Unit Secretary

SUMMARY

Coordinates the flow of patient activity and information on the unit/clinic in accordance with Hospital-approved policies and procedures. Functions as a member of the Health Care Team under the direction of the Clinical Manager or designee, performing a variety of clerical duties. The Unit Secretary is expected to demonstrate strong interpersonal and clerical skills that promote quality patient care.

Brown University Health employees are expected to role model the organization’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, which guide our daily actions with patients, customers, and one another.

In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the organization’s Core Success Factors, which guide how we work together and achieve results:

• Instill Trust and Value Differences
• Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uses appropriate medical terminology and abbreviations.
• Works collaboratively as a member of the care team to identify cost-saving measures, improve work processes, and develop new methods to support unit/clinic operations and patient care delivery.
• Organizes and prioritizes workload based on patient and unit/clinic needs.
• Assembles admission charts and disassembles discharge charts according to hospital guidelines.
• Accurately files reports in patient charts and maintains medical records.
• Answers telephones and intercom systems using proper etiquette; notifies appropriate staff as needed.
• Utilizes hospital computer systems accurately to enter, verify, and retrieve orders and data, and to generate reports.
• Reports computer or equipment malfunctions to the Help Desk.
• Demonstrates proficiency with all required computer systems, including but not limited to Patient Links, Nurse Links, Bed Board, MAK MAR, CareVue, and any newly implemented systems.
• Enters physician verbal orders within the scope of the Unit Secretary role, including:
  • Dietary orders
  • Laboratory orders
  • Radiology orders (diagnostic X-rays only)
  • Admission status, transfers, changes in physician, and hospital service orders
• Enters nursing verbal orders only when based on established protocols or previously entered physician orders.
• Transcribes physicians’ handwritten orders accurately.
• Faxes medication orders to the pharmacy and enters all other orders to the appropriate departments.
• Transcribes handwritten chemotherapy orders in accordance with hospital protocols.
• Arranges delivery of necessary equipment as needed.
• Follows up on ordered diagnostic tests and documents scheduling details in the computer system, including required patient preparation (e.g., NPO status, tray holds).
• Orders and maintains office supplies; stocks and maintains the A–Z file.
• Faxes completed “Authorization for Use of Protected Health Information” forms to outside providers, receives incoming information, and files appropriately in the medical record.
• Faxes additional forms as required.
• Participates in ongoing education, including mandatory education, safety training, annual competency assessments, and use of the Patient Services website.
• Reports unsafe conditions to the Professional Nurse or Clinical Manager.
• Promotes a culture of safety on the unit.
• Adheres to all RIH/unit standards, policies, and procedures, including absenteeism, tardiness, identification badging, HIPAA, confidentiality, fire safety, infection control, credentialing, and mandatory education.
• Pages physicians and staff using hospital paging systems, including alpha paging and emergency operator services.
• Arranges follow-up appointments, documents on the Continuity of Care form, coordinates and distributes copies, and faxes to Home Care Services when indicated.
• Files Continuity of Care documentation in the medical record and prints copies from Life Links when needed.
• Obtains medical record copies as necessary.
• Accurately performs all aspects of the Unit Secretary role, including patient type codes, discharge disposition codes, observation and inpatient status tracking, patient service charges, consult calls, and dietary rounds updates.
• Understands and performs appropriate Information Systems downtime procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Knowledge

• High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to multitask and perform complex clerical duties.
• Basic computer proficiency required.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
• Ability to read, write legibly, and speak English.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills to provide age-appropriate care across the lifespan, considering aging processes, developmental stages, and cultural diversity.

Experience

• Preferred.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Exposure to a standard patient care environment.
• Requires frequent standing, walking, and sitting.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• None.