Public Health Office Assistant – Medical Front Office

State of TN - The Division of Community Health Services (CHS)

Location: Athens, Tennessee 37303
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Employment Type: Full-Time Contract
Contract Duration: September 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM EST
Hours: 8 hours per day
Number of Openings: 1
Travel: Occasional travel to surrounding counties
Residency Requirement: Candidate must be a Tennessee resident before the start date
Pay Rate: $15-$17/hour

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a customer-focused and detail-oriented Public Health Office Assistant to provide front-office, clerical, and patient-support services in a busy primary care and public health clinic in Athens, Tennessee.

This position plays an important role in the daily patient experience by supporting appointment scheduling, patient registration, check-in/check-out, insurance and eligibility documentation, referral coordination, prior authorization support, electronic medical records, and general clinic administration.

The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years of customer service or clerical/office experience. Candidates with previous medical front office, healthcare administration, patient scheduling, medical terminology, insurance, or electronic medical record experience will be especially well suited for this opportunity.

What You’ll Do

• Schedule and manage patient appointments.

• Inform patients about visit requirements and required documentation.

• Collect, verify, and update patient demographic information during registration.

• Support patient check-in and check-out activities.

• Make patient reminder and follow-up calls.

• Coordinate patient referrals and related documentation.

• Review documentation to determine eligibility for applicable federal and state programs.

• Enter patient and program information into healthcare management information systems.

• Work with multiple computer applications to enter, retrieve, and verify information.

• Compile appropriate forms and documentation for requested medical services.

• Scan and index patient records into the electronic medical record system.

• Inform patients of their rights and responsibilities related to program participation.

• Obtain required authorization before releasing medical information.

• Assist with insurance prior authorization by gathering and submitting required documentation before services are provided.

• Process cash-drawer transactions and accurately balance the drawer.

• Maintain organized, complete, and accurate patient records.

• Support efficient clinic workflow and day-to-day office operations.

• Maintain a positive, constructive, professional, and cooperative work environment.

• Travel to surrounding counties occasionally when required.

What We’re Looking For – Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• At least 2 years of full-time customer service and/or clerical/office experience.

• Strong customer-service and interpersonal skills.

• Experience performing administrative or office-support duties.

• Strong attention to detail and data-entry accuracy.

• Ability to work with multiple computer systems and applications.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a busy office or clinic environment.

• Professional written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to interact professionally with patients, staff, and other stakeholders.

• Current driver's license.

• Ability and willingness to travel throughout the surrounding region as needed.

• Must be a Tennessee resident prior to the start of the assignment.

• Ability to successfully complete all required background-verification requirements.

Education Substitution

College coursework from an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis, up to a maximum of two years.

For example, approximately 45 quarter hours of qualifying coursework may substitute for one year of required experience.

Preferred Experience

• Previous medical front office experience.

• Primary care, physician office, clinic, hospital, or public health experience.

• Understanding of medical terminology.

• Experience scheduling medical appointments.

• Patient registration and check-in/check-out experience.

• Experience working with electronic medical records.

• Healthcare insurance or benefits experience.

• Prior authorization experience.

• Referral coordination experience.

• Experience reviewing program or patient eligibility documentation.

• Experience with insurance coding.

• Cash-handling or cash-drawer balancing experience.

What Makes You an Ideal Candidate

You will be an especially strong fit if you have worked in a medical front desk, physician office, health clinic, hospital registration, or similar patient-facing administrative environment.

The strongest candidates will be comfortable handling several responsibilities throughout the day, including:

• Patient registration

• Appointment scheduling

• Medical terminology

• Insurance documentation

• Eligibility verification

• Prior authorizations

• Referrals

• Electronic medical records

• Patient communications

• Data entry

• Cash handling

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys helping patients while also maintaining accurate records and keeping a busy clinic organized.

Patient Registration & Scheduling

The selected Office Assistant will support the full patient front-office experience, including:

• Appointment scheduling

• Registration

• Demographic updates

• Check-in and check-out

• Patient reminders

• Follow-up calls

• Visit requirement communication

• Referral coordination

Insurance, Eligibility & Prior Authorization

Responsibilities include:

• Reviewing documentation for program eligibility.

• Assisting patients with required forms.

• Informing clients about program rights and responsibilities.

• Gathering documentation required for insurance authorization.

• Assisting with prior authorization before services are provided.

• Following established requirements before releasing medical information.

Electronic Medical Records & Data Entry

The role requires regular computer and records-management work, including:

• Entering information into health-management systems.

• Using multiple software applications to input and retrieve information.

• Scanning medical records.

• Indexing documents into electronic medical records.

• Maintaining accurate patient demographic and administrative information.

• Verifying documentation for completeness.

Cash Handling & Administrative Support

The position also supports general office operations by:

• Processing cash-drawer transactions.

• Balancing the cash drawer.

• Maintaining accurate financial records.

• Organizing forms and documentation.

• Supporting efficient clinic flow.

• Assisting with other clerical responsibilities as assigned.

Background & Residency Requirements

The selected candidate must successfully complete required background verification, which may include:

• Address history verification

• National criminal record search

• Sex offender registry search

• County and statewide criminal searches based on residential history

• Federal criminal search

• Global watch screening

• Additional-name/alias searches

Candidates must also meet the Tennessee residency requirement. Individuals relocating to Tennessee must establish residency before their assignment begins.

Key Skills & Search Keywords

Medical Office Assistant | Medical Front Desk | Patient Registration | Patient Scheduler | Healthcare Administrative Assistant | Medical Receptionist | Clinic Assistant | Public Health | Patient Check-In | Patient Check-Out | Medical Terminology | Electronic Medical Records | EMR | Prior Authorization | Referral Coordination | Insurance Verification | Eligibility Verification | Data Entry | Medical Records | Customer Service | Cash Handling

Work Arrangement & Travel

This position is fully onsite in Athens, Tennessee.

Candidates should be prepared to work onsite throughout the assignment and must be willing to travel occasionally to surrounding counties when required.

A current driver's license is required.

Why This Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Work directly in a patient-focused healthcare environment.

• Gain or expand medical front-office experience.

• Support both public health and primary care services.

• Build experience with patient scheduling, registration, electronic medical records, insurance processes, and referrals.

• Work a consistent Monday–Friday daytime schedule.

• Contribute to efficient healthcare delivery within the local community.

Resume/Application Guidance

Candidates should ensure their resume clearly shows:

• At least 2 years of customer service and/or clerical office experience

• Medical front-office experience, if applicable

• Patient registration and scheduling

• Electronic medical record experience

• Medical terminology knowledge

• Insurance and prior authorization experience

• Referral coordination

• Eligibility-documentation review

• Data-entry experience

• Cash-handling experience

• Current Tennessee location

• Ability to work onsite in Athens

• Valid driver's license