Medical Office Assistant - Fingerlakes Nursing Team

Job Summary

The Medical Office Assistant supports the health care team in the coordination and provision of health care to the children/youth served. 

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) position on a Monday-Friday, day shift schedule based on our Fingerlakes Campus in Auburn, NY.

Essential Job Functions

• Facilitate health office operations which may include greeting visitors and maintain a clean, orderly, efficient work area.
• Perform basic clinical duties such as measuring and recording vital signs, height and weight of residential clients daily in accordance with agency protocols and communicate the information to Nursing personnel promptly.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with Nursing staff, Psychiatric and Medical Care Providers, and external partners.
• Assess client needs and provide information and/or triage for services requested.
• Accept and manage deliveries made to the Health Office and distribute them to the proper location.
• Audit health office medical supplies on a monthly basis and maintain orderly storage.
• Obtain required vaccination consents from parent/guardian of clients.
• Arrange medical and dental referral appointments as needed, including scheduling, completing required forms and transport and supervision of the children/youth to and from and during medical and dental appointments with community-based providers.
• Make alternate transportation arrangements with program staff, as needed.
• Facilitate the exchange of health information and documentation of medical and dental care received by the children/youth in the community providers. 
• Ensure children/youth receive all medical and dental services in a timely manner as directed by agency policy and regulatory requirements. 
• Accompany children/youth to community appointments ensuring on time arrival. 
• Retain all clinical records after client involvement, including office visits and phone conversations.
• Monitor status of medical referrals and connect with referral sources to facilitate coordination efforts.
• Maintain and enhance knowledge of regulations and restrictions of different insurance carriers.
• Proactively investigate whether a specialist referral might need a prior authorization. 
• Provide first aid and CPR care as trained, when applicable.
• Participate in staff meetings, in-services, and presentations. 
• Complete required training in a timely manner as assigned.
• While this job description covers many aspects of the role, employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• High School diploma or GED required.            
• Minimum 1 year related experience required.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Unrestricted, valid NYS driver’s license for minimum of 1 year with a clean driving record and minimum insurance coverage that meets agency standards. 
• CPR and First Aid training within 60 days of hire and recertification annually.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

In addition to demonstrating the Hillside Professional Competencies of Communicates Effectively, Personal Excellence, Cultural Competence, Builds and Leverages Relationships, and Optimizes Decision Making, the following occupational competencies must be demonstrated:

• Maintain professional standards as set by the team at all times.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to receive and communicate critical health information from and to medical providers both internal to the agency and externally.
• Ability to work effectively with children/youth in care and provide support.
• Ability to work autonomously and serve as a positive representative of the agency in the community.
• Ability to navigate and document in EMR and provide timely and accurate data entry.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

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.

• Must be able to work a variable scheduling including evenings and weekends
• The following physical demands are required:
  • Occasional sitting (up to 4 hours)
  • Occasional standing (up to 1 hour)
  • Occasional walking (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Occasional driving (up to 8 hours)
  • Continuous balancing (up to 8 hours)
  • Occasional balancing, bending, stooping, climbing, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching forward or down, reaching overhead, running, and twisting (up to 2.5 hours)
  • Weekly lifting up to 50 lbs. (community-based staff may be required to lift an empty wheelchair weighing up to 50 lbs.), 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis
  • Weekly carrying up to 55 lbs. approximately 10-100 ft., 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis
• Manual dexterity is required, including the frequent ability to grasp in both hands and continuous use of fine manipulation skills in both hands (approximately 1-2.5 hrs.)
• Occasional exposure to dust, fumes, gases or chemicals is apparent

$19.50 Minimum pay rate, $28.00 Maximum pay rate, based on experience. This pay rate may include a Regional and/or Department premium.