Ophthalmic Technician - Per Diem

Albany Medical Center; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Albany Med Health System is seeking a qualified ophthalmic assistant for the HBD Ophthalmology unit. The role focuses on data collection, performing diagnostic tests, and assisting physicians to ensure accurate patient diagnoses.

Responsibilities include patient prep, history taking, test administration, and maintaining sterile technique. Day shift, possible travel to satellite locations, and strong teamwork are required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Two to five years experience in ophthalmology.
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted.

Responsibilities

• Acquaints new patients with office procedures.
• Informs patients of test purposes and effects.
• Obtains patient history including ocular and general history.
• Performs accurate documentation and measurements (visual acuity, refractometry, tonometry, fields).
• Back-up to ophthalmic photographer for fundus photos.
• Assists physician with minor surgery while maintaining sterility.
• Maintains exam and procedure room cleanliness and stock levels.
• May travel to a satellite location.

Skills

Ophthalmic testing

Patient care

Documentation

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or GED

Some college (preferred)

Job description

Department/Unit:

HBD - Ophthalmology

Work Shift:

Day (United States of America)

Salary Range:

$49,763.00 - $69,668.00

This individual is responsible for performing an extensive number of data collection functions and performs diagnostic tests as required by the physician, to allow for proper professional diagnosis of patients conditions.

Essential Functions

Communication and Patient Care

• Acquaints all new patients with office procedures to which they will be exposed.

• Informs patients of the purpose of all tests personally performed and how the patient will be affected during the tests.

• Obtains patient history, including chief complaint, history of present illness, past ocular and general history, family ocular and general history, and history of allergies and medications.

• Performs accurate and consistent documentation and measurement tasks, including:

• Visual acuity

• Manual lensometry

• Confrontational visual fields

• Stereo testing

• Evaluation of motility

• Pupillary function tests

• Color plates

• Applanation tonometry

• Refractometry

• Angle assessment

• Dilation of pupils

• Contact lens evaluations

• Visual field testing

• Optic nerve scanning (i.e., OCT, HRT, GD)

• Pachymetry

• Corneal topography

• Other tasks specific to the physician’s needs as a result of new technologies

• Provides back-up to the ophthalmic photographer regarding fundus, exterior, and anterior segment photographs.

• Performs duties consistent with ophthalmic writer/scribe.

• Assists the physician with minor surgery while maintaining practice standards of sterile technique and infection control.

Triage

• Determines which patient should be taken next from the waiting room to have testing initiated.

• Escorts all patients from the waiting room for data collection.

• Advises patients who will see them following testing and makes patients comfortable during the wait.

• Maintains a smooth flow of patients to the physician, altering the test sequence as required.

• Provides telephone support regarding ocular emergencies, prescription refills, and patient care questions.

• Communicates with reception to facilitate proper patient flow.

Instrument Maintenance

• Troubleshoots instruments as necessary.

• Replaces bulbs.

• Checks connections.

• Performs archiving functions according to manufacturer recommendations.

• Performs autoclaving and maintains instrument sterility.

• Reports continued difficulty to the Lead Ophthalmic Technician.

Administrative

• Seeks advice from more senior staff as necessary and never performs beyond capabilities.

• Maintains cleanliness in exam and procedure rooms.

• Maintains back-up levels of stock in exam and procedure rooms.

• May travel to a satellite location.

• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

Education

• Required: High school diploma or G.E.D.

• Preferred: Some college.

• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Work Experience

• Required: Two to five years’ experience in an ophthalmology practice.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated advanced comprehension of ophthalmic assistant skills as outlined by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).

• Basic understanding of optics and the ability to perform refractometry.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Empathetic personality with concern for patients’ needs.

• Strong organization with attention to detail.

• Ability to work as a team member.

• Demonstrated comprehension of the principles of optics, refraction, and contact lenses.

• Demonstrated ability to perform comprehensive workups on three patients per hour.

• Demonstrated computer literacy.

Licenses and Certifications

• Preferred: Certified Ophthalmic Assistant

Thank you for your interest in Albany Med Health System!

Albany Med Health System is an equal opportunity employer.

This role may require access to information considered sensitive to Albany Med Health System, its patients, affiliates, and partners, including but not limited to HIPAA Protected Health Information and other information regulated by Federal and New York State statutes. Workforce members are expected to ensure that:

Access to information is based on a “need to know” and is the minimum necessary to properly perform assigned duties. Use or disclosure shall not exceed the minimum amount of information needed to accomplish an intended purpose. Reasonable efforts, consistent with Albany Med Health System policies and standards, shall be made to ensure that information is adequately protected from unauthorized access and modification.