Department Assistant - General Surgery

Job Summary: Handles administrative duties within a medical office and performs clerical duties to maintain an organized healthcare office and allow medical staff to focus on patient care. He or she also maintains a line of communication between the patient and clinical staff.

Essential Functions:

• Consistently uses an outward mindset and puts forth exemplary effort in accomplishing his/her goals and objectives in a manner that helps others to achieve their goals and objectives.
• Answers incoming calls and routes to proper destination, creates appointments, creates messages on patient’s behalf.
• Greets and checks in patients and visitors; Assists patients with registration and scheduling.
• Processes incoming mail and faxes.
  • Prepares Electronic Medical Record by scanning necessary documents.
  • Inventories, orders, and maintains all office supplies.
• Assists patients to complete documents such as intake and insurance forms.
• Directs patients when necessary.
• Confirms current patient information, ensures that the proper physician is listed.
• Verifies insurance eligibility.
• Contacts patients prior to visit for confirmation of visit, co-insurance, and copay
• Collects copay and outstanding balances on patient accounts.
• Assists with quality assurance initiatives.
• Updates patient demographics including insurance information and scans insurance card into chart.
• Evaluates daily schedules to accommodate patient flow and minimize missed appointments.
• Coordinates scheduling of incoming referrals.
• Scheduling high tech imaging appointments.
• Communicates with the clinical staff to ensure all appropriate patient information is gathered.

Minimum Qualifications: 18 years of age.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Associate’s degree or equivalent formal education is preferred; excellent telephone, written communication and interpersonal skills; ability to prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining focus and effectiveness, maintaining a high productivity level to maximize the productivity of the department leader and managers; excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; experience with data extraction from multiple information systems; proficiency in a variety of computer software programs and/or systems is required, experience using email, electronic calendar, word-processing, and spreadsheets; able to work independently.

Working Conditions: Must work in a busy office and public environment while maintaining a friendly demeanor during all interactions with diverse populations of physicians, nurses, patient family members, etc. Potential exposure to blood/body fluids and contagious disease.

Physical Requirements: Constantly sit, see/visual acuity, handle/grasp/feel, talk/hear, taste/smell. Frequently walk, bend/twist. Occasionally lift/carry 1 to 25 lbs.