Medical Office Support Specialist

PAY TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT

In accordance with The Massachusetts Pay Transparency Act, BNHC provides reasonable pay range for each posted position. Actual compensation will be based on multiple factors such as relevant experience, education and training to determine offered rates. This range represents the organization's good faith estimate of the possible compensation at the time of posting.

POSITION SUMMARY

Coordinates clerical aspects of patient services to ensure completeness and continuity of care and support the Practice Management Educator with continual training and competencies of all staff in the Practice Management Department. The Medical Office Support Specialist is responsible for all functions performed during the patient check-in to clinical areas and the check-out process for all departments. These include, but are not limited to, scheduling follow-up appointments, registration, scheduling internal and external referral appointments, acquiring referral authorization, collecting cash, and posting daily encounters; taking and returning patient phone calls; patient correspondence; mailing/faxing medical information to consultants and maintenance of equipment.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Excel in all principal Medical Office Assistant functions with minimal supervisor interaction. Decision Making
• Ability to recognize and act on departmental needs and provide guidance to staff Training
• Ability to monitor, train and re-train Medical Office Assistants in principle Medical Office Assistant functions to ensure minimum job requirements are maintained. Competency Assessment
• complete post training competency assessment for all new hire and employees who are retrained. EHR Worqueues Management
• Assist with various EHR workqueues including but not limited to those related to pre-registration, patient registration errors and identity manager. Disenrollment
• Manage monthly disenrollment report retrieval and processing to properly document the status of deceased patients and patients who left practice in the EHR. Forward report to the team for quality analysis and referral closed the loop process. Patient Reassignment
• Bulk reassignment of patients whose PCP left the practice and unassigned patients. Bulk reassignment will take into consideration patient age, primary insurance coverage, patient preferred language and provider credentialing and current panel size. Patient preference trumps bulk reassignment guidelines. Telephone calls
• answers call, assists the caller, forwarding the call as needed. Overall service to the caller to completion. Internal appointments
• schedules patients for follow-up and specialist visits at the Health Center. Referral appointments
• schedules referral appointments for the patients at the referral specialties/facilities.

Whenever possible, appointments are made with patient present. Provides patient referral information to the referred facility in accordance with the patient's insurance plan. Liaison between BNHC, referral facility/specialty and the patient. Consults with other clinical staff as needed. Gives complete, accurate, and adequate information to the referred facility and to the patients, including written and oral. Registration

• Verify the patient demographic information, insurance, and information needed for UDS. Attach the appropriate insurance to the encounter form Referral tracking
• maintains a tracking system of all external and internal referrals. Follow up on appointments as needed. Check
• in•patients checked from the registration areas into the specific waiting areas prior to being seen by their providers.

Waiting room monitored. Patients and providers will be notified of any delays in scheduled appointments. Check out

• process the patients encounter forms and schedule referrals that have been generated from the providers Encounters
• encounters to be verified in practice management system during check-out function. Ensures proper diagnostic and procedural entry for all provider visits. Verifies accuracy of entries and the capture of all encounters for the day. Cash
• collects any additional patient copays and deductibles. Balances daily cash drawer and credit card receipts. Communication
• Serves as liaison between BNHC clinical areas, patients and other agencies to ensure continuity of patients' care. Any patient issues received via telephone, voicemail, letters, or walk-ins will be communicated to providers. Forms
• Assists with any patient correspondence as directed. Reporting
• may be required to gather clinical information for reporting needs. Interprets
• may be called without notice to assist providers with interpreting. Equipment & software
• ensures proper use of all office equipment (fax, copier, PC, email, practice management software, printers, phones, voicemail, etc) in accordance with office policy. Maintains proper supplies for its use. Immediately reports any malfunction. Certified Application Counselor
• must be maintained in order to process insurance applications Intake
• Meet with patients and assist them in enrolling in insurance programs for which they are eligible via the Virtual Gateway.

