Optometric Assistant

Job Title: Front Desk Assistant/Optometric Assistant

Reports To: Office Manager/Chief Optometrist

Summary: This position is 50% administrative and 50% clinical. The first part of the position is running and managing the front desk area. The second part is assisting the doctor work up the patients.

Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Responsible for answering the doctor’s phone in a polite, timely, and orderly fashion to assist callers in their needs
2. Responsible for filling up the doctor’s book as best as possible; this includes being proficient at the doctor’s online scheduler and patient management software
3. Responsible for verifying benefits and eligibility for patients before their scheduled appointment
4. Responsible for checking in patients as they arrives, putting together their charts, entering their information into our patient management software, and answering any questions the patient may have before their exam
5. Responsible for checking out patients after their exam, collecting money from the patient if a balance is due, and pre-appointing patients for the following year
6. Responsible for confirming the following days appointments; as well as calling pre-appointed patients to confirm the annual exams
7. Collecting and distributing the mail daily
8. After the patient has been checked in by the front desk, the tech will assist the patient through a pre-test which includes: case history, non-contact tonometry, autorefractor, color vision screening, stereopsis, and visual acuities.
9. Responsible for taking patient’s retinal photos, OCT, topography, MPOD, pachymetry or any other diagnostic service either through a screening or by doctor’s orders
10. Responsible for running visual field exams for patients; both screening and threshold tests
11. Responsible for insertion and removal training sessions for new contact lens wearers
12. Assists the doctor in the exam room in needed
13. Assists the patient, after his/her doctor encounter to get back to the front desk
14. Monitor the cleanliness of the pretest, contact, and exam rooms and making sure each room is properly equipped
15. Reviews contact lens agreements with patients before a new contact lens fit

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Ability:

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to communicate efficiently and effectively to patient and patient’s families.

Math Ability:

Ability to calculate figures and distances that relate to basic optics as well as basic math functions for collecting money

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge in computer skills; as many programs and equipment are computer based.

Education/Experience:

An associate’s degree or 2 year college degree is preferred, or a high school diploma and at least one year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Physical Demands:

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is frequently required to use hands and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.