Medical Receptionist

Position summary

This position requires the incumbent to assist the medical clinic team to ensure all patient, carer, visitor and health professional contact within the practice is carried out in a professional and safe manner, ensuring patient confidentiality at all times.

Selection criteria

Essential:

• Proven ability to apply high ethical standards, and represent MTHCS in a professional manner.
• Ability to protect patient confidentiality and privacy.
• Sound communication skills with the capacity to communicate effectively with the Practice Manager, GPs, practice staff, patients and other health care professionals.
• Excellent telephone manner.
• Ability to work within a team and independently.
• Ability to prioritise and organise workflow effectively.
• Excellent computer skills.
• Current Victorian Driver’s Licence.
• Current Police Check.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the health care system including Medicare Australia.
• Passion to work in a varied environment.
• Knowledge of medical software (e.g. Best Practice, RH healthcare).
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

Key behaviours

• Abiding by the Organisation’s Code of Conduct.
• Efficient and effective telephone and communication skills.
• Efficient and effective word-processing and photocopying.
• Efficient and effective completion of task allocated.
• Efficient and effective document and data control and filing processes.
• Efficient and effective cleaning practices.
• Fulfils duty of care, including ethical practices.
• Demonstrates a positive attitude to the agreed role and responsibilities of the position.
• Works as a multi-disciplinary team member.
• Other duties as directed.

Key responsibilities

All service providers shall understand and practice the MTHCS’ Vision Mission, and Philosophy.

Organisational:

• MTHCS has a responsibility to maintain current policy; it is the responsibility of all staff to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and MTHCS policies and procedures.
• Support systems that provide safe, high quality care that increases patient experience and patient centred care.
• To comply with MTHCS Code of Conduct.
• To ensure that MTHCS Infection Control guidelines are fully implemented.
• Demonstrate awareness and understanding of diversity and culture.

Prior to Opening the Practice:

• Prepare the waiting room – ensure it is clean and tidy, turn on lights, heaters, air conditioner, television / radio, open windows and blinds (blinds to be opened so that patients cannot be seen from outside), tidy magazines / pamphlets, and check posters are in date.
• Fill fax, photocopier and printers with paper first thing every morning; check supplies at lunchtime.
• Turn off the answering machine and ensure phones have switched from night switch.
• Open the front doors at 8.30 am.
• Print off sufficient copies of current patient information for the front desk.

General:

• All telephone and face to face contact with patients must be conducted in a professional, friendly and helpful manner.
• Assist patients as necessary i.e. patients with walking frames, wheelchairs and prams.
• Enter or update details in the database i.e.:
  • Current address.
  • Phone number.
  • Emergency contact details.
  • Billing status i.e. bulk bill, private, workers compensation etc.
  • Expiry date of health care and Medicare cards.
  • Ask if patient would like to be identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
• Relay messages in an efficient and effective manner – use a duplicate message pad for all messages and follow up as required.
• Ensure work area is clean and tidy.
• Check tidiness of reception area and waiting room throughout the day.  Ensure there are no tripping hazards.
• Monitor office and kitchen supplies.  Prepare orders and replace stock as required.
• Work cooperatively with GPs, practice staff and stakeholders in a team approach.
• Participate in practice meetings, staff training and development programs and performance reviews.
• Report equipment failures, maintenance requirements and issues relating to OH&S (as per policies and procedures).
• Notify Practice Manager of any complaints or concerns from practice staff, patients and other stakeholders.
• Shred old faxes and correspondence after they have been scanned into patient files.  Attend to shredding at the end of the day or as required to maintain confidentiality.
• Maintain Pharmacy Rep Diary.
• Prepare appointment diary for at least 6 months in advance recording public holidays, GP leave, and time blocks.
• Check for faxes on a regular basis and distribute as necessary.
• Check local newspaper daily for deceased patients – record on patients file as per the practice policy.

Other Duties:

Mail:

• Collect mail from MTHCS Administration, open (except those marked private & confidential), stamp and sort incoming mail, distribute as appropriate to GPs, Practice Manager etc.
• Prepare and log outgoing mail, take to MTHCS Administration before 1.30 pm daily.
• File and/or scan correspondence once it has been initialled by the GP.