Reviews all applications for completeness and documentation accuracy

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head. Attend meetings and seminars to keep abreast of changing needs within the industry and department.

Professional Behavior:

Maintains a professional environment in a multi-provider, multidiscipline organization. Maintains a patient centered environment to ensure patients' continuity of care; advocate for patients. Positive attitude towards co-workers and other health center departments. Performs tasks within the scope of secretarial standards. Demonstrates characteristics of accountability and responsibility. Is reliable and dependable as demonstrated by excellent attendance, punctuality, and thorough follow through of work tasks. Maintains patient confidentiality at all times. Maintains discretion of conversation in work areas. Is pleasant, courteous, and considerate of patients and co-workers. Interacts properly and professionally with patients and other co-workers. Demonstrates ability to prioritize demands, work with distractions, adapt to change, exercise efficient time management, and work independently. Demonstrates good communication skills. Maintains appropriate chain of command. Attends meetings

QUALITY ASSURANCE/IMPROVEMENT

Participates in the betterment of the health center through studies and reviews as necessary. Goal setting

• continually assess personal, team and organization goals.

TEAMWORK ORIENTATION

Maintains and encourages teamwork. Maintains consistent effort to further goals by modifying and/or improving individual procedures and tasks. Conflict Management Demonstrates and implements effective problem solving. Identify and report task and/or operational problems. Manages conflict with staff appropriately. Maintains good communication skills. Participates in orientation of new staff and/or students.

QUALIFICATIONS

Graduate of a medical secretary program preferred. High School graduate or equivalent. Willingness and ability to learn all aspects of job requirements. High level of interpersonal and professional skills. § Bilingual required.

MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE

Demonstrates knowledge of: Moderate computer skills. Proper telephone etiquette. Good customer service skills. Basic knowledge of managed care. § Knowledge of insurance plans.

POSITION SUMMARY

Coordinates clerical aspects of patient services to ensure completeness and continuity of care and support the Practice Management Educator with continual training and competencies of all staff in the Practice Management Department. The Medical Office Support Specialist is responsible for all functions performed during the patient check-in to clinical areas and the check-out process for all departments. These include, but are not limited to, scheduling follow-up appointments, registration, scheduling internal and external referral appointments, acquiring referral authorization, collecting cash, and posting daily encounters; taking and returning patient phone calls; patient correspondence; mailing/faxing medical information to consultants and maintenance of equipment.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Excel in all principal Medical Office Assistant functions with minimal supervisory interaction. Decision Making
• Ability to recognize and act on departmental needs and provide guidance to staff Training
• Ability to monitor, train and re-train Medical Office Assistants in principle Medical Office Assistant functions to ensure minimum job requirements are maintained. Competency Assessment
• complete post training competency assessment for all new hire and employees who are retrained. EHR Worqueues Management
• Assist with various EHR workqueues including but not limited to those related to pre-registration, patient registration errors and identity manager. Disenrollment
• Manage monthly disenrollment report retrieval and processing to properly document the status of deceased patients and patients who left practice in the EHR. Forward report to the team for quality analysis and referral closed the loop process. Patient Reassignment
• Bulk reassignment of patients whose PCP left the practice and unassigned patients. Bulk reassignment will take into consideration patient age, primary insurance coverage, patient preferred language and provider credentialing and current panel size. Patient preference trumps bulk reassignment guidelines. Telephone calls
• answers call, assists the caller, forwarding the call as needed. Overall service to the caller to completion. Internal appointments
• schedules patients for follow-up and specialist visits at the Health Center. Referral appointments
• schedules referral appointments for the patients at the referral specialties/facilities.

