Senior Practice Assistant, Ambulatory Treatment Room & Wound Care Center

The combined Ambulatory Treatment Room (ATR) and Wound Care Center (WCC) are two distinct outpatient procedural and patient care areas within one location. The WCC is a cross-functional program - supporting wound patients at our inpatient, outpatient, and satellite locations The ATR is focused on supporting minor outpatient procedures and treatments requiring local anesthetic. Each of these programs are multidisciplinary in nature - involving plastic surgery, burns, general surgery, vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, podiatry, dermatology, and infectious disease.

The responsibility of the Senior Practice Assistant is to accommodate, manage, and maintain all administrative aspects of the Wound Care Center and Ambulatory Treatment Room. The Senior Practice Assistant manages the WCC scheduling and clinic organization, billing, compliance areas, and communications. The Senior Practice Assistant also monitors ATR usage and serves as the liaison among surgeons, ATR staff and operating room scheduling.

Clinic operations

• Obtains, verifies, records and processes required patient demographics, insurance/payment and referral information in the electronic medical record system. Collects, compiles and forwards related documentation required for reimbursement.
• Serves as a liaison to BWH billing vendor and insurance companies.
• Collects, records and secures co-payments. Provides an accurate record of transactions in the scheduling/billing system. Reconciles payments at the end of the clinic session, providing an accurate accounting of funds.
• Performs all duties of check-in and check-out.
• Collects and organizes medical records information as well as materials required for scheduled appointments. Ensures that clinicians have sufficient information for all patient encounters. Communicates with other departments to coordinate ancillary services with other appointments, treatments, and testing.
• Monitors daily schedule and exam room utilization. Communicates with clinicians and patients/visitors to maintain efficient flow.
• Answers, screens, and routes telephone calls. Greets patients and directs visitors. Responds to requests for routine information or assistance within scope of knowledge and authority. Composes routine correspondence and completes standardized forms as needed.

Administrative

• Monitor accuracy of registration, scheduling, and billing confirmation functions for outpatient services. Make recommendations for improvements/enhancements to registration procedures.
• Act as a super user for scheduling, registration, and billing systems. Provide training and assistance to others in these areas.
• Screen patient concerns for the WCC, working with appropriate personnel for resolution with the help of the clinical staff and patient relations if necessary.
• Responsible for gathering data and reports on no shows, eReferrals, clinician template usage, surgeon visits, procedures scheduled from the WCC. Work with clinical staff and administrators to identify and measure workflow areas in need of improvement.
• Work with Ambulatory Administration to implement and manage schedule optimization.
• Complete orders for medical and office supplies.
• Submit requests for imaging from outside institutions, follow up and confirm receipt of the films or complete uploading process in Powershare.
• Assist with timekeeping in Kronos.
• Submit and monitor work orders (engineering, environmental services etc.).
• Participate in yearly budget management.
• Act as primary contact for hospital administration.
• Seeks out improvement opportunities within practice.
• Demonstrates the discretion and judgment needed to act independently with decision-making responsibilities. Must be able to problem-solve independently and provide communication to the Senior Director.
• Maintains patient confidentiality according to hospital standards.
• Assures compliance with BWH, BWPO, The Joint Commission, state and federal regulations.
• Performs other duties, as assigned

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience preferred.
• Prior administrative experience in a clinical operation setting strongly preferred.
• 1+ years' experience with patient access and delivery systems, referrals and authorizations, billing functions and procedures, and/or financial analysis strongly preferred.
• Excellent computer skills: proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel; insurance approval process; and clinical service billing.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, time-management and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a socially diverse patient population visiting their clinicians for conditions that may be medically urgent, coping with anxiety and stress created in such situations.
• Must understand and function effectively in a fast-paced challenging environment and communicate well with a group of clinicians.
• Proficiency with computers including word processing and data entry, faxing, scanning, and filing.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive issues/information in a positive and fair manner.
• Ability to interpret information as appropriate, answer routine questions in the most professional manner, and communicate in a professional, courteous, clear, and concise manner.
• Comprehensive knowledge of practice office operations and standards.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, follow established protocols, set priorities and meet deadlines and work within systems.
• Basic understanding and use of medical terminology.
• Comprehension of insurance types and referral process, automated appointment scheduling and medical billing system, registration, and fiscal information.
• Knowledgeable and compliant with all hospital, State, and Federal requirements (where applicable to job performance), including policy and procedures with The Joint Commission and HIPAA.

BWH is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives, and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.