Lead Medical Receptionist in La Mesa, California at Acuity Eye Group

The Lead Front Office Associate (LFOA) oversees a team of front office personnel in a single office location. The LFOA participates in the hiring and training of front office personnel. The LFOA will develop their team through effective leadership, coaching, and mentoring. They are responsible for managing the scheduling of the office personnel ensuring the office is appropriately staffed and trained, while simultaneously remaining fiscally responsible. Must support the policies and goals of Acuity and thus participate in the growth and future of the company.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily with or without accommodation. The requirements listed below are representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• Supports Office Manager and performs management duties when manager is absent or out of office.
• Provide effective leadership, coaching and mentoring in an effort to identify and implements opportunities for improvement.
• Act as the lead contact for clinicians for assigned office and owns patient and operational flow of the clinic.
• Provides quality customer service, including interacting with patients, answering patients’ inquiries, and effectively handling patients’ complaints.
• Participates in Human Resources related functions, such as Interviewing, Identifying, Selecting and Developing talent, Performance Appraisals (30, 60, 90 day, annual).
• Manage a team of Front Office employees; act as mentor, support, and assist in the development and training of staff; motivates team members on a daily basis.
• Monitor performance and ensure optimal staffing levels by ensuring breaks, and lunches are taken on time; limits the amount of overtime in the clinics and ensures daily clinic set up and verifies team member attendance.
• Determine and maintain efficient staffing levels by training, developing, coaching, counseling, supervising, evaluating, and delegating tasks as needed.
• Conducts morning huddles to update members on best practices and continuing expectations.
• Assists with training and onboarding new staff.
• Ensures appointment confirmations are completed the 24-48 hours prior to patient appointment.
• Provides encouragement to experienced team members, including communicating team goals and identifying areas for new training or skill checks.
• Ensures patient information is updated appropriately in Care Cloud/EMR system, and all services are authorized for that day of service; verifies Front Desk has completed daily charges.
• May make bank deposits by the end of the week.
• Responsible for ordering and maintaining an adequate level of front office supplies.
• Maintains a clean, neat, and pleasant environment for patients.
• Maintains strict compliance with State, Federal and other regulations (e.g., OSHA, WC, HIPAA, ADA, FEHA, DOL, HR policies and practices).
• Actively shares ideas in a constructive and positive manner by listening to and objectively considering ideas and suggestions from others.
• Provides feedback regarding specific tactics that change outcomes (including, but not limited to, those of a financial nature, or those that are patient-focused) so the rest of the organization can benefit.
• Performs office audits as assigned and reports findings.
• Maintains an appropriate professional appearance and demeanor in accordance with Company policies.
• Understands back-up protocol for processing patients in the event of system outages.
• Ensure all check lists, procedure logs, charge outs, and medical logs are performed daily.
• Maintain a clean, sterile, and cheerful environment where your patients feel comfortable; prepare patients for treatment and assist the doctors - thereby enabling them to provide efficient, quality treatment.
• Responsible in obtaining consents from the patients; ensure that patients read and sign the consents.
• Obtain and review medical history and/or records from patient. Ensure that the health history is updated for all returning patients.
• May escort patients to/from the front desk to the lane and introduce them to the Doctor.
• Provides written instructions and/or patient education materials for the patient to review at home; ensure patient understands all instructions.
• Files charts, demographic forms, HIPAA Acknowledgement forms, insurance cards, etc. and ensure that they are accurately and completely uploaded into Care Cloud/EMR System.
• Receives supply deliveries and rerouting them to appropriate staff.
• Maintains clean and orderly waiting area including reading material / television.
• In some clinics, may be required to drive patients in a company-provided vehicle.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES:

REQUIRED: High School education, GED or equivalent. 3 or more years of experience as a Front Office Associate in the Ophthalmic industry.

DESIRABLE: Associates or Bachelor’s Degree. Knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Care Cloud applications. Experience leading a team, mentoring and coaching subordinates.

CERTIFICATES/LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS:

• Valid Driver’s License (if required for assigned clinic)

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES/TALENTS:

• Must have thorough working knowledge of front office procedures and roles.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Computer skills and knowledge of office software packages
• Knowledge of HIPAA and California labor laws.
• Ability to communicate professionally with clinicians, techs, allied health staff, administrative staff, frontline staff, contractors, governmental agencies, insurance payers, patients, family members of patients, suppliers, and the general public, of all age levels from child to senior citizen.
• Results Oriented (Energetic self-starter; sets realistic goals; meets commitments; persistent, prioritizes daily to achieve results).
• Effective Team Builder (Character/Integrity; communicates openly; willingness to confront; motivator/inspirer; educator/trainer, promotes learning; effective assessor of talent; consistent)
• Customer Service Advocate (flexible and adaptive; empathetic; passionate; ethical).
• Process Focused Operator (data driven decision-maker; detailed; organized and structured; comprehensive knowledge of all operational processes; computer proficient).
• Financial Acumen (understands profit drivers; utilizes metrics to manage; builds the financial understanding of staff and clinicians; understands local market drivers and competition.
• Influencer (active listener/observer of behavior; builds trust with those requiring coaching; creates a win/win need for change; tailors coaching style to the individual’s needs; recognizes and celebrates improvement to sustain change).
• Ability to respond to common inquiries from customers, staff, vendors, or other members of the community.
• Ability to draw valid conclusions, apply sound judgment in making decisions, and to make decisions under pressure.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures.
• Must address others professionally and respectfully by actions, words and deeds.
• Detail oriented, organized, process focused, problem solver, self motivated proactive, customer service focused.
• Displays independent judgment by willingness to make timely and accurate decisions based on available information that is sometimes vague or limited in nature.
• Ability to multitask effectively and work in a fast paced and sometimes ambiguous environment, without compromising quality of work.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and projects with limited direction, while understanding and contributing to the success of the clinic.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• This is primarily an office classification. Temperature conditions are controlled with limited direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
• Ability to travel to multiple office locations.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, see, talk and hear. The employee will frequently lift and/or carry reports, records and other materials that typically weigh less than 20 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, bend, or crouch.
• Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, calculator, and other standard office equipment.

All of the information contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this classification, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the duties and/or work assignments of all positions, without advanced notice, and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing described job responsibilities, employee shall not engage in activities that constitute the practice of ophthalmology as prohibited under applicable law. Employee shall neither exercise control over nor interfere with the clinician-patient relationship. Clinicians shall have sole responsibility for all professional services provided to patients.