Medical Office Assistant I - Norwich Health Center

The best thing about this role

Are you looking to make a difference by improving the health of our patients? Here you will find an innovative culture that is patient-focused and dedicated to making a difference. We are committed to helping the population we serve, and our communities, achieve optimum health and enjoy the best quality of life possible.

What you'll do

The Medical Office Assistant I serves as the first point of contact for patients within the Bassett Healthcare Network. This is a key role in the patient centered care team. Demonstrates excellence in all patient and customer encounters including face-to-face and telephone interactions. Assures that a high-quality patient experience takes place by providing administrative support to ambulatory patient care teams through excellent customer service, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills. Responsible for providing clear, accurate, timely communication to nurses and providers regarding patients. Responsible for accurate, appropriate scheduling of patients for optimum care and provider efficiency. Responsible for collecting demographic and financial information during the scheduling and/or registration processes to ensure full and timely revenue capture. May have direct revenue responsibility through payment collection, cash handling, processing of insurance eligibility and managed care information.

• Reception/Call Handling
• Receives and greets every patient in a courteous and friendly manner using a welcoming positive tone, words and actions. Will meet patient needs as observed by Supervisor and as reported on patient satisfaction surveys.
• Ensures new patients are provided with a Welcome to Bassett Network Packet which includes Advance Directive information. Health Information Privacy documents, plus Health Center and Bassett Network brochures. Also established patients over the age of 18 who do not have documentation of receiving Advanced Directives are provided this information as reviewed through random audits of system documentation.
• Raises up emergent situations or expressed patient problems directly to Supervisor or Supervising Nurse for assistance as observed by Supervisor and Supervising Nurse
• Answers phones within 3 rings using a 3-part greeting (Name of Dept., your name, “How may I help you?”) as observed by Supervisor and as noted in compliance reports
• Ends calls by asking patient if there is anything else we can do for them today as observed by Supervisor and as noted in compliance reports
• Takes clear, complete and accurate phone messages, (and follows up on these messages to make sure the patients' needs are met) or prescription requests using the electronic medical record messaging system as observed by Supervisor and reported by providers and nurses
• Available for incoming calls, maintains operator statistics at or above institution standards.
• Offers patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett on the phone.
• Proactively keeps patients informed of any delays in their providers schedules that may impact their time to be seen.
• Registration/Appointment Scheduling/Referrals
• Obtains all information necessary to complete the outpatient registration process assuring demographic and insurance information is correct and is entered or scanned into the system accurately as monitored by system audit
• Accurate confirmation of attending PCP and Billing PCP, when appropriate.
• Assures correct data capture and data entry (such as MSPQ) necessary for regulatory agencies and compliance requirements is accurate and complete as monitored by systems audits.
• Maintains required level of knowledge and proficiency in all core functions (demographic and financial screening, insurance eligibility and verification, regulatory and compliance monitoring) of front desk services as measured by system audits.
• Supports the collection of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures and form processing to meet Medicare regulations.
• Ensures all corrections (demographics, insurance eligibility etc.) based on the missing items work-queue are made in the appropriate Bassett system within 24 hours of system notifications, in accordance with standard operating procedure.
• Answers questions from patients regarding the organization and/or services and provides directions to the appropriate clinical location as necessary.
• Offers patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett in person.
• Listens to patient’s request for an appointment, then schedules an outpatient appointment to meet the patient’s needs while following department scheduling guidelines as reported by providers and observed by supervisor. Offers alternate providers or locations when appropriate to meet the patient’s needs. Raises up patient’s needs that they cannot meet to the Supervisor or Supervising Nurse.
• Accurately fills out the Interactive Face Sheet and confirms the demographic and insurance information of the patient, and updates as necessary.
• Ensures patient preferences for communication are up to date. This will ensure appointment reminders are sent via mail, phone, or MyBassett to meet patient satisfactions.
• Reminds patients that the collection of their co-pay will be expected at the time of the visit.
• When scheduling, utilizes all available functions such as, Auto Search, Combine Departments, Schedule Scanner, etc. to ensure that the best possible appointment selection is made, for business operations and patient satisfaction.
• Performs edits of daily appointment schedules at the request of their supervisor. Follows policy and procedure for rescheduling appointments and contacting patient directly to reschedule appointments, in accordance with BMG Directive as observed by Supervisor. Directs any requests from providers or other staff to adjust appointment schedules to Supervisor for review and approval before acting, as noted by Supervisor.
• Reviews the electronic Confirm List daily, to confirm appointments with patients 24-72 hours in advance of appointment as noted by patients and observed by Supervisor