Whenever possible, appointments are made with patient present. Provides patient referral information to the referred facility in accordance with the patient's insurance plan. Liaison between BNHC, referral facility/specialty and the patient. Consults with other clinical staff as needed. Gives complete, accurate, and adequate information to the referred facility and to the patients, including written and oral. Registration

• Verify the patient demographic information, insurance, and information needed for UDS. Attach the appropriate insurance to the encounter form Referral tracking
• maintains a tracking system of all external and internal referrals. Follow up on appointments as needed. Check
• in•patients checked from the registration areas into the specific waiting areas prior to being seen by their providers.

Waiting room monitored. Patients and providers will be notified of any delays in scheduled appointments. Check out

• process the patients encounter forms and schedule referrals that have been generated from the providers Encounters
• encounters to be verified in practice management system during check-out function. Ensures proper diagnostic and procedural entry for all provider visits. Verifies accuracy of entries and the capture of all encounters for the day. Cash
• collects any additional patient copays and deductibles. Balances daily cash drawer and credit card receipts. Communication
• Serves as liaison between BNHC clinical areas, patients and other agencies to ensure continuity of patients' care. Any patient issues received via telephone, voicemail, letters, or walk-ins will be communicated to providers. Forms
• Assists with any patient correspondence as directed. Reporting
• may be required to gather clinical information for reporting needs. Interprets
• may be called without notice to assist providers with interpreting. Equipment & software
• ensures proper use of all office equipment (fax, copier, PC, email, practice management software, printers, phones, voicemail, etc) in accordance with office policy. Maintains proper supplies for its use. Immediately reports any malfunction. Certified Application Counselor
• must be maintained in order to process insurance applications Intake
• Meet with patients and assist them in enrolling in insurance programs for which they are eligible via the Virtual Gateway.

Reviews all applications for completeness and documentation accuracy

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

May perform other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head. Attend meetings and seminars to keep abreast of changing needs within the industry and department.

Professional Behavior:

Maintains a professional environment in a multi-provider, multidiscipline organization. Maintains a patient centered environment to ensure patients' continuity of care; advocate for patients. Positive attitude towards co-workers and other health center departments. Performs tasks within the scope of secretarial standards. Demonstrates characteristics of accountability and responsibility. Is reliable and dependable as demonstrated by excellent attendance, punctuality, and thorough follow through of work tasks. Maintains patient confidentiality at all times. Maintains discretion of conversation in work areas. Is pleasant, courteous, and considerate of patients and co-workers. Interacts properly and professionally with patients and other co-workers. Demonstrates ability to prioritize demands, work with distractions, adapt to change, exercise efficient time management, and work independently. Demonstrates good communication skills. Maintains appropriate chain of command. Attends meetings

QUALITY ASSURANCE/IMPROVEMENT

Participates in the betterment of the health center through studies and reviews as necessary. Goal setting

• continually assess personal, team and organization goals.

TEAMWORK ORIENTATION

Maintains and encourages teamwork. Maintains consistent effort to further goals by modifying and/or improving individual procedures and tasks. Conflict Management Demonstrates and implements effective problem solving. Identify and report task and/or operational problems. Manages conflict with staff appropriately. Maintains good communication skills. Participates in orientation of new staff and/or students.

QUALIFICATIONS

Graduate of a medical secretary program preferred. High School graduate or equivalent. Willingness and ability to learn all aspects of job requirements. High level of interpersonal and professional skills. § Bilingual required.

MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE

Demonstrates knowledge of: Moderate computer skills. Proper telephone etiquette. Good customer service skills. Basic knowledge of managed care. § Knowledge of insurance plans.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Works in a busy community health center in a high crime, urban neighborhood. Interruptions are present and can be disruptive to workflow. Stress is present due to the high volume of work, the diversified nature of activities and frequent crises and deadlines. Performs other employee duties to cover for staff absences. Works overtime as needed for emergencies or to meet project deadlines.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Mostly sitting and walking. Physical demands require lifting small office supplies (not over 25 lbs.), mostly sedentary with some walking within the office and to and from other departments. Visual acuity sufficient for frequent reading. Hearing acuity sufficient for holding conversations with or without audio devices.