Medical Assistant – Cancer Center

Employment Duration: 3 months

The Medical Assistant supports the delivery of patient care across UCSF Cancer Center ambulatory practices. Working under the supervision of the Administrative Nurse Manager and Medical Assistant Supervisor and in collaboration with clinical nursing staff, this position performs a variety of patient care, clinical, and laboratory activities in support of specialty care services.

The role assists patients, nurses, and providers throughout the care experience, including preparing patients for examinations and procedures, obtaining and documenting clinical information, supporting point-of-care testing and specimen collection, coordinating aspects of patient care, and maintaining a safe and efficient clinical environment. The position may support multiple Cancer Center practices and UCSF Health locations and requires the flexibility to orient and work across locations. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Obtain, report, and document vital signs, height, weight, pain screening, chief complaints, and other patient-reported information.
• Assist patients with updating medication lists and support medication reconciliation.
• Prepare patients and assist nurses and providers with examinations and procedures.
• Obtain specimens and perform approved point-of-care testing, including QA/QC activities and EKGs.
• Perform specimen handling and simple laboratory procedures in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Support sterile processing procedures in the outpatient clinic and maintain required documentation and logs.
• Assist with complex medical procedures such as laser procedures, TRUS, colposcopy, anoscopy, and IRC after successfully completing appropriate competencies.
• Serve as a chaperone for medical providers when needed.
• Transport patients safely and monitor patient flow throughout the clinic.
• Coordinate interpreter services for medical appointments as appropriate.
• Complete provider referrals and obtain insurance authorizations for medications, procedures, and film or slide reviews.
• Assist physicians with preparing and sending patient communications.
• Use the electronic health record (APEX) within the Hospital Assistant scope of practice, including documenting clinical information, point-of-care results, patient-reported medications and allergies, and other authorized information.
• Schedule laboratory, radiology, procedures, testing, and other patient services when appropriately ordered.
• Open telephone encounters and staff messages and support medication refill workflows for providers.
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and other members of the practice team to coordinate patient care and communicate relevant observations or concerns.
• Communicate provider delays and service issues and advocate for patients to support timely care.
• Assist patients with concerns and complaints using appropriate conflict-management skills.
• Maintain clean, organized, and appropriately stocked exam rooms, hub rooms, and laboratory areas.
• Order and maintain clinical supplies and assist with maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Maintain required operational and safety logs.
• Follow infection prevention, safety, cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and other applicable Ambulatory Services and Medical Center policies and procedures.
• Participate in quality-improvement and customer-service initiatives, including wait-time studies and procedure outcome data collection.
• Work as a float across Cancer Center practices and perform other duties related to patient care as required.

Responsibilities

N/A

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Certification from an approved Medical Assistant program or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Knowledge and abilities essential to successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both directly and over the phone.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position.
• Flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Health locations.
• Current American Heart Association CPR Certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• One year of experience as a Hospital Assistant in a medical practice.
• Experience with insurance verification, medical record data abstraction, medical assisting, or patient financial services.
• Degree from an accredited medical assisting school.
• Bilingual or multilingual capability, particularly Spanish, Cantonese, or Russian.
• Current State of California Phlebotomy Certification (CPT1).