Site Support Staff

Health, Inc.; Alpena (MI); On-site; USD 22,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Alcona Health Center (AHC) is seeking Site Support Staff III to join the Front Office/Clinical team in northern Michigan. This non-exempt role trains across multiple disciplines, with Level III representing the highest training and clinical skills.

You will check patients in/out, manage appointments, assist with examinations under a medical provider, support billing, verify deposits, and help with administrative duties in line with CLIA, NCQA, PCMH standards.

Qualifications

• Basic level of written and verbal communications skills.
• Duties learned on the job with supervision.
• Knowledge of health center policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Checks patients in and out; enters data into EHR and verifies charges.
• Schedules follow-up appointments and handles billing processes.
• Maintains health records and supports clinical providers.
• Assists in examinations and treatments under provider direction.
• Performs routine admin duties in line with CLIA/NCQA/PCMH.

Skills

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Independent work

Written and verbal communication

Analytical thinking

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Electronic Health Records (EHR) system

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Alcona Health Center (AHC) is a non-profit FQHC serving rural Northern Michigan with medical, dental, and behavioral health care. We also provide recovery programs and pharmacy services to expand access to care in underserved communities. Join our team and deliver patient-centered care through the Patient-Centered Medical Home model. Explore open roles in clinical care, finance, IT, and more. Each position supports healthier lives across Northern Michigan.

TITLE: Site Support Staff III PAY GRADE: X

REPORTS TO: Site Manager/Clinical Supervisor FLSA: Non-exempt

DEPARTMENT: Front Office/Clinical

DATE: December 2021, May 2022, October 2023

PURPOSE

Trained in multiple disciplines throughout the site. This position is tiered based on competencies; Level III indicates the highest level of training and clinical skills.

Site support staff may conduct any combination of the following duties. Assists patients checking in for their appointment, obtaining medical records, and scheduling appointments. Assist in examinations, procedures, and treatment of patients under direction of a medical provider. Collects vital signs and patient data. Assists providers in obtaining prior authorization requests, scheduling specialty provider referrals and diagnostic imaging referrals. Processes medication refill requests. Performs general administrative duties in accordance with CLIA, NCQA, PCMH, government standards and company policies and procedures.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Checks patients in and out of the health centers. Enters new patient data into EHR, verifying insurance and assuring appropriate authorizations have been received. Upon check out, verifies accuracy of providers’ charges and accepts payments. Schedules follow up appointments.
• Processes billings and payments. Matches daily batch report to schedule ensuring all patients seen have a corresponding charge.
• Verifies and balances all entries at the end of day by printing the daily batch report and deposit slip.
• Verifies accuracy of the daily deposit and sends in deposit bag to designate site at the end of the day.
• Maintains health records according to established health center procedures. Reviews medical records for completeness and accuracy, verifying with health personnel as necessary. Retrieves health records as requested.
• Schedules patient appointments, contacts patients regarding rescheduling and appointment reminders, confirms demographic information, schedules follow up appointments after patient check out.
• Operates telephone and paging system.
• Supports and assists clinical providers and professionals.
• Participate in huddles with provider and care team. Prepares daily schedule to address gaps in care.
• Screen and respond to patient phone messages in a timely manner according to health center guidelines, collaborate with provider, act on provider response, and communicate with patient; document task communications in EMR.
• Follow Medical Support Staff workflow dependent on patient visit type. Obtain chief complaint, vitals, allergies, medication reconciliation, etc.
• Within scope of practice and direction of the provider, assist in all aspects of patient consultation, treatment, procedures, and follow-up care.
• Track, schedule, and obtain prior authorization for patient labs, diagnostic imaging, and specialty provider referrals. Maintains current roster of various health care insurance carriers to provide patients with updates of changes and to ensure proper coverage for testing.
• Assembles information concerning patient's clinical background and presents appropriate and necessary information to payer authorization representative. Responsible for contacting patients regarding appointment date and time, as well as providing necessary instructions for various procedures.
• Processes medication refill requests per medication management policy/procedure.
• Clean, disinfect, sterilize, and maintain equipment and instruments following universal precautions, infection control, and hazardous waste removal practices.
• Maintains a general understanding of UDS measures, MQIC guidelines, HEDIS measures, BCBS and NCQA PCMH standards. Utilizes appropriate resources to guide practice, i.e., Lippincott manual, MQIC guidelines, Elsevier, etc.
• Perform routine medical tasks within the scope of license such as: injections, medication administration, IV catheter insertion, phlebotomy, CLIA waived testing, etc. as directed by the provider.
• Recognizes and reacts effectively to emergency situations, seeks assistance, and intervenes appropriately and within scope of practice. Notifies the appropriate people in the event of a medical emergency.

