Office Patient Assistant

**Position Title**:Office Patient Assistant**

**Reports to (position): Dialysis Clinic Manager**

**Primary purpose of the role**:

- To provide high quality level of reception and secretarial services to the patients, and staff at the clinic in a caring and supportive manner.
- To support the nursing staff in the dialysis clinic by performing non-clinical duties relating to direct and indirect and patient care.

**Key Responsibilities**

**General Administration**
- Answer the switchboard in a courteous and professional manner.
- Liaise with patients and their families in a compassionate manner.
- Perform general clerical and administrative tasks as required i.e. filing, minute taking, agenda creation.
- Responsible for petty cash dispersal and reconciliation.
- Responsible for maintaining the levels of and ordering general office supplies.
- Provides assistance with the quality improvement program.
- Book ambulance transport for patients if required by the clinic.
- Liaise with Doctors in booking patient appointments if required by the clinic.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

**Billing Administration**
- To admit and discharge patients within a centralized billing system.
- To ensure that all necessary forms for new patients are completed and correctly loaded into the centralized billing system.
- To conduct eligibility checks on all new patients with their Private Health Fund.
- Prepare invoices and credit notes in relation to revenue generation.
- Prepare and collate all required supporting documentation required to accompany invoices.
- Undertake banking procedures for all cheque and cash payments.
- Prepare and maintain an accurate record management system of all patient records.
- Prepare and maintain reconciliation records.
- Forward ISIS data to State related Health Commission on a monthly basis.
- Forward HCP data to Private Health Funds on a monthly basis.
- Assisting other clinics entering billing as required.
- Assisting the Operations Manager in billing trouble shooting with clinics.

**Patient Service**:

- Ensures cleanliness and neatness of patient treatment area, stockroom and medical devices as per clinic procedure.
- Assists with the collection and distribution of basic food preparation and delivery of nutritional requirements to patients and visitors including ordering.
- Maintains the stock levels of all consumables within the stock room and trolley/s as required for daily operation of the clinic.
- Attends to the re-stocking of consumables in the stock room and trolley/s as required for daily operation of the clinic.
- Manages the ordering of all stock and consumables for the operation of the clinic.
- Confirms delivery of stock and cross checks inventory with documentation and forwards monthly stock take to the Purchasing Officer.
- Maintains Clinical Manager database.
- Ensures routine collection and appropriate disposal of linen, rubbish and contaminated waste.
- Stamps pathology forms with Doctor's information and place in billing area.
- Coordinates collection of blood samples by pathology lab, help spin blood before collection.
- Participates in Quality Assurance activities as required by the Dialysis Clinic Manager.
- Ensures/promotes a safe, secure and healthy working environment as detailed in the Occupational Health and Safety policy.
- Engages in internal and external in-service activities to enhance / maintain skills and knowledge.
- Assist nurses in lining machines if required by the clinic..
- Liaise with Fresenius Kabi in organising patient medication and drugs if required by the clinic.

**Competencies **(attitude, skills, typical qualifications & experience)

**Essential**:

- 3 years experience in a similar role.
- Knowledge of Infection Control / Hygiene principles and implementation of this knowledge into daily practice.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to operate within a multidisciplinary team.
- Knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety as it relates to the role within the facility.
- Demonstrated skills in food preparation and presentation.
- Basic office skills, including filing and answering telephone enquiries.
- Completion of a Patient Service Assistant Certificate or equivalent qualification.
- Computer competence in MS Office.
- Excellent Customer Service skills.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to operate within a multidisciplinary team.
- Demonstrated commitment to quality improvement initiatives.
- Team player.
- Work with confidentiality, discretion and maturity.