Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant

The County of Santa Barbara is currently seeking dedicated and compassionate Medical Assistants to join our team. As a Medical Assistant, you will play a crucial role in providing high-quality care to our patients. This position offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive services.

We are currently accepting applications to fill three (3) bilingual (English/Spanish) full-time Medical Assistant vacancies in Santa Barbara, one (1) bilingual (English/Spanish) full-time, floating Medical Assistant vacancy in South County (Santa Barbara and Carpinteria) and four (4) 1414* bilingual (English/Spanish) full-time Medical Assistant vacancies in Santa Barbara at County of Santa Barbara Health.

We are also accepting applications to establish one employment list that will be used to fill current and future Full-Time, Part-Time, Extra Help and 1414* vacancies in multiple locations including Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Lompoc. This job classification is also utilized by the Department of Behavioral Wellness within the County. Please select ALL departments and locations you would like to be considered for current and future vacancies.

*CSR 1414 (Leave of Absence): Some vacancies on this recruitment are to fill positions vacated as a result of a leave of absence (CSR 1414) and the duration of the appointment shall be subject to the return of the individual who is on leave. A person who is appointed to a position under CSR 1414 may be able to transition into a regular position in the classification without re-application or re-testing, depending on the performance of the appointee and the needs of the department.

Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

The County Health Department is seeking Medical Assistants to support the Primary Care & Family Health (PCFH) division by serving at one of five Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHCs) across Santa Barbara County offering a wide variety of services for adults, teens, children and infants. At our Health Care Centers, the medical assistant will focus on patient engagement and assisting with administrative tasks to support client care. County Health is looking for candidates passionate about assisting underserved populations and making a positive impact to their communities through public health initiatives.

The Behavioral Wellness Department is seeking Medical Assistants to support Behavioral Wellness's mental health team. These positions will be assigned to serve the clinics in one of the three regions within Santa Barbara County. They will focus on patient engagement and assisting with administrative tasks to support client care. Behavioral Wellness is looking for candidates passionate about the mental health field, and who enjoy supporting their community.

The Departments:

County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health): Founded in 1925, our mission is to improve the health of our communities by preventing disease, promoting wellness and health equity, while ensuring access to needed health care, and maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Our vision of "healthy people, healthy community, healthy environment" is made possible through our team of over 500 professionals. With an annual budget of $118.8 million, we serve more than 440,000 residents across Santa Barbara County through a wide range of innovative public health programs and services. The Department's range of responsibilities includes:

• Investigating disease outbreaks
• Conducting health education campaigns
• Inspecting food establishments
• Working with high risk mothers and children
• Operating health clinics for the underserved
• Staffing medical shelters during emergency evacuations
• Caring for our four-legged friends through our animal control program and many other programs and services.

Department of Behavioral Wellness (BWell): Founded in 1962, it is our mission to promote the prevention of and recovery from mental illness and addiction among individuals, families and communities, by providing effective leadership and delivering state-of-the-art, culturally competent services. The Department provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to 10,000 clients with mental illness and substance use disorders annually through its professional staff of over 400, in addition to its many contracted Community-Based Organization (CBO) providers. The Department's decisions and service delivery are guided by the following values:

• Quality services for persons of all ages with mental illness and/or substance abuse
• Integrity in individual and organizational actions
• Dignity, respect, and compassion for all persons
• Active involvement of clients and families in treatment, recovery, and policy development
• Diversity throughout our organization and cultural competency in service delivery
• A system of care and recovery that is clearly defined and promotes recovery and resiliency
• Emphasis on prevention and treatment
• Teamwork among department employees in an atmosphere that is respectful and creative
• Continuous quality improvement in service delivery and administration
• Wellness modeled for our clients at all levels; i.e., staff who regularly arrive at the workplace healthy, energetic and resilient
• Safety for everyone

Examples of Duties:

1. Identifies patient's chief complaint and records observations in patient's permanent medical record.
2. Performs height, weight, vital signs, and vision tests and records them in the medical record.
3. Helps patients to complete medical history forms and prepares patients for examinations and treatment by provider.
4. Conducts and/or assists with tests and procedures as directed, such as EKGs, non-stress tests, spirometer, audiometer, venipunctures, skin punctures, strep screen, glucometer, chemical analyzer, and urine tests.
5. Assists health service providers with treatments and examinations of patients such as wound care, pelvic exams, minor surgery, and IUD insertions.
6. Assists in the identification of psychosocial needs and consults with the health service provider or makes referrals to appropriate agencies.
7. Performs case management which may include monitoring care alerts, scheduling appointments for specialty tests, hospital admissions, and surgeries; following up on broken appointments to explain the need and value of returning for follow-up care, and arranging transportation.
8. Provides discharge/exit instructions to patients, prepares referral forms, such as treatment authorization, insurance, disability, and employment physical forms, as directed; transcribes doctors' orders and prepares appropriate requisitions and forms.
9. Provides health education for patients or groups on such topics as nutrition counseling, diabetes counseling, well children counseling and other health related topics for pregnant women and infants.
10. Cleans and sterilizes equipment and stocks clinics or vehicles used for home visits or outlying clinics.
11. Takes direction from the assigned healthcare provider (physician or health care practitioner) as to tasks to perform in the engagement of patient care.
12. Identifies patient's chief complaint and records observations in designated records and data systems.
13. Performs and records data on height, weight, vital signs, and visual screening tests.
14. As directed, conducts and/or assists with clinical services such as tuberculin skin tests (TSTs), venipuncture, and audiometry and visual screening tests.
15. Conducts field visits with Public Health Nurses and/or may make independent home visits under the general direction and supervision of a Public Health Nurse.
16. In coordination with Public Health Nurses, assists with communicable disease investigations for Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases.
17. Collects specimens; labels and delivers specimens as directed by Public Health Nurse.
18. As part of the public health team, assumes a key role in communicable disease case management activities.
19. Provides health education for patients or groups on such topics as communicable diseases and health care for school-age children, infants, and pregnant women.
20. Links patients to community resources and medical providers based on patient needs.

Employment Standards:

Possession of a Medical Assistant Certificate issued by an accredited institution.

Additional Qualifications: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be required for some positions in this class.

Knowledge of: basic medical terminology, basic arithmetic, safe venipuncture techniques, and safe work practices in a health care center or community-based setting.

Ability to: work independently; conduct basic medical tests, such as vision and audiometry; understand the needs and problems facing culturally, economically, or socially disadvantaged persons; establish and maintain good relations with people from a wide range of social and ethnic groups; maintain confidentiality of patient information; understand