Certified Medical Assistant - Gastroenterology

Certified Medical Assistant - Gastroenterology

General Job Summary: Position is responsible for performing duties in both the clinical and administrative areas including assisting physicians with patient care and handling clerical, environmental, and logistical tasks.  

Primary Job Responsibilities/Tasks may include, but not limited to:

Patient care responsibilities include:

• Escort patients to exam rooms/procedure room, interviews patients, measure vital signs, including weight, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, collect patient history; perform screenings per provider guidelines, other physical examination preparations and document all information in patient’s chart
• Assist patients as needed with walking transfers, dressing, collecting specimens
• Perform nursing procedures under supervision of physician or physician assistant
• Assist physician and physician assistant in exam rooms
• Give instructions to patients/families as instructed by physician or physician assistant
• Serves as the first point of response to patient care related telephone calls and messages. Takes telephone messages and provide feedback and answers to patient/physician/pharmacy calls per Physician/ACP direction.
• Collect information and process messages from patients and front office staff to physicians and physician assistants.
• Clinical pharmacology; drug administration through various routes except IV’s including injections;
• Assists with minor surgery including surgical tray set-up pre/post-surgical care, applying dressings, and suture removal
• Administers injections
• Instructs patients with assistive devices, body mechanics, and home care;
•  Initiate laboratory procedures in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and quality control methods;
• CLIA-waived testing;
• Capillary punctures and venipunctures;
• Specimen handling such as urine, throat, vaginal, stool, and sputum;
•  Initiates electrocardiography testing including mounting,
• Schedules appointments and referrals.  Follows-up to insure completion of physician orders.
• Medication refills.
• Lab reconciliation.
• Complete forms and prior authorizations for medications.
• Monitor and check assigned Athena boxes and other assigned boxes for coverage.
• Work at different Tryon office locations as needed. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Clerical responsibilities include:

• Assembles patients’ health information including patient symptoms and medical history, exam results, X-ray reports, lab tests, diagnoses, and treatment plans.
• Ensures all related reports, labs and information is available in patients’ medical records prior to their appointment.
• Reviews to ensure all forms are completed, properly identified, and signed and that all necessary information in the EHR.
• Communicates as needed with physicians and other health care professionals to clarify diagnoses or obtain additional information.
• Obtains and sends patient medical records to support seamless care delivery
• Ensure that records are sent within one work day of chart completion to all physicians involved in a patient’s care.
• Obtains lab/X-ray reports, hospital notes, referral information, etc.;
• Completes forms/requisitions as needed;
• Schedules physician and ancillary appointments;
• Updates charts to ensure that information is complete and filed appropriately.
• Alerts physician when chart is incomplete or is has not been completed within established time standards.

Environmental/logistical responsibilities include:

• Checks schedules and organizes patient flow;
• Sets up instruments and equipment according to department protocols;
• Cleans exam/procedure rooms, instruments, and equipment between patient visits to maintain infection control;
• Performs Medical/surgical asepsis, sterilization, instrument wrapping and autoclaving;
• Cleans sterilizer according to scheduled maintenance program and keeps appropriate records;
• Keeps exam rooms stocked with adequate medical supplies, orders, sorts, and stores supplies;
• Completes biohazard waste disposal and monitoring;
• Maintains all logs and required checks (i.e. refrigerator temperatures, emergency medications, expired medications, oxygen, cold sterilization fluid change, etc.)

Requirements:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent and completion of an accredited Medical Assisting program (CAAHEP or ABHES).
• Medical Assistant certification preferred.
• Maintain American Heart Association or American Red Cross BLS certification.
• Completion of Hepatitis B Vaccine and Flu Vaccine Form will be required.  Candidate may decline vaccination through declination form or may provide record of vaccination from previous employer.
• Completion of TB test will be required.

Experience:

• Minimum one year of recent experience working in a medical facility as a medical assistant and/or documented evidence of externship completed in a medical office.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Vital signs, venipuncture, capillary, and injection
• E.H.R. utilization
• Serving customers in person and on the phone

Physical Requirements:

• Work consistently requires walking, standing, sitting, lifting, reaching, stooping, bending, pushing, and pulling.
• Must be able to lift and support weight of 35 pounds.
• Ability to concentrate on details.
• Use of computer for long periods of time.