Practice Operations Assistant

GENERAL SUMMARY/ OVERVIEW STATEMENT:

Brigham and Women's Hospital is dedicated to:

• serving the needs of our local and global community
• providing the highest quality health care to patients and their families
• expanding the boundaries of medicine through research
• educating the next generation of health care professional

Every employee plays an important role in providing a positive impact on the organization and the people we serve. Your work will be distinguished by demonstrating respect and dignity in all interactions with patients, families and colleagues, excellence in customer service and job performance.

All employees are expected to embrace this commitment and demonstrate behavioral competencies in the following areas:

People: Focus on serving the community through collaboration and respect

Self Management: Accountability, professionalism and commitment to growth and development

Organization: A commitment to quality, service and exceptional performance

Meeting these expectations is key to the success of your department and the organization.

This job description includes:

• General expectations for the position
• Addendum A - BWH Behavioral Competencies
• Addendum B - Job Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Actual job duties may vary by department (see Addendum B for more detail)

• Perform duties under moderate supervision with intermediate to advanced proficiency in administrative skills.
• Provide routine and more complex administrative support such as: typing memos and letters, answering telephones, and taking and distributing messages.
• Coordinate calendar and schedules including: coordinate calendars for several managers or coordinates events for department.
• Proofread and edit manuscripts, perform library or literature searches, and help to create and edit presentation materials. Work with less direction with ability to create more advanced material.
• Helps to prepare and edit grant applications and other related materials with less direction and more applicable knowledge of the process.
• Perform transcription of dictated physician notes.
• Assist with training and orienting staff as needed.
• Provide cross coverage as needed.
• Assist with special projects as directed.
• Follow HIPAA guidelines for the management of patient privacy and confidentiality.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Addendum A

BWH Behavioral Competencies

1. People: Focus on serving the community through collaboration and respect

Inclusiveness

Definition: Maintain an environment where individuals value and respect differences in all situations. Stand firm against intolerance and bias to create a welcoming environment and respect all individuals regardless of race, gender identity, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, religion, socio-economic status, or national origin.

1. Work effectively with others who have diverse perspectives, talents, roles, backgrounds and/or styles
2. Contribute to a positive team environment where differences are respected, supported and are free from stereotyping and offensive comments
3. Be professional when approached about behaviors that might be perceived as disrespectful

Open Communication

Definition: The ability to effectively articulate and receive information in a clear, concise and timely manner.

1. Practice active listening skills
2. Foster and maintain an environment that respects open dialogue, differences of opinion, as well as diverse communication styles
3. Ensure that information is shared in a clear, accurate, and timely manner using the appropriate communication method for your audience
4. Express oneself clearly and professionally in your verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication

Building Collaborative Relationships

Definition: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve organizational goals.

1. Take initiative to support others and build productive relationships that will lead to a cohesive workplace
2. Interact effectively with other team members, departments and customers to accomplish organizational goals

Organizational Awareness

Definition: Understand how one's own work affects the organization as a whole and demonstrate a commitment to the organizational goals.

1. Support and respect BWH's mission, vision, values and history
2. Understand and recognize how your individual role and department impacts the organization

2. Self Management: Accountability, professionalism and commitment to growth and development

Embracing Change

Definition: Demonstrate adaptability and openness to organizational changes needed to improve effectiveness and goals.

1. Support and positively participate in organizational and/or job specific changes
2. Initiate appropriate action when change is needed
3. Be flexible and open to new ideas
4. Adapt to shifting priorities

Learning Oriented

Definition: Predisposed to pursue learning opportunities even outside own comfort zone, one stays abreast of new tools and methods, rising to add value and build challenge in current assignments.

1. Demonstrate openness to learning from successes and failures
2. Recognize and participate in learning opportunities
3. Seek and share best practices

Professionalism

Definition: Practice respect for self and others; and adhere to BWH standards, policies, and procedures at all times.

1. Adhere to BWH's Code of Conduct, Guide to Ethical Standards, policies and procedures
2. Align behavior with the organizational mission and values
3. Practice respect in accordance to the BWH standards
4. Demonstrate responsibility, reliability, and trustworthiness

3. Organization: A commitment to quality, service and exceptional performance

Quality and Safety Focus

Definition: Responsible for meeting standards of performance or outcomes in a safe manner while avoiding risks.

1. Align job performance with quality and safety standards (e.g. The Joint Commission, BWH and department specific standards)
2. Adhere to established policies and procedures
3. Take action to prevent errors
4. Identify and report adverse events, errors and incidents

Efficiency and Performance Improvement

Definition: Systematic approach to improve performance by eliminating waste, non-value added activities and variability in processes.

1. Participate in process and performance improvement by identifying, analyzing, and enhancing existing processes to achieve better outcomes
2. Maximize available resources to achieve performance measures; reduce waste, rework, and work-arounds consistent with one's role

Problem Solving

Definition: Able to gather appropriate data and diagnose the cause of the problem before taking action; and if necessary develop alternative courses of action.

1. Recognize actual and potential problems and take appropriate action towards a solution
2. Offer assistance, as needed, when a potential problem situation is observed
3. Use good judgment to keep manager informed of problems or issues, following department practice

Service Excellence

Definition: Focusing one's efforts towards anticipating, meeting and exceeding the expressed and unexpressed needs or expectations of internal and external customers.