Banking:

• Follow practice banking procedure.

Billing:

• Prepare Medicare Claims for clients if applicable and receipt / tax invoice for private patients consultations / home visits.
• Receipt EFT and other payments as necessary.
• Batch Medicare claim forms daily.
• Prepare, check and post end of month statements for private patients, workers compensation, MAIB and insurance medicals.

Patient Files:

• Maintain accuracy and currency of all patient files. 
• Replace torn and dirty files.
• Keep correspondence files tidy.  Record and archive patient files as per procedural requirements.
• Follow practice policy for receiving a new patient’s health record (transfer from another practice).
• Follow practice policy for transferring a patient’s health record to another practice.
• Type all insurance and specialist referral letters.

End of Day Duties:

• Ensure all patients have been billed.
• Make a copy of next day diary in case of power failure.
• Process, print and check end of day reports.
• Check end of day list to ensure all tasks for the day have been completed.

Professional:

All service providers shall be expected to demonstrate professional responsibility in maintaining knowledge and skills in their area of employment.

All staff are expected, as part of their role in providing a safe environment for both customers and service providers, to attend specific mandatory training appropriate to their position e.g. food handling, Basic Life Support, First Aid and emergency procedures.

All staff shall be expected to maintain strict confidentiality in relation to all matters pertaining to MTHCS and MTMC activities. Staff must strictly abide by the National Privacy Principles and the MTMC Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.  Failure to observe this requirement may be regarded as misconduct warranting termination and incur liability to penalty pursuant to the Health Services Act 1988.

• Other duties as directed.

Management:

The Medical Receptionist will practice with and under the direction of the Practice Manager.

Professional Development

Opportunities are made available for continuing education and skill development is actively encouraged and enabled.

Interpersonal Skills:

• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to gain co-operation and assistance from customers and other staff.
• Ability to identify, discuss and resolve problems.
• High level of overall personal presentation.

Employment with MTHCS

Child Safe Organisation

Mallee Track Health and Community Service is committed to preventing child abuse, identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks.

Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental

All MTHCS employees will:

• Ensure that they take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety, and the health and safety of others.
• Use any equipment provided for health and safety purposes.
• Obey reasonable instructions given by MTHCS in relation to health and safety at work.
• Help MTHCS meet our duty of care, such as by undertaking hazard inspections.
• Comply with all MTHCS OHS policies and procedures.
• Ensure they do not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and safety.

Section 21 of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004, requires an Employer to provide and maintain, so far as is reasonable and practicable, a safe workplace for all employees and ensure that no employee is placed at risk of injury while performing the duties and responsibilities required by their position.

To comply with this obligation, MTHCS requires all candidates/employees to have the mental and physical capacity to safely perform the inherent requirements of the position they are applying for (or have been appointed to).

If a risk is identified and fitness to safely perform the duties of the position needs to be determined, MTHCS with the agreement of the candidate/employee, will arrange an independent medical assessment to determine capacity to safely perform the inherent requirements of the position to minimise the risk of injury or aggravation of any pre-existing condition the candidate/employee may have.

Compulsory Training

As per the schedule.

Performance Appraisal

Conducted as per appraisal schedule.

How to apply

Your application must clearly state the position title specified on the advertisement and include:

• A statement addressing each Key Selection Criteria clearly demonstrating your ability to meet the objectives of the role. Note: Read the Position Description (PD) carefully so you have a good understanding of what is required and remember to address what knowledge, skills and attributes you have.
• General resume.
• Copies of any formal qualifications. Note: hard copies of your qualifications will need to be produced at interview.

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a Police Record Check and also a Working With Children Check for nominated positions.

To apply please forward current resume with covering letter addressing the key selection criteria to:

People and Culture
PO Box 130, Ouyen VIC 3490

Or alternatively an application can be emailed to careers@mthcs.vic.gov.au

Applications received earlier than the closing date may be assessed, interviewed and offered employment prior to the closing date.

Closing date: Friday, 6 Dec 2024, 5:00 pm