Under general direction of the Mental Health Manager, the Mental Health Medical Assistant is responsible for coordinating referrals for patients and overseeing scheduling for mental/behavioral health clinicians and psychiatrists. The Mental Health Medical Assistant also functions within the care team by assisting the medical provider, serving as a liaison between the patient and the provider, and performing medical receptionist tasks as needed.
Hourly Range: 27.51- 32.83 DOE
Specific Tasks/Duties Include:
- Coordinates referrals between primary care and behavioral health providers.
- Provides patients with basic information about mental/behavioral health and psychiatry services
- Scheduling responsibilities for individual appointments and groups include: opening and blocking clinician schedules, identifying cancellations and no-shows and offering slots to other patients, making reminder calls to patients as instructed, tracking group attendance
- Maintains a record of all patients referred to the mental health department and their status.
- Identifies when patients may need emergency mental health services and make appropriate referrals.
- Maintains high ethical standards, especially confidentiality, as required by the clinic, state and federal regulations.
- Assists Mental Health team with administrative duties.
- Routinely attends relevant agency and mental health department meetings.
- Prepare examination rooms at the beginning and/or end of each day.
- Prepare patient for examination which may include in-person, electronic or phone contact.
- Perform patient care procedures and evaluations for which s/he is certified/approved including but not limited to immunization and injections; assisting in minor procedures.
- Documents all medical information in appropriate fields in EMR; accurately enters immunization information into CAIR registry and EMR.
- Contact patients to remind them of and confirm appointments.
- Document and sign all clinical support tasks in the medical chart
- Check electronic medical record messages and follow up appropriately.
- Scan documents into electronic medical record.
- Using computerized electronic medical records performs duties for reception, discharge, scheduling, completing appropriate forms, checking eligibility, and enrolling patients in appropriate insurance and drug assistance programs.
- May provide health education to patients.
- Participate in quality assurance activities to monitor and improve patient care quality.
- Meets customer service standards.
- Follows all SRCH policies & procedures.
- Participates in ongoing training.
- Other duties as assigned.
Education:
- Graduation from a medical assistant program with appropriate certification.
- Completion of a medical assistant externship required.
- Current CPR certification.
- AA, BA or BS in counseling, social work, psychology or equivalent experience in community mental health preferred.
Experience:
- One year medical assistant experience preferred.
- Experience with electronic medical records preferred.
- Experience in community mental health preferred.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred.
- Demonstrates knowledge of compliance issues within the community clinic environment.
- Demonstrates a willingness to report any incident that is unusual or incompatible with accepted clinic procedures.
- Maintains confidentiality of patients at all times.
- Sensitivity to and willingness to interact with persons of various social, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize projects, work relatively independently, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to work with people with a variety of background and educational levels.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Good judgment, problem solving and decision-making skills.
- Demonstrated proficiency with all tasks on the most current MA competency list.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
SRCH is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation
Physical Requirements:
While performing the duties of this job, this position is frequently required to do the following:
- Use standard office equipment and access, input, and retrieve information from a computer. Use computer keyboard with manual and finger dexterity and wrist-finger speed sufficient to perform repetitive actions efficiently for extended periods of time.
- Communicate effectively in person or via telephone in a manner which can be understood by those with whom the person is speaking, including a diverse population.
- Give and follow verbal and written instructions with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Perform complex mental functions; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.
- Vision: see details of objects at close range.
- Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Reach forward, up, down, and to the side
- Sit or stand for minimum periods of one hour at a time and come and go from the work area repeatedly throughout the day.
- Lift up to 30 pounds.
SRCH provides reasonable accommodation for individuals with a physical or mental disability to apply for jobs and to perform the essential functions of their jobs unless it would cause an undue hardship.