Unit Clerk - Full-time, Day Shift - Heart Failure and Thoracic Surgery Unit at PPMC

Penn Medicine; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn Medicine is seeking a unit clerk to support the patient care team on a 7AM-3PM shift (5 eight-hour days, Monday through Friday, no weekends). The role focuses on clerical and health information processing, hospitality, and coordinating communications between patients, families and care staff.

Responsibilities include greeting visitors, handling calls, maintaining records, and ensuring confidentiality. The position emphasizes teamwork, accuracy, and adherence to Penn Medicine standards.

Qualifications

• HS Diploma or GED required.
• Post-high school education including computer courses and medical terminology preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides receptionist support: answers calls, greets visitors, responds to patient call lights and directs requests to nursing staff.
• Manages health information records, inputs data into computer systems, and navigates electronic documentation systems.
• Protects patient confidentiality and collaborates with the patient care team to coordinate admissions, transfers and discharges.
• Communicates STAT and NOW orders to RN staff within guidelines and coordinates with ancillary services for equipment and forms.
• Uses patient progression software to coordinate in-house escort, dietary orders, and room assignments, and updates nursing staff.

Education

HS Diploma/GED

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?

Schedule: 7AM-3PM (5 8hr shifts/week), Mondays-Friday, no weekends

Summary:

• The unit clerk is an integral member of the patient care team who delivers quality care through collaboration and communication with team members. They work under the direct supervision of the nurse manager and the registered nurse to support the clerical and secretarial operations of the patient care unit. Responsible for key clerical functions and communication between the patient care team and patients/families. This role emphasizes the integration of clerical activities, health information record processing, hospitality and receptionist activities, and business service functions, incorporating organizational competencies of superior quality care and assuming responsibility and accountability for their role performance outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Provides receptionist support including answering telephones, greeting visitors, and responding to patient call lights and ensuring that requests are either met or are handed off the appropriate nursing staff.
• Ensures that health information records are properly obtained, duplicated, assembled maintained and disassembled. Inputs information into various computer systems. Navigates through various components of the computerized order entry and documentation system.
• Uses discretion and protects the confidentiality of the patient.
• Facilitates the patient admission transfer and discharge process.
• Communicates STAT and NOW orders to RN’s or other pertinent staff within established guidelines.
• Communicates with ancillary and support services to ensure adequacy of office related equipment and forms. This includes all computer related equipment and supplies.
• Uses patient progression software to communicate with patient support services to coordinate in-house escort, special dietary orders, menu delivery, etc. and notifies nursing staff of new room assignments
• Attends to patient and family needs by coordinating visits for local clergy and interpreter services through Patient and Guest Relations.
• Promptly notifies nurse in charge if unable to complete task, or assignment as directed.
• Attends educational sessions at the request of the Nurse Manager.
• Maintains neat and organized work station.
• Responsible for maintaining pneumatic tube system.
• Telephone Etiquette: Answering phone calls - introduce self, identify department address time of day, ask How may I help you? Telephone transfer – explain the reason for the transfer, ask permission, provide information before transferring, make sure someone is on the line before you disconnect. Taking a message – give urgent message to appropriate person, inform caller of the availability of the person he wants to talk with before asking for name Placing on Hold Ending a phone call
• Uses effective interpersonal skills in all interactions. Makes eye contact and promptly greets all visitors, physicians, and patients who approach the nursing station or arrive on the unit.
• Performs duties and exhibits behaviors consistent with Penn Medicine Experience Standards.

Credentials:

Education or Equivalent Experience:

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• Education Specialization:Equivalent Experience:And Post high school education, which includes computer courses and medical terminology, preferred.

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.

Live Your Life's Work

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.