MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT

Job Title: Medical Office Assistant

Location: Lehighton and on occasion Westgate

Employee Type: Full-Time

Summary: This position may greet patients upon arrival and ensure patients are seen by the provider accordingly. The Medical Office Assistant (MOA) will answer the phone and direct individuals to the appropriate channel as needed. The position will coordinate the provider's schedule to ensure patients are scheduled appropriately for their appointments, referrals, and follow up appointments. This role will verify insurance and collect payments to ensure payments are accurately recorded. The MOA will ensure patents and customer satisfaction is delivered to create a best-in-class experience across the site, in addition to any other clerical duties.

Essential Functions:

• Obtains new patient referrals via telephone or insurance websites.
• Obtains authorizations for procedures, diagnostic testing, medication authorizations, pre-operative testing, or surgeries as required by patient’s health care insurers or managed care providers.
• Schedules internal and external appointments, procedures, and surgeries.
• Reviews surgical procedures with patients, providing education and review of necessary documents and secures patient’s signatures on required documents.
• Confirms patient surgical and diagnostic appointments with appropriate facilities and ensures transport of appropriate documents.
• Schedules pre-admission testing, surgical clearance appointments with patient’s Primary Care Physician office, Cardiology or other specialty practices.
• Timely review of pre-operative testing results and forwards abnormal test reports to surgeon, physician assistant and clinical coordinator. Communicates same with patient’s Primary Care Physician regarding medical clearances.
• Prepares and collates surgical paperwork and ensures timely delivery to surgical site.
• Reviews chart for completeness and accuracy by ensuring all pertinent studies/diagnostics are available prior to pre-operative testing and surgeries.
• Answers telephone calls promptly and courteously.
• Calls patients to reschedule appointments as needed.
• Completes a full, accurate patient registration utilizing the electronic check-in program.
• Completes patient check-out procedures including collecting payment, scheduling follow up appointments, and providing patient with instructions as needed.
• Verifies, updates, and maintains accurate patient insurance information. Coordinates referrals for patients through insurance and other physician offices.
• Assists with insurance verification, authorizations, referrals and patient eligibility, as needed.
• Reviews accounts of scheduled patients for balances and expired referrals and addresses with patient for resolution.
• Schedules surgical and diagnostic appointments for patients by telephone or in person and provides patient education by performing the following duties.
• Collects co-payment and balances from patients and reconciles daily cash report.
• Fits patients for DME as prescribed by physician or advanced practitioner; customizes bracing to the patient for optimal support, fit and immobilization.
• Reviews patient documentation for accuracy and qualifying criteria based off insurance and company guidelines.
• Instructs patients in proper fitting and usage of DME products.
• Creates or recommends teaching aids or tools for patient education.
• Evaluates DME on patients prior to leaving the office and, if necessary, modifies to assure fit and functionality.
• Responds to internal and external requests in a timely manner while adhering to company policies and procedures.
• Monitors and maintains DME inventory, places orders, as necessary.
• Initiates insurance authorization for DME products; follow-up as needed.
• Utilizes Electronic Medical Record to document all patient communications.
• May assist with check-in and check-out as assigned.
• Other duties may be assigned

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
• Two to four years’ related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Some knowledge of medical insurance carriers and experience with fitting DME products.
• Ability to multitask and maintain professional telephone etiquette.
• Problem solving skills in standardized situations.
• Ability to work accurately and efficiently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of medical terminology helpful.
• Prior customer service representative experience required.
• Knowledge of insurance helpful.
• Previous medical office experience including surgical and office scheduling preferred.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Must be able to work closely with physicians and other team members.
• Knowledge of EMR software and Internet software.
• Bi-lingual/Spanish skills for interpreting a plus.