ER Medstar Service Associate

Status: Full-time, 40-hours per week

Schedule: Day/Evening/Night Shift with rotating weekend (must be available for all shifts)

This Full-Time position will be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 722.

General Summary of Position
This position performs clerical functions within the Emergency Department or MedStar. Pre-registers patients in the Emergency Department/MedSTAR preparing the necessary paperwork to initiate emergency care physician order entry of emergency diagnostic test; dispatching of outgoing and incoming telephone calls bed management of all patients admitting through the Emergency Department and performs related clerical functions.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Pre-registers patients in the ED/MedSTAR generating a medical record in order to initiate emergency/trauma care. Hospital/department records/data bases for earlier medical record numbers/charts and requests or pulls patient information or medical records and/or assembles various admission packets for medical staff.
• Receives processes and expedites requests for Hospital bed assignments and communicates bed assignment request to the Admitting Department. Manages bed assignments via the bed tracking system and communicates bed assignments to the clinical staff.
• Works with all in-patient units to ensure patient room is ready/available and coordinates readiness of bed with DES to expedite patient throughput in the ED.
• Enters patient information into department and/or Hospital's system(s) including but not limited to: demographic insurance and triage information and updates it with physician orders laboratory tests/results examinations diagnosis/medical findings and unit charges supplies/treatment utilized etc. (All orders are reviewed for transcription accuracy by licensed nursing personnel).
• May call insurance company/HMO and/or primary care physician and obtains required authorizations and/or referrals and medical information for the ED physician etc. Photocopies insurance card(s) and ID for record. May phone insurance companies for levels of benefit coverage.
• Manages multi-line telephone system (10 lines) Receives screens and responds to telephone calls. Assists the caller providing appropriate information based on own expertise and per department/Hospital policy. May forward/direct call to another more appropriate individual or department for assistance. Takes and forwards messages as appropriate.
• Receives and initiates telephone calls including STATS monitors call log of all out-going and returning pages for 4 ED physicians relaying information as appropriate. Responds to or relays patient requests. Initiates and completes clerical functions regarding the admission discharge and transfer of patients. Manages all ED medical records ensuring all documents are complete in preparation for facility and professional billing. Scanning all documents into AZYXXI and preparing MR for admitted and discharge patients.
• Prepares records for professional/facility billing: sorting and compiling information/ documentation and scanning into billing system(s). May enter/verify charges and/or close cash register--counting currency checks credit card payments at the end of the shift. May credit patient medications/supplies when discontinued and/or patient is discharged/expires. Initiates and completes clerical functions regarding the admission discharge and transfer of patients.
• Files laboratory x-ray reports progress reports etc. in the appropriate patient medical chart . Promptly notifies charge nurse of abnormal test results received by telephone. Thins patient medical chart prepares new chart and delivers discharged patient's chart to Medical Records Department as needed.
• Enters and maintains various patient/department information including but not limited to: number of patients registered accurate account of the department's census physician case load etc. May compile and/or print standing or ad-hoc reports/ statistics.
• Assists in maintaining department supplies/equipment by monitoring inventory levels ordering supplies as instructed and completing appropriate logs.
• Contacts other hospital departments and/or staff to schedule patient's diagnostic/
• therapeutic appointments and/or requests assistance with ancillary tasks.
• Maintains a clean organized and efficient work station. Gives report to on-coming Clerk or nursing staff at completion of assigned shift.
• Assists with the orientation/training of new employees to the department as directed.

Minimal Qualifications
Education

• High School Diploma or GED required
• May require up to l year of technical or other specialized training such as training in typing/keyboarding/word-processing and office administrative procedures including customer service etc.

Experience

• Six to twelve months experience required as Office Assistant I or equivalent demonstrating organizational skills and a working familiarity with office computers (PC's and/or mainframes) performing word-processing/typing and data entry required

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Requires the ability to read and write; and knowledge of grammar and arithmetic including fractions and decimals.
• May require the use of standard office/medical equipment (i.e. typewriter personal computer data terminal on-line printer calculator telephone facsimile copier sterilizing equipment blood pressure cuff or tables); the preparation comparison or checking of reports records and related data; and basic use of formulas charts tables drawings and knowledge of their application.