Medical Secretary (FGP) *Bilingual Polish or Spanish Highly Preferred – Greenpoint, Brookl

Job Responsibilities:

• Schedules appointments for visits, treatments, and procedures
• Reviews appointment confirmation responses and manages waitlists
• Communicates to patients on upcoming scheduled visits, including instructions, preparation, and forms
• Obtains authorizations for services as needed
• Answers calls and takes messages.  Addresses questions or routes messages to appropriate contact in a clear and timely manner
• Handles faxes and mail
• Prepares standard letters and forms as needed
• Performs other duties as needed

Administrative Physician and Practice Support:

• Demonstrates knowledge of the organization’s patient experience expectations and Service Standards and incorporates them in to the performance of duties.
• Supports patient access activities (i.e. greets patients, collects information, answers questions, requests for assistance are directed to proper individual, etc.). Answers phones and screens incoming calls. Provides information, take messages, or redirects calls to the appropriate person.
• Maintains cooperative and professional relationships with physicians, nurses, and office staff.
• Exercises skill in prioritizing assignments in order to complete work in a timely manner when there are changes in workload, assignments, pressures of deadlines, competitive requirements, and/or a heavy workload.
• Demonstrates communication skills: using appropriate vocabulary and grammar when obtaining and conveying information to patients, physicians, nurses, and staff at various levels; in person, over the phone, in writing, and in electronically sent messages.
• Participates in training staff in registration and office policies and responsibilities. May assist, provide guidance and/or train less senior staff
• Reviews all assigned in-basket messages and patient emails before routing to the appropriate provider which includes staff messages, appointment notifications, etc.
• Provides patients with non-clinical instructions for any upcoming appointments/procedures.
• Promotes the use and sign-up of MyChart
• Follows scanning guidelines and best practices for importing outside documents- results, records, forms, etc.
• Reviews the waitlist periodically and ensures patients are being called and offered appointments.
• Responsible for rescheduling patients when physicians are out or blocking their schedules.
• Organizes and distributes mail and faxes.
• Has a general knowledge of the practice/physician specialty including conditions and treatments and scheduling scripts.
• Manages the physician’s calendars including creating and sending calendar invites.  
• Releases medical records in accordance of HIPPA and FGP ROI proceudres. Documents disclosures in Epic and fulfills requests within a 10 day timeframe.
• Processes incoming and outgoing documents via paper and electronic records. Scans, uploads and forwards appropriate information within EPIC.
• Completes forms legibly and accurately. Forwards areas requiring clinical information to LPN, RN or Licensed Provider.  Secures appropriate signatures and forwards documents/forms to correct destination.
• Follows up with the physician on any outstanding messages related to patient care
• Answers patient questions to ensure understanding and patient satisfaction, or refers them to more senior level staff. Maintains confidentiality on matters to which they are privileged. Refers all questions/queries related to medical diagnosis or treatment to RN/provider.
• Refers Surgical and Infusion scheduling to Senior Medical Secretary
• Prepares routine memoranda letters, labels, routine manuscripts, correspondence and other documents as needed. Reviews work for accuracy and completeness.
• Receives prescription refill requests, locates requested prescription in EMR, and tasks RN, LPN, or Provider to evaluate, set up and/or process for renewal
• Communicates with pharmacies and patients to clarify prescription questions and/or concerns, related to patient demographic, insurance, and status information.
• Refers questions related to prescription information to RN/LPN/Provider.
• Initiates and follows-up on pre-authorizations and appeals and arranges peer-to-peer communication when required
• Responsible for Patient, Referral and Authorization work queues  
• Obtains and documents referrals received in EPIC.
• Collaborates with other NYU Langone sites to ensure seamless continuation of care.
• Remains current on latest best practices, policies and protocols (including workflow updates, FOCUS trainings, and job-related tasks)
• Maintains cleanliness of both personal and patient space, including waiting areas and restocks supplies as needed.
• Communicates with patients, providing all scheduling instructions, clarification, updates on status or changes and answering related questions for any upcoming appointments/procedures.
• Communicate with patients regarding status of referrals and/or authorization
• Assists with the completion of special projects, reports and activities.
• Ensures requested and related information is accurate and complete.
• Brings any problems or questions to supervisor attention.
• Performs other related duties as needed by providers and supervisor

Patient Experience and Access:

• Serves as NYU Langone Health Faculty Group Practice Brand Ambassador by upholding the NYULH Mission, vision and values and promoting excellence in the patient experience, during every encounter.
• Drives consistency in every patient and colleague encounter by embodying the core principles of our FGP Service Strategy CARES (Connect, Align, Respond, Ensure, and Sign-Off)
• Greets patients warmly and professionally, stating name and role, and clearly communicates each step of the care/interaction as appropriate
• Works collaboratively with colleagues and site management to ensure a positive experience and timely resolution for all patient interactions and inquiries whether in person, by phone or via electronic messaging.  
• Proactively anticipates patient needs, and participates in service recovery by applying the LEARN model (Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve, Notify), and escalates to leadership as appropriate.
• Shares ideas or any observed areas of opportunity, to improve patient experience and patient access, with appropriate leadership. (i.e. ways to optimize provider schedules, how to minimize delays, increase employee engagement, etc.)
• Partners with Patient Access Center and Central Billing Office team members to support collaboration and promote a positive patient experience.
• Takes a proactive approach in ensuring that practice staff are fully versed in the Access Agreement gold standard principles.