Job Description
Job Summary:
- The Medical Assistant (Certified) / Patient Care Associate provides high-quality, compassionate care to patients by supporting providers, ensuring efficient clinic operations, and promoting an exceptional patient experience.
- This role involves direct patient interaction, diagnostic testing, and lab responsibilities within a collaborative healthcare team.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Patient Interaction & Customer Service:
- Warmly welcomes and communicates effectively with patients, families, staff, and physicians.
- Responds promptly to patient inquiries regarding appointment status, wait times, and unforeseen delays.
- Provides courteous and professional customer service at all times.
2. Patient Flow & Clinical Support:
- Participates in planning and maintaining optimal patient flow by monitoring provider schedules and addressing potential or actual workflow issues.
- Tracks patient arrivals and room readiness using the clinic’s tracking system.
- Assigns patients to exam rooms and communicates placement with the care team.
- Coordinates with providers throughout the session to maintain awareness of patient status.
- Monitors and communicates delays to patients, staff, and providers as needed.
- Investigates causes of prolonged wait times and assists in resolving them.
- Prepares and turns over exam rooms for the next patient visit.
- Assists licensed providers during clinical procedures.
- Obtains and records vital signs per clinic protocol.
- Performs diagnostic tests as ordered (e.g., EKG, newborn hearing screenings, spirometry without medication).
3. Documentation:
- Accurately documents relevant patient information in the medical record, including:
- Vital signs, immunizations, allergies, and current medications.
Records and routes telephone or prescription refill messages, ensuring timely provider follow-up.
4. Laboratory & Point-of-Care Testing:
- Follows institutional and departmental policies and procedures related to waived testing, quality controls (QC), instrument calibration, and maintenance.
- Processes laboratory specimens and performs point-of-care testing; reports results per established protocols.
- Conducts non-invasive specimen collection procedures such as venipuncture, finger sticks, and heel sticks.
Education:
- H.S. Diploma or GED- Required.
Certification:
- Medical Assistant (MA) Certification required.
Experience:
- EKG/Holter experience preferred but not required.
Skills:
- Strong communication, multitasking, and customer service skills.
Attributes:
- Detail-oriented, patient-focused, and team-driven.