Senior Practice Assistant - Surgery Scheduling

Site: The General Hospital Corporation

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Job Summary

GENERAL SUMMARY/ OVERVIEW STATEMENT:

Under general supervision, provides a broad level of administrative support to a physician, medical practice or clinic for patient care and administrative activities. Works independently to execute job responsibilities and tasks. Works with the physician (s), staff members and management to ensure a quality-based, customer-oriented flow of work. Utilizes discretion and judgment to organize priorities, complete tasks and handle confidential patient information. Performs a wide range of administrative tasks utilizing well established skills and experience to support a medical office, including surgical scheduling, prior authorizations, medical office coding and billing as well as coordinating patient services such as appointments, testing, and referrals; Performs administrative coordination of a physician’s office to include secretarial support, data management and billing/financial support. Maintains advanced knowledge and proficiency in medical office operation, insurance regulations and billing practices.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• PATIENT CARE RESPONSIBILITIES
• · Schedules patient office appointments; coordinating with others as appropriate. Provides information to physician as appropriate.
• · Refers patients to appropriate hospital departments for registration, referral and financial services as needed.
• · Obtains, provides and maintains medical records in support of patient visits, surgeries, billing and other needs.
• · Maintains high level of knowledge and skill in the use of appropriate electronic systems to obtain and provide information. Monitors and uses systems to execute tasks including Epic and Patient Gateway for patient clinical information/messages. May serve as super user for these systems and may train staff on their use.
• · Arranges and/or provides information and visit support to patients and their families, such as distributing maps, information regarding procedures and interpreter services.
• · Prepares for patient visits by placing appointment and surgery reminder calls, organizing patient files and printing forms and ensuring physician and office is prepared to provide for patient visit or surgery.
• · Completes all aspects of patient checks-in in a courteous manner. This includes updating computer systems with correct and complete information, obtaining referral information and payments and preparing billing materials. Coordinates with clinical staff to ensure smooth patient flow.
• · Completes procedures to check-out patients as they exit exam rooms, including scheduling appointments and testing · Provides and coordinates office support to meet physician needs. This includes operating room schedules, maintaining files, dictation support, correspondence with physicians, patients and other offices or agencies
• · Provides and coordinates patient appointments to include processes related to cancelled appointments and reminder notices.
• · Interacts in a courteous manner with physicians, nurses, and administrative staff within and outside of MGH to coordinate care of patients, obtain referrals, provide feedback, answer questions, etc.

• ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
• · Maintains physician’s office to include calendar management, travel, office reception, mail processing, correspondence and reports and related responsibilities of a secretarial nature. Ensures timely renewal and maintains files of physician’s medical license(s), DEA certificate, professional liability insurance, etc. Prepares and maintains files of hospital and managed care plan credentialing documents. Ensures office is operating efficiently by performing duties to monitor and address needs such as order supplies, maintain files and obtain literature.
• · Organizes materials and information for processing of invoices and reimbursements, updating and communicating on-call schedules and for use in presentations made at national meetings. Establishes and maintains databases for practice and physician use.
• · Arranges for outside visitors, medical students, etc. as requested by physician.
• · Cross covers other staff members, e.g. breaks, lunches, vacations, during variations in work flow as needed.
• · Participates in periodic staff meetings or other departmental meetings.
• · Perform/participate in special projects as may arise from time-to-time.

• SURGICAL SCHEDULING
• · Arranges patient surgeries by scheduling pre-surgery appointments and testing; reschedules as needed. Obtains all required authorizations and referrals in advance of surgery. Provides information to Admitting in a timely manner.
• · Utilizes Epic OpTime to schedule surgeries electronically. Updates physician calendar to block surgery schedule. Communicates any special circumstances to the physician. Distributes surgical schedules.
• · Works with primary care and specialty offices to obtain patient historical data, reports, imaging studies, lab results or other information necessary for the coordination and completion of the surgery and patient care.
• · Ensures patients receive pertinent patient education information about their surgeries. Confirms completion of Consent for Surgery forms. Provides patients with pre-surgical instructions in a timely manner. Addresses or refers patient and family questions regarding surgery, insurance and administrative.
• · Work effectively and efficiently with insurance companies to obtain pre-authorization for any and all surgical procedures.
• · Maintains files to incorporate surgical information in paper and electronic patient and office files. This includes operative notes, discharge summaries and test reports.
• · May schedule post-operative appointments and testing.
• · Maintains an advanced level of knowledge regarding third party insurance, managed care and financial services and resources available to patients. Attends meetings and educational sessions to secure this knowledge base.
• · Organizes and forwards patient and procedure information for billing. Answers patient and billing office questions. Resolves any discrepancies.
• · Creates and maintains billing information, updating patient and hospital records. Ensures bills are processed and mailed in a timely manner. Works with patients to collect payments for all services provided.
• · Investigates and resolves billing matters utilizing advanced knowledge and skill related to insurance coverage, referral management, insurance company procedures and billing process.
• · May provide statistics and reports on patient volume, procedures and other financially related data.
• · Serves as a resource to administrative colleagues and physicians regarding billing procedures and collections.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

· High School Diploma or GED required. Secretarial Certificate or college education preferred. Equivalent and additional secretarial/administrative experience may be considered in place of education.

· Minimum of 3 to 5 years of secretarial experience. Experience in a healthcare setting helpful.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

· Exceptional computer skills (including word processing, database, electronic mail, internet, and spreadsheets) required. Knowledge of Epic and other systems at a level sufficient to perform job.

· Good command of English language, including medical and scientific terminology.

· Exceptional organizational skills and the flexibility to handle multiple tasks and deadline pressures.

· Ability to work independently or in a t