Medical Records Clerk in Palo Alto, California at Channing House

ABOUT US

Channing House is a leading not-for-profit Life Plan Community in Palo Alto, founded in 1960. We believe that older adults thrive in a vibrant setting that supports active, engaged and healthy living. We provide a sustainable, innovative community that promotes this lifestyle, while embracing respect and dignity for all who live and work here. Our team of 195 staff members, from Front-Line to Leadership, drive the mission of Channing House, providing services to the 265 highly engaged residents who call Channing House their home.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Medical Records Clerk is responsible for initiating, maintaining, and filing resident records in a manner consistent with regulatory requirements for Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living, Independent Living, and Memory Care, by performing the outlined duties. The Medical Records Clerk demonstrates our Core Values: Do the right thing; Be a team player; Focus on quality; Adapt to change. Together with the entire team at Channing House, your role contributes to promoting a healthy and vibrant home for our residents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position will be responsible for, but not limited to the following essential duties and responsibilities:

General Duties:

• Performs Health Information Management Functions:
  • Maintains security of health information systems and medical records. Assures physical protection is in place to prevent loss, destruction and unauthorized use and disclosure of both manual and electronic records.
  • Assures systems are in place to maintain confidentiality of both manual and electronic health information.
  • Manages the release of information functions for the facility, including review and processing of all requests for information.
  • Maintains facility policies and standards of practice to assure release of information requests are appropriate and meet legal standards.
  • Maintains systems for filing, retention and destruction of overflow records and discharges records.
  • Identifies late, inaccurate and incomplete documentation and report to individuals responsible for completion.
  • Processes admissions and discharges records timely and accurately for all levels of living.
  • Completes identification on forms in resident’s medical records.
  • Audits medical records as assigned.
  • Responds appropriately to residents’ requests for help and maintains positive relationships with their friends and family members.
  • Protects the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.
  • Reviews records for completeness, accuracy and compliance with regulations.
  • Enters data such as demographic characteristics, history and extent of disease, diagnostic procedures, or treatment into computer.
  • Compiles and maintains patient's medical records to document condition and treatment
  • Prepares government forms- Automated Licensing Information and Report Tracking System (ALIRTS) report.
  • Compiles census data for statistical reports.
  • Prepares statistical reports and graphic presentations of information.
  • Files medical records accurately.
  • Retrieves medical records promptly upon request by authorized individuals responsible for completion.
  • Identifies late, inaccurate and incomplete documentation and reports to individuals responsible for completion.
  • Mails forms to physicians for completion, to the extent legally permitted.
  • Maintains a discharge analysis and disease index as required.
  • Answers correspondence regarding release of information from medical records.
  • Prepares and sends long-term care insurance questions as assigned.
  • Prepares records in answer to subpoenas.
  • Verifies diagnoses with Director of Nursing and records on admission.
  • Audits transfer/discharge information for accuracy and completeness.
  • Receives and files all diagnostic reports promptly and accurately.
  • Assists with receptionist duties including:
    • Answering telephone calls
    • Maintaining/coping forms
    • Census
  • Maintains medical records system that meets Title 22 regulations.
  • Performs all duties assigned in an effective, timely and professional manner.

Upholding Company Standards:

Consistent commitment to:

• Establish and maintain effective team relationships with fellow staff; apply effective communication and listening skills.
• Manage with and demonstrate professionalism and compassion with all residents, colleagues, clients, vendors, and members of the public.
• Support staff in creating a caring environment that meets the needs of individuals and members of a shared community.
• Adhere to all company policies, procedures, safety, and compliance practices, and business ethics codes.

JOB REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, a person must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Years of Related Professional Experience:

• 1 year of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.

Educational/Position Requirements:

• High School Diploma or General Education (GED)

Computer/Software/Technical Applications:

• Ability to use a computer
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite
• Ability to input and retrieve data
• Ability to use electronic health record system

Languages:

• Ability to read, speak, and comprehend English, the primary language used in the workplace; ability to speak and/or comprehend other languages utilized by clients is a plus.

Required Licenses/ Certifications/ Background:

• N/A

Travel Required:

• N/A

Skills:

• Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking — Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Customer Service — Manages difficult or emotional situations involving residents, resident families, and/or staff; responds promptly to needs of residents, resident families, and/or staff; responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Professionalism — Presents self in a highly professional manner to others and communicate with co-workers and other departments with professionalism and respect. Maintains a professional relationship with all coworkers, vendor representatives, supervisors, managers, residents, and resident families.
• Quality Management — Looks for ways to improve and promote quality.
• Safety and Security — Observes and ensures staff compliance with safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly.
• Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Cultural Awareness - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Organizational Support — Follows policies and procedures; supports organization's goals and values.
• Auditing — Conduct a systematic review of records and services
• Accounting — Record and manage financial transactions.
• Organizational — Management of time and use physical and mental organization to strategically and methodically accomplish goals.

Abilities:

• Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Learning — Willingness to be open to learning and growing.
• Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Ethics — Treats people with respect; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Positivity — Ability to maintain a positive attitude.
• Presentability — Maintains high standards for work areas and appearance. Upholds dress code requirements.
• Quality — Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance.
• Attendance/Punctuality — Consistently at work and on time.
• Dependability — Follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments.
• Compassionate — Feeling or showing empathy and concern for others.
• Persuasion — The ability to work with others to change their minds or behavior.
• Negotiation —The ability to bring others together and try to reconcile differences.
• Empathy — the ability to understand and share feelings of another.
• Discretion — behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
• Judgment — Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Initiative — Volunteers readily; undertakes self-development activities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; asks for and offers help when needed.
• Adaptability — Adapts to changes in the work environment.
• Detail Orientation — Able to concentrate on the details of a project, assignment or task at hand. Often times, this means spotting errors or inconsistencies, such as grammatical mistakes, numerical issues, or the removal of unnecessary information.
• Multitasking — the performance of more than one task at the same time and ability to prioritize task completion accordingly.
• Relaxed presence — Remains calm under pressure and in stressful situations.
• Work Independently — Able to work by yourself with minimal direction and supervision.

Reporting Relationships:

• Number of Direct Reports (if applicable): 0

Work Environment:

• Generally in an indoor setting.
• Supervise activities and events outdoors. May be exposed to heat/cold during support of outside activities.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to:

• Stand on your feet throughout work period. Significant walking or other means of mobility.
• Possess multi-limb and eye-hand coordination.
• Able to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, and frequently lift/move up to 50 pounds.
• Utilize specific vision abilities for viewing work related processes and materials handling.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Able to sit at a desk, working on computers and operating phones.