Creating Life Better Here starts with you. At San Juan Regional Medical Center, we're more than a healthcare provider—we're a values-driven organization dedicated to delivering exceptional care. As a team member, you help fulfill our mission to make life better here for our community.

The Central Processor is responsible for the coordination of all clinical laboratory pre-analytical services. This includes knowledge and competency in the following operation processes: Test requests (i.e., requirements for filling out test request forms, authorization to accept verbal orders, etc.), Specimen collection, Specimen Transport, Specimen Receipt/Processing and Reference Laboratory Testing. The knowledge of the aforementioned items and thoughtful anticipation of the lab’s needs regarding test requirements allows the Central Processor to better serve not only the patient but their co-workers as well. To help with team accountability the central processor is a communication link with all laboratory employees, hospital personnel, and other customers/clients.

Required Behaviors:

• As you go about fulfilling this mission, your work habits and work relationships should embody SJRMC's values.  These values are our culture, our identity as an organization.  Sacred Trust, Personal Reverence, Thoughtful Anticipation, Team Accountability and Creative Vitality ask more of us than merely completing some list of tasks.  Our values ask for a deeper level of commitment, and what is asked of us we freely give because we believe in our mission.

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Minimum of six (6) months’ work experience in a medical laboratory

Preferred Qualifications:

• Phlebotomy certification or adequate years of experience in phlebotomy/Order/Entry
• Knowledge of computer keyboarding
• Certification and training for transport with appropriate safety and packaging procedures suitable to specimen type and distance transported
• A knowledge of infectious material management
• “Training/Certification” must be completed within six (6) months of hiring if not already certified
• US International Air Transport Association (IATA) requires recertification training every two (2) years
• Working knowledge of laboratory and specimen processing
• Good problem-solving skills.
• Articulate; good communication skills

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The central processor is expected to order, receive, and distribute laboratory specimens to the various laboratory departments and reference laboratories
• Duties include ordering, canceling, and un-cancelling of patient orders
• Provides communication link from the hospital personnel and technologists, section supervisors and/or laboratory director
• Maintains certification and skills for direct patient care. This also includes annual CEUs, safety and laboratory competency requirements.
• Responsible for entering and monitoring all send-out specimens into Cerner in a timely and accurate manner
• Responsible for submitting billing non-interfaced testing. Billing includes having the proper CPT codes as well as current pricing.
• Responsible for maintaining laboratory error log in coordination with the Central Coordinator
• Security access to LIS to complete required duties only
• Understands the Medicare medical necessity procedure for collection of specimens and handling of Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN)
• Authorized to accept and document verbal phone orders
• Knowledge of laboratory testing and computer skills
• Understands guidelines for emergency testing: Priority for patient specimen handling
• Knowledge of computer downtime procedures
• Competent with specimen identification standards according to CLSI/CMS/CAP
• Competent with protocol for minimization of large draw volumes
• Knowledge of the proper preservation, transport media, proper packaging, shipping, and handling, and the importance of prompt delivery of laboratory specimens
• Has knowledge of storage requirements for specimen integrity
• Has authority to access hospital information system to view confidential medical records in accordance with the HIPAA regulations
• Orders, distributes, and stocks laboratory supplies

Collects and processes specimens in a manner that optimizes final test results. This includes:

• Patient preparation
• Verification of patient identification
• Application of patient identification system
• Instructions for blood and non-blood collections, including drug screen collections
• Competent skills in the collection of venous and capillary punctures on hospital patients, outpatients, and nursing home patients
• Special handling requests
• Timed specimen collections

Knowledge and competency in requirements for a test request. These include:

• Instructions for completion of test request forms.
• Instructions for clinical information.
• Instructions for specimen source.
• Instructions for diagnosis.

Is fully competent with specimen receipt and processing. This includes:

• Specimen accompanied by request
• Receipt date/time documented
• Specimen condition
• Unacceptable specimen rejection and notification
• Suboptimal material handling
• Unacceptable specimen disposition
• Cerner accessioning system, continued specimen identification, security, and integrity. Patient Identification (two patient identifiers)

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Make sure that scheduling needs are communicated to the section supervisor or laboratory director and work with other processors for coverage
• Participate in laboratory meetings
• Demonstrates teamwork by example in day-to-day coordination of duties with other staff, by accepting equitable amount of callback, weekend, and holiday work assignments. Scheduling conflicts are virtually always resolved through cooperative discussions with fellow staff members.
• Successful performance will be monitored by specimens per year lost for testing due to unsatisfactory identification, improper collection, storage, or technique
• Employees are held accountable for all duties of this job
• Each employee is responsible for implementing SJRMC’s Service Standards into their daily work.

                                                   Safety, Courtesy, Effectiveness, and Stewardship

• Other duties as assigned

Physical Demands and Environmental Work Conditions:

• Physical working environment may include, but not limited to, any of the following hazards: chemical, electrical, mechanical, biohazard waste, explosive, radiation, etc.
• Environmental conditions may include, but not limited to, variations in temperature, noise, odors, etc.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to constantly stand and walk
• The employee frequently is required to stoop, crouch and twist
• The employee is occasionally required to kneel, squat, and sit
• Functional physical demands include manual dexterity, fine motor skills and reaching
• The following senses will be needed for essential duties of the job: speech, vision, hearing, smell, and touch.