These descriptions is not going to perfectly fit all practices, this is simply a generalization. Each practice divides duties in line with the number and skills with the staff within their office, along with the providers’ specialties. These descriptions should assistance to define what are the basic effort is in most practices.
Front Desk/Check-In – Usually the first person you meet inside a medical practice, this individual sets a bad for the practice mind you she greets you and also makes you feel expected and welcome
Greets patients and individuals to the practice
Registers patients inside the practice management system that might mean entering information given verbally or on registration forms
Collects identification and insurance cards and copies or scans them for your record, may photograph the patient for your record
May collect co-pays or some other monies
Prints encounter form (otherwise known as superbill, routing slip, or fee ticket) with updated information, or updates information about the encounter form
Has patient sign financial agreement, receipt of policy, benefits assignment, etc.
May answer cell phone calls, take messages making appointments
Directs visitor (drug reps, salespersons, etc.) appropriately
Medical Records – although medical records positions will often be entry-level positions in the medical office, a practice lives and dies by its medical records management, which must be as close for great as possible.
Primary responsibility for that integrity and management from the medical record, whether paper or electronic
Controls record filing (paper) or indexing (electronic)
Fulfills requests by patients, attorneys, insurance firms, and social to protect release of records
May manage paper faxes and messages by attaching to charts and delivering to provider
May prepare paper charts for chart audits by payers or others
May function as the HIPAA Officer
Medical Assistant, LPN or RN – often the person who escorts patients in the waiting area to your exam rooms, this individual must be friendly and inspire confidence from the patients.
May assist Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant with procedures
Depending on state laws, may give injections
May perform procedures independently (ear wax removal, staple removal, etc.)
Provides Medicare patients having an Advance Beneficiary Notice if any lab test or procedure to get performed within the office will never be paid by Medicare
May perform phlebotomy (draw blood)
May collect specimens, perform basic laboratory tests and chart results
Provides patient education verbally and also providing written materials
May schedule tests or procedures ordered with the provider
May schedule surgery and prepare surgery packets for providers (*this could possibly be delegated with a surgery scheduler if this type of position exists)
Calls patients about test or procedure results; returns patients calls with answers after talking to provider
Prepares exam room for procedures (PAP smears, excisions, etc.), marks specimens for lab and pathology
Cleans exam room after each patient and stocks exam and procedure rooms with supplies
May lead to ordering office medications and medical supplies
May perform lab controls daily and appearance and record temperatures on lab refrigerators and freezers
Triage Nurse – the triage nurse should have a wealth of nursing knowledge at her command plus an intuitive a sense when a patient ought to be seen from the office, when they do not.
Takes incoming calls from patients and provides them health advice according to predetermined nursing protocols
Makes decisions about patients needing being seen urgently, instant or next day
May be delegated callbacks from providers or another nurses
May see walk-in patients and triage their condition
Lead Nurse, Charge Nurse, or Nurse Supervisor – this individual must have the respect and trust on the physicians in addition to the other clinical staff, and it is relied upon to produce good decisions within the case of a medical or another emergency.
Assigns clinical staff specific responsibilities
Manages clinical staff schedules, using agency or temporary staff as needed
Performs annual competency exams on staff
Ensures all staff are current on licenses, training and CPR
Problem-solves patient issues
May produce ordering office medications and medical supplies
Has responsibility for medication sample closet upkeep
May perform annual evaluations fro clinical staff
Responsible for equipment maintenance and makes tips for medical equipment as needed
May function as the Patient Safety Officer and also the Worker’s Compensation Coordinator