Medical Assistant Triage

POSITION TITLE: Triage Medical Assistant

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Nurse Manager

STATUS: Non-exempt

SUMMARY: This position is responsible for providing triage (sorting/prioritizing patients) service to ensure prompt identification of patients with high-risk conditions, provide health education, and carries out such other Medical Assistant duties as SHHC may need. This includes traveling to any SHHC location for in-office coverage as needed.

The Triage Medical Assistant is a key member of the care team working to provide quality comprehensive services to patients and will work collaboratively with staff to provide team-based coordinated care. The Triage Medical Assistant will demonstrate the values consistent with Squirrel Hill Health Center’s mission and will work with the SHHC team to make the Center a Medical Home for patients of all backgrounds.

Essential Job Functions:

• Communicates with patients on the telephone and patient portal and then directs them to emergency rooms (ERs), urgent care centers, or to see SHHC providers during office hours.

• Performs screening of the patient situation to estimate severity of illness and/or injury including, but not limited to, learning about chief complaint and, as possible, mental status information.

• Determines urgency of seeing the patient based on brief screening and on familiarity with a patient’s condition and history.

• Uses computerized medical information database including algorithms that closely imitate physician logic and thought patterns, as guide.

• Sends patients with high-risk chief complaints such as chest pain, abdominal pain, or severe headaches to ER immediately.

• Provides appropriate education, results and home health advice to patients.

• Ensures accurate notes of all communications are recorded in the patients’ record via the Electronic Health Record.

• Arranges appointments for patients who do not need to go to ER but need to see a physician. Consults with providers and nurses as needed.

• Completes annual required training and procedural signoffs at the direction of the Office Manager.

• Promptly answers incoming calls from physician’s offices, hospitals, emergency rooms, nursing homes and other entities and promptly gathers information ensuring direct notification of clinician and/or appropriate member of the Care Team.

• Coordinates prescription refills by receiving information from faxes, the patient prescription line, and patient portal, obtaining authorization from the appropriate clinician and ensuring completion with appropriate documentation in the EHR.

• At the direction of the clinicians; follows SHHC procedures for ordering and documenting vaccines and lab services for patient appointments in the EHR.

• Receives and directs lab results to appropriate clinician and/or Care Team Member.

• Process and resolve inquiries and complaints related to patient care services in coordination with the Medical Assistant Manager and/or Director of Clinical Operations.

• Works collaboratively with the SHHC Care Team to ensure that SHHC provides the highest quality care for all patients.

• Communicates clearly with SHHC Care Team to ensure smooth patient flow throughout the Center.

• Maintains confidentiality and is compliant with HIPAA.

• Adheres to all SHHC policies and procedures.

• Accurately documents all necessary information in the electronic health record system in a timely fashion.

• Read and respond to work emails and other correspondence daily.

• Participates in all staff, clinical, and other periodic meetings as directed by the SHHC Management Team.

• Foster a spirit of teamwork and instill a sense of company pride in his/her teams.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Medical Assistant certificate preferred.

• Minimum three years of experience as Medical Assistant; one to two years of telephone triage experience, preferably in medical practice setting.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organization skills and ability to deal professionally and effectively with SHHC Team members and the public.

• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of clients in person and by telephone or patient portal.

• Ability to work autonomously and communicate any concerns or needs to the Director of Clinical Operations and other SHHC Team members.

• Responds to patient, provider, and other SHHC Team member requests in a courteous, respectful manner.

• Computer skills and ability to work in EHR, TEAMS, Outlook email and other software systems.

• Medical terminology, ICD-10 and CPT coding knowledge preferred.

• CPR certified.

• Second language preferred

• Must be committed to serving underserved populations.

• All SSHC clinic recommended immunizations including COVID vaccine required

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