Ambulatory Office Assistant III - Surgical Clinic

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. 

The Ambulatory Office Assistant III 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 and/or clinical 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

May also have direct patient care responsibilities.

• 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.
• Pro-actively keeps patients informed of any delays in their providers schedules that may impact their time to be seen.
• 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.

• Takes a lead in service recovery and acts as a service liaison in the moment.
• Acts as a trainer for incoming new staff in all reception and call handling functions, and or provides orientation as requested by supervisors for new employees.
• May assign daily agent assignments for telephone queues in either Amtelco or Cisco, as appropriate.
• 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.
• 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 appointment, 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 patient's lobby experience, and completion of all referral duties.
• Acts as a subject matter expert in scheduling functions and departmental protocols
• Acts as a subject matter expert in registration functions
  

  Attends Patient Access Review Sessions (PARS) and brings back learning to the team and is a go to person for coworkers.

• Obtains prior approval or prior authorization as needed
  

  Communicates referral appointment and appointment instructions to patient

• Performs referral coordination including completing Open Referrals and/or referral tracking queue.
• Alerts Manager or Supervisor of referrals that are unable to be completed due to missing information that could lead to compliance or safety issues.
• Acts as a subject matter expert in electronic referral queue processes.
• Acts as a trainer for incoming new staff in all registration, scheduling and referral functions, and or provides orientation as requested by supervisors for new employees.
• Has Template Builder security and is trained to create or update provider templates as appropriate per departmental needs.
• Under direction of supervisor, runs daily operational reports, and processes those reports, encouraging teamwork for completion as monitored by leadership.
• Assist with monitoring referral Work queues, assigning daily queue work to staff members.
• Alerts supervisor when referral Queue thresholds have been exceeded
  

  Tracks trends for performance improvement initiatives.

• Performs chart review in preparation for providers clinic
  

  Makes best effort to ensure that all necessary reports, lab-work or films related to appointment are available for the physician at the time of the appointment using available resources
  

  Language barriers are assessed and authorizations & equipment obtained if necessary.

• Call and tracks pertinent patient information not received in clinic to ensure arrival prior to patient appointment as measured by supervisory observation.
• Based on chart review, ensures all necessary equipment and supplies are available for patients visit.
• Prepares medication refill messages by obtaining all required information per provider and departmental guidelines.
• Distributes patient literature as necessary
• Performs all point of care testing (glucometer, urinalysis, anticoagulation etc.) as necessary per department
• Runs controls on point of care testing equipment and ensures log books are updated appropriately.
• Performs EKG’s per departmental protocol.
• Per protocol, staff member goes into waiting area to greet patient as observed by supervisor and/or peer review, and rooms patient as soon as possible.
• 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
• Documents with accuracy patient work-up information, such as vital signs, intake questions etc., as measured by random audits or supervisory observation, in accordance with Bassett Policy.
• Utilizes the EMR clinical documentation system in support of patient care duties, such as telephone calls, patient messages etc. as measured by supervisory observation
• Supports clinical scribe(s) in accordance with regulatory agency requirements and organizational standards based on review of records.
• Communicates patient issues/concerns to providers as measured by provider feedback and supervisory observation.
• Cleans and stocks exam rooms on a daily basis or according to need as measured by supervisory observation.
• Checks medications and supplies for out-dates according to standards set forth by clinical area.
• Monitors supply levels to improve inventory control as measured by supervisory observation
• Enters charges for supplies and clinical testing
• Displays ownership of the entire patient experience, including but not limited to, rooming of patient, collection of vitals, and the abstracting of external records.
• Meets yearly competency requirements as set forth by departmental leadership.
• Supports the collection of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures and form processing to meet Medicare regulations.
• Obtains prior approval or prior authorization as needed
  

  Communicates referral appointment and appointment instructions to patient

• Acts as a liaison with external providers offices when necessary.
• Performs referral coordination including completing Open Referrals and/or referral tracking queue.
• Ensures all orders have been pended in electronic medical record if necessary.
• Acts as a Subject Matter Expert in all patient flow related duties.
• Acts as a trainer for incoming new staff and or provides orientation as requested by supervisors for new employees
• 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.
• Accurately prepares daily cash up in cooperation with supervisor with no more than 2 minor errors per quarter as determined by daily cash up verification and in accordance with finance policy and procedures.
• Performs Petty Cash record-keeping and management in an accurate and timely manner.