• Reviews automated reminder list (Televox, Phytel, or similar lists) as necessary in a timely manner as observed by supervisor and compliance reports.
• Processes electronic or written requests for urgent referrals same day. Processes electronic or written routine referral requests within 24-72 hours.
• In regard to referrals, ensures complete and accurate information is recorded in accordance with standard operating procedure to support reimbursement and regulatory compliance and patient care. When appropriate prior authorizations are obtained and documented appropriately within the referral.
• Work the “Incoming” and “Outgoing” queues in your area according to departmental standards.
• Follow up with “referred to” providers to ensure that patients kept their appointments, and all results have been received in the “referred by” providers office.
• Displays ownership of the entire patient experience, including but not limited to, scheduling, registration, being aware of the patients' lobby experience, and completion of all referral duties.
• Collection of Payment/Cash Handling
• Conveys to patient what payment is due based on Insurance Card or Insurance Verification system and request how patient will be paying today, via cash, check or credit card.
• Receive and receipt all payments with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter as determined by daily cash up verification, and in accordance with finance policy and procedures.
• Maintain and balance cash drawer daily with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter as determined by daily cash up verification, and in accordance with finance policy and procedures.
• Office Support/Cross Coverage/Confidentiality
• Date stamps in all incoming patient related information and delivers to appropriate provider or staff person for action on a daily basis as observed by providers, coworkers and Supervisor
• Completes all basic patient demographic information on forms, such as Disability and Workers Comp before delivering to nurse or provider to complete
• Mails outgoing patient information such as lab letters and completed forms in accordance with Bassett Policy
• Prepares correspondence to patients and/or other entities as directed by providers or supervisors as observed by providers and supervisors
• Prepares outside patient health information for scanning per Document Imaging procedures as observed by certified document imaging staff or Supervisor
• Completes indexing and scanning of hard-copy patient health information into electronic health record or packages and sent to HIM for scanning per Document Imaging procedures as measured by DI quality audits and as reported by providers
• Sends requests for routine or subpoenaed medical record releases to assigned HIM location for processing (Regional HIM Hub site or Cooperstown HIM Department). Processes same day requests for Medical Records for patient care continuity as needed. Seeks assistance from HIM resources with any questions about how to process a release or what information to release
• Maintain appropriate inventory of office supplies and required forms for daily operations following established procedures
• Establishes and maintains departmental record keeping and filing systems. Classifies, sorts, distributes and/or files correspondence, articles, mail, records and other documents
• Opens and/or closes clinic per divisional guidelines as observed by supervisor. For 24-hour departments, appropriate hand-offs are made.
• Covers at other locations or departments as requested, with orientation, performing like office functions as noted by Supervisor
• Ability to adapt to various workflows, processes and policies to support the operations and patient care throughout the network.
• Per protocol, staff member goes into waiting area to greet patient, and to inform them of any delays or changes in their appointment as observed by supervisor and/or peer review
• Patient is identified using 2 identifiers, such as name and date of birth, in accordance with National Patient Safety Goals as observed by supervisor and/or peer review.
• Communicates patient issues/concerns to providers as measured by provider feedback and supervisory observation.
• Ensures appropriate forms are given to all patients depending on appointment type and or specialty.
• Assists the patient to navigate through all stages of their visit.
• Patient Health Information is accessed to perform job responsibilities and for no other reason. Patient information is kept confidential and discussed on a need-to-know basis only. As observed by Supervisor and based on organizational audits
• Assumes responsibility for continuing education by maintaining competency in programs required for daily responsibilities, including clinical information systems, office automation systems and insurance issues.
• Attends required in-services as requested by supervisor.
• Identifies need for computer training or refresher courses and attends as necessary
• Attends 85-90% of all staff meetings as appropriate, reviewing minutes of any meetings missed with no more than 1 unexcused absence per year as measured by supervisory audit.
• Maintains job specific knowledge and proficiency (may include insurance, scheduling, charge coding information and creation of open referrals) by attending meetings, training and reading all pertinent training documentation and memos as documented on annual in-service record.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge and understanding of insurance and local carrier’s medical coverage policies as they relate to the Appointment.
• Required to attend at least 4 educational opportunities per year, such as BIL opportunities, PARS opportunities etc.
• Performs similar or related duties as requested or directed

What we need from you

Education

• High School Diploma or GED, preferred
• 2 year / Associate Degree, preferred

Experience

• Minimum one year of relevant work experience, required
• Minimum one year of customer service experience, preferred
• An associate degree may be considered towards one year of relevant work experience

Skills

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service