Kidney Transplant- Clinical Services Associate- HUP

Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn Medicine is seeking a Clinical Services Associate for the Kidney Transplant Team. This role involves patient care, clerical tasks, and maintaining a safe clinical environment within a busy academic medical center.

Responsibilities include rooming patients, taking vitals, assisting with procedures, handling specimens, and coordinating with departments for tests and referrals. A Medical Assistant program completion and MA certification within 90 days are required.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• Completion of an accredited Medical Assistant program or higher.
• MA Certification is required within 90 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Patient Care Accountabilities: room patients, document vitals, manage specimens, and assist with procedures as ordered.
• Clerical / Other Accountabilities: telephonic patient care, document handling, and patient communications.
• Environmental / Safety Accountabilities: infection control, stocking, and stocking of medication carts.
• Patient Service: scheduling, copays, referrals, and follow-up instructions.
• Financial: knowledge of insurance requirements and billing procedures; end-of-day reconciliation.

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Completion of an accredited Medical Assistant program

MA Certification (within 90 days of hire)

Job description

Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical, and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

The Kidney Transplant Team is hiring a Clinical Services Associate to join the team.

Responsibilities

• Patient Care Accountabilities
  • Promptly room patients, using EMR to alert provider that patient is ready. Review past medical, surgical, family, smoking history, allergies, medications, correct EMR notes, note medication refills needed for the physician to review, initiate self‑management goal setting where appropriate, obtain patient’s vital signs and document in EMR, prepare chart for patient visit, understand insurance restrictions for lab work, referral needs, precertification requirements, etc.
  • Observe patient condition and communicate any abnormal data or changes to provider. Assist patients as needed with walking, transfers, dressing, undressing, preparing for the exam, remain in exam room when necessary/requested. Manage specimens: obtain specimens for testing if applicable (including phlebotomy and anterior nares nasal swab collections), perform laboratory and screening tests, record results in EMR, reconcile with logs, document and report findings to providers, perform all quality controls as per Point‑of‑Care Testing guidelines, prepare specimens for transport as necessary.
  • Perform EKGs and other outpatient screening tests as per MD order and after properly preparing the patient, accurately document results in EMR.
  • Assist with minor surgical procedures by handing instruments, maintaining sterile field, positioning patient and other duties within scope of responsibility. Function as a witness for procedural consents if required. Respond appropriately to emergency/code situations. As applicable, administer prescribed medications, give injections and vaccines.
  • Read PPD results, under the direction of the provider/orders and document in EMR.
  • Demonstrate competence in the observation, treatment, and care of the specific patients served in that practice, whose ages may range from neonate to geriatric.
• Clerical / Other Accountabilities
  • Responsive and proactive telephonic patient care — including care coordination with specialists, ancillary services, hospitals, labs, home‑care agencies, and all other involved health services.
  • Obtain and scan documents as appropriate and required for visit: test results, faxes, reports, notes, referrals, etc. Complete medical forms and other clinical requests for information as appropriate and required. Prepare and send patient correspondence as required. Assist nursing staff with the maintenance of patient education materials, as needed. Perform call‑backs as directed by provider, giving patients information within scope of practice. Provide patients with follow‑up care instructions.
• Environmental / Safety Accountabilities
  • Adhere to universal body fluid precautions and infection control policies; dispose of infectious waste properly; promote infection control by using appropriate hand‑washing techniques; ensure that the patient care areas are kept neat, orderly, well stocked and properly prepared.
  • Clean, disinfect, and sterilize instruments and equipment according to protocols; check that instruments and equipment are in proper working order; notify supervisor of malfunctions; set up equipment and instruments as per practice protocol; clean and restock equipment as needed; access secured areas to obtain items such as intravenous solutions and medication preparation supplies for the purpose of stocking and maintaining medication carts; retrieve supplies and medications/blood products from tube system; secure stock items in appropriate location.
  • Deliver patient‑specific medications/blood products to the assigned nurse or provider; maintain temperature log for refrigerator or room temperature as needed; maintain a safe environment and protect the patient from injury by observing the patient who may be at risk for falls, confusion, disorientation, or wandering behaviors.
  • Maintain medication storage closet inventory and security, check expiration dates, remove outdated items, perform daily code/crash cart checks as assigned.
• Patient Service
  • Strive to understand and anticipate patient needs, manage service recovery efforts when needed, enlist management assistance as appropriate, identify opportunities to improve the patient experience. As per practice/department protocols and/or measurements: answer phones in a timely manner, manage/handle patient requests and route appropriately, retrieve voicemails in a timely manner, take accurate and thorough messages and route appropriately through EMR.
  • Schedule patient appointments (by phone or in person) by determining reason for visit, following established schedules and protocols, using appropriate billing area/appointment location, communicating changes and confirming appointments, and, as needed, offering alternate dates and cancelling/rescheduling appointments. Responsible for arriving/departing activities of patient at practice and performs point‑of‑service activities: collect copays and record accurately, obtain necessary signatures/forms, obtain insurance cards and referrals/authorizations, update appointment status in EMR, and finalize all check‑out procedures. Communicate with patients regarding patient flow and wait times – keep manager aware of potential issues as they arise. Issue referrals and obtain pre‑authorizations for patients as required and as per protocol.
• Financial
  • Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of insurance requirements pertinent to patient service and billing procedures: include basic knowledge of all managed‑care plans and which insurers require a copayment or referral. Validate patient demographic/insurance information and/or register new patients into EMR using established protocols; record receipts accurately to ensure end‑of‑day reconciliation; participate in cash reconciliation delineations.
  • Resolve work queues and/or issues from front‑end reports proactively; prioritize recovery of missing charges; order supplies for the office and generate front‑end process reports as requested.
• Other / Regulatory
  
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory standards (ex. TJC, DOH, FDA, HIPAA, HCFA, DPW, LCGME, SCGME, etc). Adopt new processes flexibly and engage in practice operation changes.

Credentials

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)
• CMA or RMA (Required)
• MA Certification (required within 90 days of hire)

Education or Equivalent Experience

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• And 2+ years medical office experience, or relevant customer service experience. Advanced degree (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's) may be considered in lieu of experience.
• Completion of an accredited Medical Assistant program (or higher level equivalent). 2+ years experience working as an MA may be considered in lieu of MA program completion. 1+ year working as a Clinical Support Representative at Penn Medicine may be considered in lieu of MA program completion.
• Associate of Arts or Science

Benefits

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.