Senior Medical Assistant

The Senior Medical Assistant is an experienced Medical Assistant who provides comprehensive clinical and administrative support across primary care and specialty services and serves as a mentor and clinical resource to Medical Assistants and other members of the care team.  The Senior Medical Assistant may perform all duties and responsibilities of the Medical Assistant position while demonstrating an advanced level of clinical competency, adaptability, professionalism, and knowledge of the ambulatory care setting.

In addition to providing direct patient care from intake through check out, the Senior Medical Assistant supports the precepting, training and competency development of new and existing Medical Assistants.  The Senior Medical Assistant demonstrates proficiency in multiple clinical specialties and may be assigned across service lines based on patient care and organizational needs.

The Senior Medical Assistant also support clinical operations with environment of care activities, infection prevention practices, equipment and supply monitoring, and other actives that support continuous regulatory readiness, patient safety, and compliance with organizational policies and standards.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Patient Focus

• Performs all patient care responsibilities assigned to the Medical Assistant position.

• Provides timely, professional, respectful, and patient-centered service to patients, families, visitors, and care team members. Assists patients through the flow of the visit and facilitates efficient patient flow.

• Anticipates patient and care-team needs and communicates barriers or concerns to the appropriate team member.

• Serves as a resource to other Medical Assistants regarding patient flow, clinical workflows, and established procedures.

• Identifies and addresses preventive care and chronic disease care gaps through pre-visit planning and outreach activities.

• Assists with the completion of population health initiatives, quality measures, preventive screenings, and value-based care activities.  

• Assists with assessment and disposition of unscheduled patient presentations according to established protocols and escalates concerns to licensed clinical staff as appropriate.  

Checking, Examining, and Recording

• Completes pre-visit planning, including care gap closure, review and follow-up of referrals, consultation notes, laboratory results, preventive care needs, and outside health records as assigned. Obtains and accurately documents the reason for visit, vital signs, medication information, and other required clinical information. Identifies discrepancies, missing information, or potential errors and takes appropriate action to resolve or escalate concerns.

• Assists in monitoring maintaining clinical logs, equipment records, temperature logs, supply records, safety checks, and other documentation as assigned.

• Monitors and documents expiration dates, equipment checks, temperature logs, and other assigned environment-of-care records.

Analytical and Critical Thinking 

• Collects and records data regarding vital signs (pulse, temperature, respirations, blood pressure, weight, height.

• Assists in implementing the plan of care by collecting specimens, administering treatments and injections, assisting with procedures and GYN exams, recording changes in health status, and assisting clinicians and nurses in the delivery of care across specialties.

• Assists and mentors less-experienced Medical Assistants with identifying appropriate resources and resolving routine workflow concerns.

• Demonstrates the ability to prioritize competing clinical responsibilities while maintaining patient safety and quality.

• Recognizes and escalates situations that require a nurse, provider, supervisor, or other appropriate leader.

Communication

• Alerts health care team when leaving the floor for breaks or end of shift.

• May lead daily clinical huddles to review patient schedules, identify patient care needs, communicate clinical priorities, and support efficient clinic flow.

• Reinforce health information

• Establish rapport with patients and demonstrate sensitivity to behaviors, circumstances, and special needs.  Listen effectively, encourage questions, and distribute educational/preventive materials and condoms when applicable.  

• Provides clear instruction, demonstration, and explanation when precepting and training new or existing Medical Assistants.

• Communicates trainee progress, identified learning needs, competency concerns, and opportunities for additional education to the appropriate leader or educator.

• Reinforces organizational expectations, policies, procedures, and clinical workflows during orientation and training.

• Escalates significant clinical, safety, workflow, or competency concerns through the appropriate chain of command.

Compliance, Policy, and Procedure

• Models compliance with policies and procedures and reinforces established expectations with other Medical Assistants.

• Participates in environment-of-care rounds, audits, mock tracers, safety checks, and other regulatory readiness activities as assigned.

• Performs independent verification and double-check processes for medications, vaccines, and treatments in accordance with organizational policy.

• Observes clinical areas for actual or potential safety, infection prevention, medication management, equipment, and supply storage concerns.

• Assists with monitoring:

    o medication and vaccine storage requirements;

    o refrigerator and freezer temperature compliance;

    o expiration dates of medications, supplies, testing materials, and emergency equipment;

    o emergency equipment readiness;

    o appropriate labeling and storage of clinical supplies;

    o infection prevention practices;

    o sharps and biohazard waste management;

    o point-of-care testing requirements; and

    o clinical exam room readiness.

Workplace Computers and Equipment

• Documents in medical records and writes notes in an accurate and thorough manner.

• Performs point of care and other tests according to established policies and procedures.

• Identifies and reports malfunctioning, damaged, expired, or unsafe clinical equipment.

Teamwork

• Works collaboratively with all members of patient care team.

• Serves as a positive role model and clinical resource for Medical Assistants.

• Serves as a clinical operations resource to address workflow and clinical challenges.

• Assists with management of clinical work queues, document indexing, and completion of assigned administrative-clinical workflows.

• Serves as an approved preceptor for newly hired Medical Assistants, transferred Medical Assistants, students, and other designated clinical support staff.

• Willingly shares clinical knowledge, experience, and effective practices with other team members.

• Collaborates with Lead Medical Assistants, nursing leadership, clinical educators, and other designated staff to address identified training needs.

• Demonstrates flexibility in accepting assignments across clinical teams, specialties, and locations [KC1.1]based on organizational need and demonstrated competency.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to work effectively with a diverse population

• Ability to deliver exceptional customer service by empathizing with customer/patient needs

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work as part of a team

• Must be flexible and adapt to a changing environment

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Graduation from an accredited medical assistant program

• Required: Certified Registered Medical Assistant

• Required: CPR Certification before the start date

• Preferred: At least 5 years of experience as a medical assistant in various clinical environments

• Desired: Working knowledge of electronic medical records