all UCSF Health sites (Mt. Zion, Mission Bay, Parnassus, joint UCSF Health partnerships, Satellite Clinics, or with UCSF Faculty at other off-site clinic sites, et al).

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Supervises no staff.

Responsibilities

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

%  

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

  Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

60%

Yes

The Assistant will assume the following primary responsibilities:     

1. Coordinate incoming referrals, review referral documentation for completeness, and facilitate appropriate routing and scheduling based on established clinical protocols and workflows.

2. Support patient access by coordinating appointments, communicating with patients and referring providers, and conducting telephone outreach and follow-up.

3. Coordinate prior authorizations and assist with obtaining required clinical documentation, records, and supporting materials.

4. Track referrals, authorizations, and scheduling status to support timely access to interventional cardiology services and minimize delays in care.

5. Assist with data collection, documentation, and tracking to support compliance with applicable cardiology registries, quality reporting requirements, and program-specific standards.

6. Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic health record and other designated tracking systems.

7. Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and administrative staff to facilitate care coordination and optimize patient flow across the interventional cardiology care continuum.

8. Support patient care needs by assisting with care coordination, patient education reinforcement, pre- and post-procedure instructions, and follow-up activities within established protocols and scope of practice.

9. Perform medical assistant duties and other clinical or administrative support activities within established protocols, training, and scope of practice.

10. Identify workflow barriers, communicate operational issues to appropriate team members, and contribute to continuous quality improvement and process standardization.

20%

Additional Responsibilities                                                                                         

1. Understands the responsibilities and duties of the clerical staff and is prepared to assume duties when asked by the Director of Interventional Cardiology Service Line

2. Provide in-person patient care support as needed, including rooming patients, obtaining vital signs, preparing patients for visits or procedures, and assisting clinical staff with patient flow and other duties within the Medical Assistant scope of practice.

3. Triages telephone calls for appointments, advice, and pages providers when necessary

4. Process referrals for the clinic; seeks advice from clinic leaders as appropriate

5. Understands and is able to communicate the functions of multiple types of providers in the practice to patients and other staff

6. Demonstrates courtesy, common sense and follow-through in all telephone communications, maintaining the telephone standards as established by the Medical Center Staff

7. Responds effectively to requests that occur simultaneously

8. Provides feedback to the Practice Leadership on specific assignments or patient problems

9. Assumes responsibility for increasing his/her knowledge and be informed of current trends and developments within own area, the Ambulatory Care Center, and University

10. Participates in staff meetings, quality meetings, program meetings

11. Participates in evaluating own effectiveness by obtaining feedback from health care team

12. Complies with work-related policies, including annual PPD, use of benefit time

13. Complies with all ACC and MedicalCenter policies and procedures for infection control, safety, administrative and clinical practice and with activities mandated by JCAHO/Title 22

14. Performs other administrative tasks as assigned

15. Adheres to the UCSF House and Telephone Standards and is sensitive to the needs of patients, staff and providers

20%

Administrative: 

• All duties of HA III

• Proficient with using the language assistance line. 

• Supply management PMM – audit and distribute supplies

• Perform monthly JRC Audits, if applicable 

• Ordering general supplies requested by technologist if not available in Pyxis area- providing appropriate cost center when ordering.

• Medication and Hazardous Material, handling, transport, and distribution

• Utilizing APEX to track patient status and assist in efficient patient flow.

Any other duty as assigned

100%

(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)

LIVING PRIDE STANDARDS

Service Excellence

• Demonstrates service excellence by following the Everyday PRIDE Guide with the UCSF Medical Center standards and expectations for communication and behavior.  These standards and expectations convey specific behavior associated with the Medical Center’s values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence, and provide guidance on how we communicate with patients, visitors, faculty, staff, and students, virtually everyone, every day and with every encounter. These standards include, but are not limited to: personal appearance, acknowledging and greeting all patients and families, introductions using AIDET, managing up, service recovery, managing delays and expectations, phone standards, electronic communication, team work, cultural sensitivity and competency.   

• Uses effective communication skills with patients and staff; demonstrates proper telephone techniques and etiquette; acts as an escort to any patient or family member needing directions; shows sensitivity to differences of culture; demonstrates a positive and supportive manner in which patients / families/ colleagues perceive interactions as positive and supportive. Exhibits teamwork skills to positively acknowledge and recognize other colleagues and uses personal experiences to model and teach Living PRIDE standards. 

• Exhibits tact and professionalism in difficult situations according to PRIDE Values and Practices

• Demonstrates an understanding of and adheres to privacy, confidentiality, and security policies and procedures related to Protected Health Information (PHI) or other sensitive and personal information.

• Demonstrates an understanding of and adheres to safety and infection control policies and procedures.

• Assumes accountability for improving quality metrics associated with department/unit and meeting organizational/departmental targets. 

Work Environment

• Keeps working areas neat, orderly and clutter-free, including the hallways.  Adheres to cleaning processes and puts things back where they belong. Removes and reports broken equipment and furniture.

• Picks up and disposes of any litter found throughout entire facility. 

• Posts flyers and posters in designated areas only; does not post on walls, doors or windows.

• Knows where the Environment of Care Manual is kept in department; corrects or reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate departments. 

• Protects the physical environment and equipment from damage and theft.

OTHER FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Assist in other departments when necessary.

• Practicing and maintaining State and other regulatory body (e.g. JCAHO) policies

• Demonstrates accountability and responsibility for department expectations and standards.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 1 year of recent experience as a Hospital Assistant or Medical Assistant and certification from an approved medical assistant program. 

• Must demonstrate excellent organizational skills, including the ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and maintain accurate records.

• Strong computer skills with the ability to efficiently navigate, operate, and troubleshoot standard software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, web-based platforms, and other relevant tools)."

• Ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal communication methods. 

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Able to meet physical requirements.

• This position requires flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Health locations.

• Knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position 

• Ability to work effectively with people from diverse cultures and diverse socioeconomic situations.

   

PREFERRED QUALIFICATION

• Prior cardiology experience preferred
• Prior interventional cardiology experience strongly preferred 
• Prior experience in an ambulatory medical setting 

• Experience with insurance verification, medical record data abstraction, and or patient financial services is strongly preferred. 

• Experience with referral management, scheduling preferred 

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Medical Assistant Certification 

• CPT-1 certification

• CPR certification 

POPULATIONS SERVED 

Employees who routinely provide direct patient care require a statement concerning Populations Served Competencies. Typically, a statement such as “Demonstrated ability to provide appropriate care based on the needs of a specific individual, including the patient’s age.” is sufficient. Select from the following patient age categories.

Adolescent     

Adult              

Geriatric