Medical Office Assistant III (ENT)

General Summary Of Position

Location : Washington Hospital Center Department : Otolaryngology (ENT) Status : Full-time, 40-hours per week Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8 : 00am-4 : 30pm

This Full-Time position will be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 722.

This is the second job in a series of two that perform clerical / secretarial / administrative office support functions in a medical setting / office at WHC. May be a secretary for one or more physicians, medical, or professional staff.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

Receives and screens telephone calls and visitors to the office. Determines the need(s) of the caller / visitor and addresses them accordingly, providing information per department / Hospital policy. Refers inquires of a technical nature to an appropriate staff member. May make calls for physicians and / or staff including calling in refill prescriptions (with authorization / approval) to a pharmacy. Takes and forwards messages.

Schedules appointments for patients including coordinating appointments with other medical offices and for tests, including pre-admissions testing. Confirms appointments. May give instructions to patient, explain an upcoming procedure / test, and / or answer questions. Maintains calendar(s) for a physician, staff, and / or department / clinic including patient appointments, surgeries, meetings, etc. Collects needed information (including patient charts prior to appointment / meeting and may brief attendees. Makes travel arrangements and prepares expense reports as required.

Completes preliminary registration for new patients and updates information on existing patients (inpatients and / or outpatients) in the hospital's or department's scheduling system. Obtains necessary demographic and insurance information, referrals, pre-certifications, signatures, copies, etc. May make / create patient chart or request existing one from Medical Records. Verifies all information. May make referrals when patient has no insurance or means to pay for services.

Enters physician charges into billing system(s). Reviews codes to ensure proper billing. Corrects errors or returns forms to medical staff for completion / correction. Responds to questions regarding bills from patients, referring physicians, office staff, insurance companies, and the hospital's Patient Financial Services Department. May accept co-payments and make deposits.

Transcribes dictation including patient narrative and / or discharge summaries, general correspondence, and memoranda. Types letters, correspondence, memoranda, grants, proposals, statistical and budget reports from dictation, rough drafts, and / or verbal instructions. Prepares and edits manuscripts, articles, and abstracts for presentation and / or publication. Composes correspondence for signature based on accepted departmental norms. May compose and send correspondence under own signature as appropriate.

Establishes and maintains a variety of files, records, logs, charts, etc. including departmental files. Retrieves files, records, charts, and / or the information therein as necessary including personnel information / time sheets,. Performs basic data collection and tabulation creating summaries and reports. Prepares and distributes monthly on-call schedules to attendings, residents, and appropriate departments Records continuing medical education activities of department personnel. Maintains financial records such as budget / fiscal reports ensuring that budgetary guidelines are maintained. Prepares vouchers.

Makes arrangements for meetings / conferences / departmental events, including, but not limited to : inviting guests / speakers and making their travel arrangements; agenda preparation; creation of handouts; determining lodging, meeting and meal arrangements for attendees; organizing registration; and arranging for certificates and honoraria; etc.

Maintains and orders supplies for personnel / department as needed or requested. Audits bills and ensures prompt payment.

Receives, opens, and date stamps incoming mail. Reviews, sorts, and directs mail to the appropriate person in accordance with departmental policy.

Orients new employees, including residents, to hospital procedures, schedules and requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

Education : High School Diploma or GED required May require up to 1 year of technical or other specialized training including advanced training in secretarial / medical office support (e.g. : typing / keyboarding / word processing, medical terminology, medical insurance / billing, etc.) and office administrative procedures including customer service etc.

Experience : 1 to 3 years experience, preferably in a doctor's office or medical environment / health care setting demonstrating organizational skills and a working familiarity with medical terminology and office computers (PC's and / or mainframes) performing word-processing / typing and data entry, preferably in a for an executive / staff with diversified needs required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities : Requires the ability to read and write; and knowledge of grammar, and arithmetic including fractions and decimals. May require the use of standard office / medical equipment (i.e., typewriter, personal computer, data terminal, on-line printer, calculator, telephone, facsimile, copier, sterilizing equipment, blood pressure cuff, or tables); the preparation, comparison or checking of reports, records and related data; and basic use of formulas, charts, tables, drawings and knowledge of their application.

This position has a hiring range of $26.865 - $40.553