1. Apply service standards consistently to present a positive image of BWH to colleagues, health providers, patients, families, and visitors:
2. Engage with positive greetings and active listening
3. Empathize by expressing understanding
4. Educate throughout the information exchange
5. Enlist thoughts and ideas from others

4. General/Administrative Support: (required of all Administrative Support employees)

Information Gathering

Definition: Identify and seek information needed to clarify a situation. Ask questions to discover the facts.

1. Identify specific information needed to clarify a situation or to make a decision
2. Probe skillfully to get at the facts

Addendum B

JOB SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Office Operations

• Respond to a variety of incoming calls to the physician's practice,
• Handle patient inquiries and issues in a timely and effective manner
• Treat all customers with dignity and respect.
• Return all patient phone calls within the same day.
• Provide patients with progress updates on appointments, procedures, etc.
• Interact with Brigham and Women's Hospital departments, referring clinics and physicians offices in order to coordinate services for patients.
• Sort and review all physician correspondence.
• Maintain clinical and administrative meetings calendar for the physician(s).
• Assist physician with travel, lecture arrangements.
• Assist physician with submission and tracking of all business expense reimbursements in conjunction with the Finance Manager.

2. Clinic Responsibilities

• Schedule new and established patient visits in Epic and diagnostic testing as required.
• Prepare and send out new patient greeting letters with appropriate paperwork for the upcoming visit.
• Prepare charts for clinic ensuring that the chart is up to date and contains all patient correspondence received prior to the visit, as well as diagnostic results.
• Notify Operations Manager and/or clinic staff to block off the physician schedule in Epic when surgeon is out of the office; inform him/her that surgeon is out of the office as soon as information is known (add this information to the MD Away Calendar as well to ensure OR time is released)
• Run patient eligibility in Epic prior to clinic to ensure patients have active insurance information on file.

3. Billing Function

• Serve as a liaison to insurance companies and provide them with all necessary information in order to obtain prior authorizations.
• Ascertain work related visits and cases; obtain all necessary worker compensation information necessary to initiate and complete negotiations and billing.
• Complete referral management process in conjunction with Patient Service Center, including reviewing, updating and completing and missing information.
• Ensure that referrals obtained for all clinic visits are up to date and accurate.
• Perform demographic and insurance eligibility checks in Epic, Nehen and Emdeon. Review and correct any information that is found through eligibility checks.
• Review surgical schedule and work with Billing Manager to ensure charges are going out appropriately.
• Review logs of outstanding OR dictations and work with physician to ensure timely signing and finalization of operative notes.
• Ensure all physician notes are dictated and final signed within the required time period so billing can go out.

4. Surgical scheduling

• Schedule all surgical procedures and Weiner Center pre-operative screening appointments in Epic.
• Notify patient and confirm arrangements.
• Schedule all radiological testing in Percipio and assist with the prior authorization process.
• Work with clinical team to ensure that patient has all pre-operative educational materials.
• Confirm all bookings in system and with patient prior to the procedure date and within appropriate timelines.
• Notify OR Schedule Manager of any unused surgical block time as soon as the information becomes available.

5. Maintain accurate files

• Develop and maintain accurate and up to date electronic files for confidential patient information (patient charts), correspondence, administrative issues and research information for articles and papers that are readily available upon request.

6. Prepare all correspondence

• Provide insurance companies with requested information in order to complete filings and documentation for motor vehicle, worker's compensation, disability claims and insurance inquiries pertaining to our services.
• Review and edit all office notes and transcriptions in Epic
• Send all consult correspondence to appropriate referring physicians.

7. Perform all other duties as requested within standard business hours.

Level of education required:

• Bachelors degree preferred.

Work experience required:

• Excellent organizational skills.
• Must have at least 3-5 years experience in healthcare and be viewed as a leader.
• Knowledge of Medical Terminology is preferred.
• Computer knowledge required: Windows, Networking, MS Outlook, MS Word and MS Excel.
• Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
• Ability to use discretion in confidential matters.
• Ability to read, write and articulate in English is required.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

Technical skills required:

• Knowledge of practice operations and standards.
• Understanding of procedures including filing, copying, scanning, printing, and faxing.
• Phone skills: Ability to use phone system (answer and screen calls, put on hold), handle more complex calls and give more detailed information.
• Verbal skills: Ability to interpret information as appropriate, answer more complex questions in the most professional manner and communicate in a professional, courteous, clear and concise manner.
• Organization Skills: Ability to manage work processes in a neat and orderly way and to sort and alphabetize. Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively, follow established protocols, and work within systems.
• Writing Skills: Ability to correspond and communicate with others clearly and effectively in writing (via e-mail, memo or interoffice note) and to take complete and accurate messages. May respond directly on behalf of manager/provider without direction or instruction.
• System Skills: Ability to type and enter data effectively and at a more advanced level. Intermediate level computer skills including the ability to use word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation applications.
• Intermediate understanding and use of medical terminology.
• Intermediate comprehension of billing 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.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Hospital based ambulatory practice. Normal patient environments where there are some exposures to communicable diseases, unpleasant odors, needle, and blood products.

HOSPITAL WIDE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Works within legal, regulatory, accreditation and ethical practice standards relevant to the position and as established by BWH/Partners; follows safe practices required for the position; complies with appropriate BWH and Partners policies and procedures; fulfills any training required by BWH and/or Partners, as appropriate; brings potential matters of non-compliance to the attention of the supervisor or other appropriate hospital staff.