General

• Ensures attendance and hours worked are accurately recorded.
• Properly manages paid vacation and sick leave.
• Responsible for regular, predictable attendance and to work hours as scheduled.
• Maintains confidentiality of protected health information and safeguards all patient related information at all times.
• Consistently adheres to organization rules, regulations, and policies, including but not limited to the AHC Code of Conduct and Compliance policies.
• Follows current COVID-19 guidance from applicable agencies as it pertains to the role.
• Accepts and performs other job-related duties, projects, and responsibilities, as required.

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

General Development

• Displays basic organizational skills to organize own work and effectively advise others.
• Works independently and as part of a team.
• Effectively performs in response to workflow or ongoing direction by supervisors or others.
• Determines effective response to situations encountered within established precedent.
• Analyses information following established methods, not requiring the employee’s own opinions.
• Maintains proper attendance stays within attendance policy guidelines. Demonstrates flexibility in scheduling.

Professional Knowledge

• Possesses a basic level of written and verbal communications skills, computational and computer skills and mathematical knowledge typically acquired through completion of a high school program.
• Job duties are basically learned in training or on the job.

Licenses and Certifications

• Possesses the ability to secure transportation to allow for reliable and timely work attendance, including when business is required to be conducted at sites other than your primary worksite.
• Possesses a current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) CPR certification or obtain within 6 months of start of employment.
• Possesses and maintains Medical Assistant (MA), Medical Assistant Certification/Registration (CMA/RMA), EMT, Paramedic, Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licenses may be required dependent on scope of the role within the assigned clinical site(s).

Technical Skills & Abilities

• Ability to prepare basic correspondence and simple reports in Microsoft Word.
• Uses Microsoft Excel to create tables and simple displays of information.
• Ability to use the Electronic Health Records system effectively.
• Participates effectively in process improvement changes. Originates action to improve existing

conditions and processes.Uses appropriate methods to identify opportunities, implement solutions, and measure impact.

• Demonstrates passion for excellence in day to day work activities. Delivers high quality results on time, contributes to departmental/organizational quality and / or process improvement efforts.

Communications Skills

• Effectively communicates routine or non-technical information to co-workers and others.
• Exercises tact and diplomacy in the resolution of mild conflicts or disagreements.
• Requires the effective communication of written information (including electronic correspondence).
• Adaptability to situations involving the interpretation of feelings, ideas, or facts in terms of
• Adaptability to dealing with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Employees in this position typically alternate between periods of prolonged sitting and standing. Ability to bend; extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction; stand for sustained periods of time; move about on foot; use upper extremities to exert force in order to thrust forward, downward, or outward; use upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion; raise objects from a lower to a higher position or move objects horizontally from position-to-position/ pick, pinch, type or otherwise working with fingers and palm; perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips. Ability to wear safety glasses, gloves, gowns, masks and other safety equipment (PPE) as necessary. Employee must be able to lift up to fifty (50) pounds at times. Visual acuity to read printed copies for extend periods of time is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

(The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Employees in this position typically work in a medical clinic environment and frequently interact with the public and staff. Typical noise level is low to moderate. Employee will be required to handle high stress situations and potentially difficult patients. Position requires ability and means to travel by personal vehicle and/or public transportation between clinic locations on a flexible schedule as needed. OSHA Category I Job Classification for occupational exposure to blood and other possibly infectious materials.

SIGNATURES

Employee signature below constitutes employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.

Employee__________________________________ Date______________