Certified Medical Assistant

The Medical Assistant at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board (GPTLHB) is responsible for providing clinical and administrative support to healthcare providers in a tribal 638 healthcare facility. This position ensures the delivery of high-quality patient care in compliance with AAAHC standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepares for patient appointments by reviewing and updating patient records prior to appointment. This includes checking for updates of recent test results, lab results and correspondence. Also reviews electronic health record (EHR) to determine needed services and whether referrals are in process or have been completed since last visit.
• Maintains exam rooms according to protocols: Cleans rooms between patient exams to ensure patients' comfort and compliance with infection control standards; ensures all necessary supplies are stocked.
• Appropriately prepares patient for visit and alerts provider when patient is ready to be seen. When provider is unavailable, keeps the patient updated on the status of their appointment and when necessary assists the patient in re-scheduling or scheduling follow-up.
• Provides initial medical screening: Greets patients and directs to appropriate exam room. Takes weight, height, temp, blood pressure, and basic medical history; accurately documents in EHR.
• Assists provider or nurse upon request during examination of patient and according to generally accepted medical standards. Practices universal precautions with respect to established safety protocols. Facilitates communication between the provider(s) and patient as needed.
• Provide treatments as ordered such as aerosol treatments, immunizations, and injections.
• Assess medical and medical education needs of the patient and provide education as directed by provider.
• Perform laboratory and diagnostic procedures such as venipuncture, urinalysis, glucose, hemoglobin, and electrocardiogram.
• Provide education and instructions on lab and diagnostic results, medication refills by telephone and in person for patients.
• Keep patient exam rooms stocked with supplies and organized.
• Review the providers schedule throughout the day and prior to the start of shift to ensure patient flow.
• Keeps patients aware of possible delays in patient care during such events as patient accidents, traumas, seasonal outbreaks of disease, or other circumstances which increase the number of patients to be seen by providers.
• Enters results from patient surveys on depression, tobacco use, exercise, and intimate partner violence into the electronic health record.
• Logs pertinent information into the EHR, initiates requisitions for lab and x-ray.
• Prepares treatment rooms for examination of patients; drapes patients with covering and positions instruments and equipment; hands instruments and materials to provider as directed; assists provider with exams as requested; and, cleans and sterilizes instruments.
• Operates electrocardiograph (EKG) and other equipment to administer routine diagnostic test.
• Performs routine laboratory tests; performs and documents waived lab test controls per CLIA; and prepares and packages routine labs for shipping per OSHA standards.
• Routes slips, forms and other documents to the appropriate departments.
• Provides staff support: sorts and distributes mail; maintains office equipment; maintains office and medical supply inventory and reorders as needed; and, maintains team files and records.
• Creates, composes, edits, produces and/or distributes varied correspondence, reports, and other materials; obtains, organizes, and plans suitable presentation of content; reviews work for format consistency, grammatical construction and typographical accuracy; presents finished materials for review, or distributes.
• Assists with patient transfers; initiates transfer packs; copies patient information as directed; escort's patients to and from other departments.
• Keeps work area neat and orderly; assists with the maintenance of supplies and cleaning equipment.
• Maintains confidentiality and safeguards medical information.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings and in-service education programs.
• Must comply with federal laws and regulations as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Privacy Act of 1974.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Professional Behavior:

• Effectively plan, organize workload and schedule time to meet the demands of the position.
• Work in a cooperative and professional manner with OHC and GPTLHB staff.
• Treat Great Plains tribes and collaborators with dignity and respect.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Advance personal educational development by attending training sessions and seminars as appropriate.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision if needed.
• Exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Promote an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by the Supervisor

Requirements:

• Participates in Core Connections training and applies GPTLHB Core Connections concepts and practices in their work.
• Familiarity and/or experience working with American Indian populations and respect for and knowledge of traditional, cultural and spiritual practices of diverse American Indian communities, as well as an ability to work with other culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Possess the ability to resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision.
• Able to exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends and overnight or extended travel as necessary.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to community members, consumers and other employees of the organization.
• Proficiency with computer programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other Internet technologies.
• Valid driver's license must be kept current, and certificates, credentials or licenses must be kept current and consistent with regulations required by applicable federal, state and/or grant regulations.

Controls and Guidelines:

The supervisor makes assignments by defining objectives, priorities, and deadlines and assists the employee with unusual situations that do not have clear precedents.

The employee plans and carries out the successive steps and handles problems and deviations in the work assignments in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, the scope of license/certification, or accepted practices in the occupation.

Completed work is usually evaluated for technical soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy and requirements. The methods used in arriving at the end results are not usually reviewed in detail.

Guidelines are available but are not completely applicable to the work or have gaps in specificity.

The employee must use judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines, such as agency policies, regulations, precedents, accreditation requirements, advanced clinical protocols, and work directions for application to specific cases or problems. The employee analyzes results and recommends changes.

The employee uses initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from traditional methods or researching trends and patterns to develop new methods, criteria, or proposed new policies.

Complexity/Scope and Effect:

The work consists of related steps, processes, or methods. The decision regarding what needs to be done involves various choices that require the employee to recognize the existence of and differences among a few easily recognizable situations. Actions to be taken or responses to be made differ in such things as the source of information, the kind of transactions or entries, or other differences of a factual nature.

The work involves the execution of specific rules, regulations, or procedures and typically comprises a complete segment of an assignment or project of broader scope. The work product or service affects the accuracy, reliability, or acceptability of further processes, services, and/or patient care.

Contacts:

The personal contacts are with employees in the organization but outside the immediate department. People contacted generally are engaged in different functions, missions, and kinds of work, and may be representatives from various levels and departments within the organization, partner organizations, Tribal affiliate organizations, and employees of other healthcare organizations. Personal contact, at this level, may also made with members of the general public, as individuals or groups, in a moderately structured setting.

Contacts are primarily for obtaining, furnishing, exchanging and providing factual medical information.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity. The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.

The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, or machines; exposure to contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility:

This is a non-supervisory position that may provide functional direction, guidance and instruction to other employees when necessary. This position possess authority to assign, coordinate, and review quality and quantity of work of other employees. Instructs employees in specific techniques or technical methods for accomplishing work assignments. The employee may perform the same type of work as other employees, but may be responsible for performance of the more technically difficult, controversial, or sensitive work assigned to the unit or group.

Minimum Requirements:

• Completion of a formal training program; or a high school diploma or GED and one (1) years of relevant experience.
• Certification as a Medical Assistant (CMA) or registered as a Medical Assistant (RMA).
• Individuals must have applicable education or experience applying a body of standardized rules, procedures, or operations to perform the full range of standard clerical assignments and resolve recurring problems or to operate and adjust varied equipment for purposes such as performing numerous standardized tests or operations.