Medical Assistant - Full Time - Rheumatology (may be eligible for $1,000 sign on bonus)

Summary of Position: 

The Medical Assistant (MA) works with all members of the care team by performing a variety of clinical and administrative patient-related duties as established in the roles and responsibilities defined below.  The MA works to fulfill a variety of patient needs and ensures smooth patient flow within the department. The MA provides comfortable, safe, professional care for clinic patients, and provides all assistance required to successfully schedule and complete patient appointments.  The MA demonstrates the ability to meet the needs and provide services to all age-groups from infancy to geriatrics and is competent in providing services to a culturally diverse population.

Qualifications

Education:

● High school diploma or GED preferred. 

● College level coursework in the delivery of care in a medical clinic preferred.

● Medical Assistant certification as recognized by The Medical Board of California or a nationally recognized certification agency. 

● OR completion of a Medical Assistant program including a clinical externship

● OR one year of recent Medical Assistant experience. 

● Ability to obtain certification as recognized by the Medical Board of California or a nationally recognized certification agency within 18 months of hire. 

Minimum Experience:

● One to three years’ recent experience as a Medical Assistant preferred

● Float MA positions require at least two years of recent MA experience 

● Ambulatory care/physician office experience preferred. 

● Patient Centered Medical Home or Patient Centered Specialty Practice experience preferred.

 Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

● Proficiency in clinical skills and office procedures.

● Computer and keyboard experience, including charting in electronic medical records.

● Excellent communication and customer service skills, flexible, and strong sense of teamwork. 

● Ability to effectively communicate in English, in compliance with patient safety standards. Bilingual abilities preferred.

● Working knowledge of quality improvement measures and the Patient-Centered Medical Home. 

 Certifications/Licensure:

● Current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification from the American Heart Association, or ability to obtain prior to start date.

 Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

● While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, stand, sit, and talk or hear. 

● The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.

● The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch for extended periods of time.

● Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, adequate near and distant vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

● Lifts, positions, pushes and/or transfer patients.

● The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

 Working Conditions 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

● Routine Hospital/Healthcare & Office/Administrative conditions.

● Contact with patients and guests under a wide variety of circumstances.

● Regularly exposed to the risk of bloodborne diseases.

● Exposure to infections and contagious disease.

● Exposed to hazardous anesthetic agents, body fluids and waste.

● Subject to hazards of flammable and explosive gases.

● Subject to varying and unpredictable situations, including the handling of urgent, emergent or crisis situations.

● Subject to pressure due to irregular hours, (Urgent Care: weekend hours, holiday hours) frequent interruptions and stressful situations due to multiple demands.

● Occasional travel to various health system locations. 

 Essential Functions

1. Provides consistently exceptional care at all times.

2. Support the quality programs and processes  of the Barton Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) or Patient Centered Specialty Practice teams 

3. Assists the care team by collecting patient care data and reports findings to licensed staff.  Escorts patients to exam rooms, takes weight and vital signs and obtains chief complaint/ reason for visit.  Obtains social, family, personal and surgical history, reviews current medications with dosage, documents pharmacy preference, allergies and adverse drug reactions, conducts all appropriate health screenings and documents fall risk, performs point of care testing.

4. Assists licensed staff with minor diagnostic procedures and treatments, including sterilizing and setting up instruments, preparing examination rooms and instruments, assisting provider with procedure and stocking supplies.

5. At the direction of licensed staff, provides understandable explanations, and educates patients and families regarding treatments and interventions.

6. Schedules patients for testing procedures.  Obtains tests results and ensures that lab reports, x-rays, outside progress notes/medical records, and other information is in the medical record prior to the appointment.

7. Labels and maintains proper storage for specimens and tests.

8. Processes requests for prescription medication refills according to protocol.

9. Administers medications within scope of practice and training.

10. Cleans and disinfects room counters, exam tables and instruments after each use.

11. Recognizes signs and symptoms of acute medical or physiological conditions and immediately reports such circumstances to a registered nurse, mid-level provider or physician.

12. Documents all aspects of patient care in the electronic medical record system.  Assists with charge capture entry as needed. 

13. Cross trains to cover other departments and flexibility to cover as needed.

14. Actively participates in team huddles and care team meetings.

15. Responds to the needs of the department by performing other duties, as necessary.