Office Administrator

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Function of the Office Administrator:

This person is the face of our company. Most of the time, this person will shape our first impression by picking up the phone or greeting someone when they come to us for the first time. While it is important to keep up on clerical tasks, it is also incredibly important that people are made to feel welcome when they enter our doors. This can mean offering water, noticing when an extra seat is needed, or greeting people with a smile and a genuine introduction.

If you have ever used the words meticulous or thorough to refer to yourself, this is the right job for you. Scheduling appointments that can include up to 10 people is not easy. This job requires you to coordinate those appointments, communicate with internal and external team members, and keep everyone up to speed on any changes or need-to-know information. It is up to our Office Administrators to conduct timely and proactive scheduling, which prompts the scheduling of required visits according to our treatment model, as well as initiating the rescheduling of missed appointments. Flexibility, diligence, communication, and being proactive are all key components to the job.

Job-Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Make the office feel warm and inviting by answering the phone or greeting people with a smile and maintaining a clean and presentable waiting room.

Treat the office as your own, and either make the necessary replacements when supply inventory gets low or notify your supervisor of the need to order more (e.g., soap, paper towels, utensils, trash bags, etc.).

Manage the schedules of multiple providers while keeping all parties aware of appointments, changes, and need-to-know information.

OAs may be assigned specific tasks, which will allow for focus and ownership. Depending on the assignment, it may entail completing a tracker, attending a meeting, managing forms, communicating with outside agencies, or it may have its own set of steps and expectations that will be clearly outlined. There is also an expectation to understand and help in all shared scheduling related tasks (everyone covers the email inbox, phones, etc.).

We have three main programs: Child Welfare, Substance Abuse, Community. It's your responsibility to know the expectations of all programs and apply the processes accordingly.

As part of keeping schedules full, stay up on appointment confirmations and when there is a cancellation, aim to fill it with a new intake or offer that timeslot to someone you know may appreciate it. Similarly, maximize time on the schedule by sharing timeslots when appropriate, i.e. every other week or once per month clients should share a timeslot.

Use good judgment in deciding when scheduling rules should be followed and when flexibility is required to make all ends meet. Communicate with your team when doing so.

Customer Service should be both externally and internally applied. Build good relationships with providers by keeping in close communication with them about scheduling demands. Morning huddles are great for this.

Don't underestimate what goes into managing the waiting room. If the 'babysitting' ever gets too distracting from your job and your rules aren't followed, loop in the provider for support. If you see or hear someone behaving oddly in the waiting room, tell the provider. Ensure you know who is in your waiting room, require check-in, and periodically check to ensure everyone's been helped.

Follow HIPAA by treating all information and documents with utmost confidentiality.

As new client charts are created in our EMR system and as updated information surfaces, you are the person who we look to for keeping complete, accurate charts.

If you come up with a better way to do things, make a suggestion, be patient, and don't be mad if there is a big-picture reason why we cannot implement it. Certainly, ask what the reason is, as it may help you to come up with an alternative suggestion to improve a process.

Cash paying clients and those covered by private insurances will have a co/payment to make. It's vital that you collect that payment as that is what keeps us all paid.

People in crisis will call and, for example, say they want to kill themselves, so make yourself very familiar with the Crisis Intervention Policy.

We pay others to do most dirty work like shredding and cleaning, and we need someone to speak up when those services aren't meeting our needs. That's you.

Hold back your excitement when completing the necessary scanning, uploading, and data entry into the electronic medical records (EMR) system.

Jump at the opportunity to complete clerical tasks upon request (i.e., fax, scan, copy, managing incoming and outgoing mail).

Go the extra mile with courtesy by, for example, walking people to their appointment room or to the restroom instead of pointing.

Requirements

Qualifications:

High school diploma or equivalent required; at least one year of college preferred

Familiarity with copy, scan, and fax machines and internet-based programs

Effective, efficient googling skills

Team player attitude and shares our values - integrity, flexibility, empathy, excellence

Basic knowledge of HIPAA and importance of protecting patient health information

Knowledge of the DSM and basic mental health terms will make the job more interesting and make you more successful

Awareness, sensitivity to, and respect for cultural variation and the power of personal values and biases

Ability to discuss personal and financial matters with providers and clients

Ability to remain calm and courteous in the face of rudeness and disrespect

Ability to predict the future. Not really but you have to be able to identify warning signs for when something is likely to go wrong and then generate and implement solutions.

Ability to consider multiple perspectives and alternate explanations when problems arise

Ability to identify pair problems with solutions along with alternative solutions when you don't get your way

Proficiency in computer skills, especially using Word, Excel, and customized databases

You have to be able to prioritize and get things done