Medical Office Specialist - Bilingual

The Providence Center
Job Title:         MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT 
Division:          Administration 
Department:   All departments    
Reports To:     Operations Supervisor

SUMMARY 
Greet visitors at the reception area, schedule appointments, respond to telephone callers and take messages.  Collect demographic data, verify insurance coverage, amount of outstanding deductible, and collect fees as appropriate.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. 

Perform a variety of duties to support consumers and to staff in the department. 
-Interact with Access/Intake staff to facilitate the preadmission process. 
-Enter and confirm all demographic and insurance information. 
-Determine and collect deductibles and copay, as appropriate. 
-Update patient demographic in computer through blue update as required. 
-Submit patient forms to the outside as required. 
-Greet visitors and clients. Respond to incoming telephone calls from outside agencies, insurance companies, staff and consumers. Refer to the appropriate staff member, service component or community resource. 
-Answer calls in a courteous manner; transfer calls appropriately; ensure messages are initialed and contain correct spelling of names, phone number and brief message regarding the call. 
-Answer questions and investigate if answer is not known until resolution. 
-Schedule appointments for clinical staff. Enter schedules on computer system, as well as appointments, meetings, assessment slots, etc. 
-Check schedule the day before to ensure outstanding balances and prior authorizations are in place for services being performed. 
-Verify insurance coverage. 
- Process Medication Requests.
- Enter and/or confirm clinician logs.
-Obtain, discharge and locate client charts.
-Respond courteously to consumers; look up client ledger and billing information in AS400 system for appropriate insurance information and/or fees; note any monies received on ledger and petty cash; contact clinician regarding arrival of appointment. 
-Ensure up to date knowledge about contracts and the number of allowable visits; advise clinician when authorization for more sessions is needed. Maintain ledgers and keep accurate count on all visits. 
-Monitor client terminations, enter in ledger and Intake. 
-Call consumers to confirm appointments. 
Perform tasks to support the department, such as ordering supplies from various vendors, typing purchase orders, processing work requests, etc. 
-Check supplies in First Aid Kit and record amount of supplies needed, as assigned.
-Cover as needed for other staff during staff vacancies, absences, vacations, leave of absences, etc. Work a flexible schedule to include some evenings and travel between locations. 
-Maintain a comfortable atmosphere in the waiting area ensuring the safety of visitors. 

Bilingual Medical Office Assistants Only
-Serve as a resource to staff regarding the Hispanic/Latino community.
-Provide education and communicate on community resources and cultural matters.
-Interpret/translate both language and cultural concerns for staff and other community service providers, as appropriate.

Attend trainings and conferences, participate on Center committees. 
-Provide feedback to staff on the content of educational programs attended. 
-Attend mandatory in-service trainings and other trainings required. 

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 
High school diploma with a business background and two years experience with third party reimbursement; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Must possess good typing skills as well as good spelling and grammar. Excellent communication skills required. General computer experience also required. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS 
-Bilingual Required.
-Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to consumers and employees.