Clerk

Job Description

Job Description

RESPONSIBILITIES :

1. Answers, transfers, and screens all calls received to the department / facility. If the call is urgent, the unit clerk must direct the call immediately to the appropriate person. If the call is not urgent, the unit clerk will obtain a complete message and call back number and ensure that the message is given to the appropriate staff person the same day so that the call can be promptly returned.

2. At least one day in advance, prints out a schedule / list of patient appointments and is responsible to call patients to remind them to keep their appointments.

3. Each day generates the appointment list for scheduled appointments for the following day for each provider. These lists must be on the appropriate provider’s desk before the end of the business day to ensure that the provider has time to review them. Also generates a master list of all scheduled appointments for the following day to be placed on the Medical Director’s desk before the end of the business day.

4. Schedules follow-up appointment visits for patients during discharge. Responsible to take orders from either Physicians / Dentists / R.N. / L.P.N. / M.A. for patients who need a follow-up appointment visit. Checks in the computer that the date given to the patient is not fully booked or in some cases double booked. In such cases, advises the patient of the soonest available date, as close to the interval period ordered by the physician / provider as possible and asks the patient if this is convenient taking into consideration the urgency of follow-up and / or the patient’s own schedule.

5. Recalls patients with follow-up appointments via phone or letter to notify them of missed or lapsed appointments.

6. Completes all pertinent information on internal and external referral forms, calls for authorization and schedules such referrals to appropriate service provider.

7. Calls either the Medical Records Department, laboratory and / or hospital to obtain copies of medical results when / if laboratory or diagnostic tests are not available as per physician / provider / dentists / R.N. / L.P.N. / M.A. request.

8. Calls the Medical Record Department to recover a chart, and requests that the chart be sent to the proper department (ADULT, OB-GYN, PEDIATRICS and DENTAL) when the physician / provider needs a chart for review or for patient recall.

9. Makes photocopies ON SITE of all documents given to patients and all other documents as per Physician / Provider / R.N. / L.P.N. request.

10. Accesses RHA web site to retrieve outside referrals. Makes appointments or forwards referrals to appropriate department for appointments. Notifies patient of appointment dates by telephone call, internet appointment or mail appointment card. Follows-up with referring agency when patients can’t be reached.

11. Responsible for returning all charts left in the Unit to Medical Record Department, at the end of the day. No charts are to be held overnight in the Unit except for charts of patients with pending PPD readings and patients with abnormal results who need follow-up from the Nurse.

12. Screens and completes all encounters at the end of each patient’s visit. Checks that all appropriate boxes for type and length of visit, treatments and procedures and diagnosis are marked off and the Physician / Provider name and number are written and accessible for any questions regarding the encounters. After this task is done, the encounters are put aside in a designated location for safety.

13. After reconciling encounters, Site II clerks must place all encounters at the end of the day in the BLUE mail bag for delivery the next day to the Billing Department at Site I.

14. Each morning generates an encounter list from the computer to match and reconcile the encounters and then hand-delivers all encounters to the Administrative Clinic Supervisor and signs the encounter cover sheet as proof that every encounter was turned over.

15. Clerks receive and distribute incoming mail and prepare blue bags for messenger pick up. Also handles mail internally that the messenger delivers.

16. Serves to answer questions / bridge the gap of communication and assist patients for all concerns, if at all possible and within the realm of the Unit Clerk’s knowledge and skills. Otherwise, will refer the case / situation to the appropriate staff.

17. Generates all UT override forms for Medicaid patients who have reached their utilization threshold. All forms must be attached to the chart before the patient is seen by the provider. Upon completion of the form, the unit clerk separates appropriate forms and forwards them to Medicaid. A copy is made of these forms and placed in the chart.

18. Clerks perform cashier duties as needed. Responsible to take cash from clerks and dispense change if needed. Must total all monies at the end of the day and run updates for monies received. Prepare money bag for transport to Site I the next day. Finally, dispenses carfare and metro cards when needed.

19. Observes all HIPAA rules and legislation and Patient’s Confidentiality.

20. Participates in staff meeting.

21. This job specification set out should not be interpreted to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties, as may be required by their supervisor.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :

1. High School Diploma / GED

2. Knowledge of Medical Terminology

3. Preferably one-year full time satisfactory experience as a clerk in a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS :

1. Ability to communicate successfully and relate with the public regardless of ethnic, racial and economic background.

2. Strong attention to detail and commitment to high quality work

3. Strong professional ethics and sensitivity in dealing with confidential information.

4. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member.

5. Proficiency in computer programs and software, particularly Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook).