Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant

Participates with the Health Care Team in delivering quality and customer focused health care to patients in a manner that reflects Kaiser Permanente's mission, vision and values. Provides clinical and administrative support to clinicians and other health care team members to offer a variety of health care services to patients. Clinical duties involve both direct (in person) and indirect (via phone or on-line) patient care activities requiring both simple to complex clinical knowledge and skills.

As appropriate to the positions scope of authorized duties, the MA is expected to have competent observational, clinical, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills in order to meet patient needs and contribute to a positive care experience and work environment. Works under the clinical supervision of the clinician for patient care activities, and under the general direction of the designated manager/supervisor.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Prepares and organizes patients office visit for known reason/procedure by ensuring that all appropriate tests, clinical information (e.g. diagnostic test results, consultation reports, outside records, etc.) and order entries are ready for clinician review prior to appointment time.
• Collects pertinent subjective (e.g. signs & symptoms, allergies, current medication, tobacco use, etc.) and objective (e.g. vital signs, height, weight, etc.) data related to patients reason for visit (i.e. chief complaint, presenting symptoms or procedure).
• Utilizes standardized tools (e.g. PST, health maintenance alerts) to identify and address health maintenance/care gaps with patient and alerts clinician on those that require his/her attention.
• Recognizes signs and symptoms of common medical illnesses, abnormal versus new/existing and reports to clinician.
• Prepares patient for actual visit/procedure prior to clinicians exam during rooming-in process.
• Assures exam/procedure room contains appropriate supplies, equipment, forms and educational materials are available and ready for use during visit/procedure.
• Checks equipment are in safe working order and cleans room after use.
• Provides patient with after-visit, follow-up, self-care or procedural instructions and/or educational materials as directed by clinician.
• Use KP Health Connect and other information systems to document all pertinent data and outcomes of patient care according to standardized procedures and policies such as and not limited to the use of SBAR, KP Health Connect smart tools, etc.
• Updates demographic or historical clinical data gathered in the electronic medical record.
• Performs diagnostic tests, therapies and procedures within scope of authorized duties competently and with maintenance of proficiency according to: a) specific department standards on core clinical tasks (see departments list of core skills); application of knowledge and skills appropriate to developmental age of patient; and established policies such as and not limited to patient safety, aseptic and sterile techniques and infection control.
• Maintains and adjusts clinicians patient schedule for efficient patient flow that facilitates appointed visits and overbooks.
• Answers and responds to in-coming messages/requests via telephone, mail or kp.org from patient or other department(s) by collecting and communicating pertinent data requiring clinicians review and input.
• Act as the clinicians agent to communicate back to patient or department his/her response/instructions in a timely manner.
• Facilitates and completes follow-up duties on patients plan of care as directed by clinician to include but not limited to: processing of prescriptions and forms; reminder of screening/diagnostic tests that are due;…