Lab Associate

Beth Israel Lahey Health; Woburn (MA); On-site; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Beth Israel Lahey Health is seeking a hospital-based role supporting clerical and pre-analytical lab processes. You will document patient data, verify specimen labeling, and ensure accurate test orders.

The position improves lab efficiency and patient satisfaction by timely result handling. Responsibilities include coordinating with physician offices, preparing specimens, answering inquiries, generating labels, and assisting with billing and inventory to keep operations running smoothly.

Qualifications

• For safety and quality reasons, must be able to read, write and communicate effectively in English with patients, visitors and fellow members of the hospital team.
• Preferred: at least one year of medical laboratory, clerical or secretarial experience.
• Required: High School Diploma or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Receives specimens from multiple locations and documents patient data and test orders accurately.
• Verifies specimen labeling, requisitions, and two patient identifiers before processing.
• Completes orders, generates labels and essential documentation.
• Verifies insurance information and supports hospital registration for billing.
• Prepares specimens for shipment to reference laboratories.
• Interacts with labs, physician offices and clinicians to provide service and information.
• Orders and stocks supplies to maintain inventory levels.
• Answers phones and communicates test status to appropriate parties.
• Runs reports and follows up on outstanding tests to improve efficiency.
• Performs pre-analytical steps and waived tests as applicable.
• Confirms specimens match test requirements.

Skills

English communication

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

Contributes to the Hospital’s mission by providing the clerical and pre-analytical support associated with lab specimen processing. This position will have an impact on laboratory efficiency, physician/clinician satisfaction and ultimately patient satisfaction by recording receipt of specimens accurately and efficiently and following through on lab results in a timely manner.

Job Description

Job Functions

Consistent with the PROMISE principles and inherent in a hospital environment, employees must be flexible in meeting patients’ and the Hospital’s needs. While the list below describes the primary functions of this job, all employees at Winchester Hospital need to recognize that an essential element of their job is the ability to respond to unanticipated and/or changing situations. This may result in assuming responsibilities or tasks which are not on this list.

As Part Of The Laboratory Team, This Position

• Receives specimens from multiple locations, data inputs accurate documentation of the patient and the required lab test order.
  • Verifies appropriate specimen accompanies test requisition.
  • Verifies that the specimen is properly labeled with two patient identifiers, date and time of collection, initials of person obtaining the sample
  • Attach printed labels to specimens from physician offices if necessary
• Completes the order, producing labels and essential documentation.
• Verifies insurance information and follows through with Hospital registration and/or physician practices to ensure appropriate and efficient billing.
  • Investigate test requisitions with missing information from physician office or off-sites
  • Issues ABN form to patients when tests do not meet medical necessity
• Preparing specimens for shipments and/or courier to deliver to reference laboratory.
• Interacts with reference labs, physician offices, clinicians, and others, providing superior customer service and clinical information within their scope of practice.
• Orders and stocks supplies ensuring adequate reference lab and other materials are on hand to optimize sufficient levels of inventory given limited storage space
• Answers the phone in a professional manner, answering questions about lab results and researches test status when necessary.
• Runs reports and addresses the data by providing results, checking on outstanding tests, and other follow through required to improve lab efficiency and physician/clinician satisfaction.
• Perform the pre-analytical steps in specimen processing including, but not limited to, sorting, centrifuging, aliquoting and generating work lists
• Perform tests that are waived by the CLIA and other regulatory agencies.
• Confirming specimens received match the appropriate test requirements

Qualifications

Education/Experience

Education

Required: High School Diploma or equivalent

Experience

Preferred: At least one year of medical laboratory, clerical or secretarial experience.

Other Skills/Knowledge

Required: For safety and quality reasons, must be able to read, write and communicate effectively in English with patients, visitors and fellow members of the hospital team.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS

N/A

LIFE SUPPORT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

N/A

POPULATION SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

N/A

Other Job Requirements

• On-call: Optional
• Schedule requirements: Required to rotate holidays or weekends coverage.
• Travel requirements: Position is expected to rotate between the core lab and the hospital locations as needed.

Physical And Mental Requirements / Conditions

• The employee needs to have the physical and mental abilities to perform the duties of the position listed above using the PROMISE behaviors.
• It is anticipated that the employee will have contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials while performing their job duties.
• The list below is intended to describe the physical and sensory ability requirements of the position; however those requirements may vary, sometimes considerably, based on meeting patient and operational needs.

Pay Range

$21.00 - $28.26

The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law. Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices, as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled