Medical Assistant

APLA Health‘s mission is to achieve health care equity and promote well-being for the
LGBT and other underserved communities and people living with and affected by HIV.
We are a nonprofit, federally qualified health center serving more than 14,000 people
annually. We provide 20 different services from 15 locations throughout Los Angeles
County, including: medical, dental, and behavioral health care; PrEP counseling and
management; health education and HIV prevention; and STD screening and treatment.
For people living with HIV, we offer housing support; benefits counseling; home health
care; and the Vance North Necessities of Life Program food pantries; among several
other critically needed services. Additionally, we are leaders in advocating for policy and
legislation that positively impacts the LGBT and HIV communities, provide capacity-
building assistance to health departments across the country, and conduct community-
based research on issues affecting the communities we serve. For more information,
please visit us at aplahealth.org.

We offer great benefits, competitive pay, and great working environment

We offer:
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance (no cost for

employee)
• Vision Insurance (no cost for

employee)
• Long Term Disability
• Group Term Life and AD&D

Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts

• 12 Paid Holidays
• 3 Personal Days
• 10 Vacation Days
• 12 Sick Days
• Metro reimbursement or free

parking
• Employer Matched 403b

Retirement Plan

This is a great opportunity to make a difference

This position will pay $25.60 - $28.43 hourly. Salary is commensurate with experience.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The HIV-STD Counselor/Medical Assistant will provide patient care services under the
direction of a licensed health care provider inclusive of culturally appropriate HIV/STD
services to APLA Health & Wellness patients. In collaboration with prevention program
staff, the HIV/STD Counselor/Medical Assistant will work to identify HIV positive
individuals who are part of our prevention programs and who are not yet linked to HIV

medical care, including newly diagnosed individuals, persons who know their HIV status
but have never been engaged in care, and others who know their status and have
dropped out of care to access medical care services. The HIV-STD Counselor/Medical
Assistant will perform administrative front office and clinical back office duties in the
medical clinic, including submitting and tracking referrals, taking vital signs, preparing
examining rooms, administering medications as ordered by a licensed healthcare
provider, performing phlebotomy and other technical clinical functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work
that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude
them from the position if the work is similar, related or has a logical assignment to this
position.

• Greets and register patients when needed; assists them with completion of
necessary forms; answers telephones and schedules appointments; retrieves
medical files; maintains medical records and files.

• Provide pre/post test client-centered HIV counseling.
• Conduct HIV/STD risk assessments.
• Provide HIV/STD risk reduction and prevention coaching/counseling.
• Prepares treatment rooms, ensuring that rooms are neat and clean, and stocked

with the necessary supplies and equipment for patient examination; maintains
sanitary and sterile supplies and equipment.

• Interviews patients to obtain basic medical information and history; measures
and records vital signs, height, weight and body mass index (BMI); prepares
medical records for provider review.

• Performs phlebotomy to collect blood samples; collects urine and other non-
invasive specimens; logs specimens for testing; performs urine dip sticks and
finger-sticks for hemoglobin and glucose measurements.

• Provides counseling and rapid HIV testing to clients seeking those services.
• Maintains monthly equipment logs, i.e. Glucometer, Hemocue, and Refrigerators.
• Develop a set of focused strategies, designed to improve the linkage (and

ongoing engagement) to HIV primary medical care of recently diagnosed HIV-
infected persons; individuals of known HIV status who have never sought
medical care and HIV-infected persons who have dropped out of care and are no
longer seeking HIV medical care and treatment.

• Assists physicians and nurses in examining and treating patients; handling
instruments; preparing and disinfecting treatment sites; applying and removing
dressing and bandages; administers medications in accordance with providers
orders; administers subcutaneous and intramuscular injections as ordered by
mid-level providers and physicians.

• Assist in the preparation of reports as requested.
• Maintain HIV/STD testing records to ensure that all documentation required by

funders and agency Quality Management Plan is on file.
• Carries out patient discharge processes; clarifies and provides patients with

follow-up care instructions and referrals.

• Follows steps outlined in APLA Health & Wellness referral tracking policy to
ensure that patients gets the referrals needed and that referrals are appropriately
logged and tracked.

• Administers Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in a medical emergency.

OTHER DUTIES MAY BE ASSIGNED TO MEET BUSINESS NEEDS.

REQUIREMENTS:

Training and Experience:
High School diploma or GED equivalent required. Successful completion of a Medical
Assistant training program in a recognized institution in accordance with standards
established by the Medical Board of California. Successful completion of LA County‘s
Division of HIV and STD Programs‘ HIV Test Counselor Certification required within first
90-days of hire.

Knowledge of:
1. Basic medical terminology and patient care methods and techniques.
2. Methods and procedures for performing technical clinical procedures including

phlebotomy, collecting and testing urine and other non-invasive specimens, and
administering injections.

3. Routine laboratory procedures.
4. Standards and methods for maintaining sterile and sanitary laboratory and

examining room conditions.
5. Methods and standard procedures for the maintenance of medical records.
6. Safety policies and safe practices applicable to the work.
7. HIV infection; STD infection/treatment; HIV/AIDS prevention; psychosocial issues

as it relates to HIV and STD transmission/acquisition, special issues relevant to
individuals who are at risk for HIV/STD and/or living with HIV; health education
and behavior modification theory; human sexuality, substance abuse, behavior
change principles and strategies; effective communication skills; group dynamics;
data management; general computer knowledge; community resources; health
and social concerns of diverse populations such as gay and non-gay identified
men who have sex with men and other genders, individuals who share injection
paraphernalia, heterosexuals, women at sexual risk and transgender individuals

Ability to:

1. Interview patients effectively for the purpose of acquiring medical, social and
sexual histories.

2. Risk reduction counseling to curtail the spread of HIV and other STDs.
3. Communicate effectively with people of various educational, socio-economic and

cultural backgrounds.
4. Understand and follow written and oral instructions from physicians, mid-level

providers and nurses and apply departmental policies, procedures and protocols
applicable to work.

5. Identify and correct unsanitary conditions and maintain sterile environments.
6. Perform routine medical tests and procedures proficiently and accurately.
7. Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
8. Operate a computer and standard business software.

9. Maintain highly confidential personal and medical information in accordance to
HIPAA regulations.

10. Exercise tact, objectivity, sensitivity and sound judgment in dealing with a variety
of people in a variety of sensitive situations.

11. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff members,
patients and others encountered in the course of work.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
This is primarily an office position that requires only occasional bending, reaching,
stooping, lifting and moving of office materials weighing 25 pounds or less. The position
requires daily use of a personal computer and requires entering, viewing, and revising
text and graphics on the computer terminal and on paper.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
COVID-19 Vaccination or Medical/ Religious Exemption required.
Equal Opportunity Employer: minority/female/disability/transgender/veteran.

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