The Medical Assistant provides clinical and administrative support to the nursing and medical teams in caring for individuals receiving treatment for substance use disorders. Working under the direction of licensed nursing staff and providers, the Medical Assistant assists with resident admissions, vital signs, medication support within the scope of practice, specimen collection, documentation, appointment coordination, and monitoring of residents throughout their treatment. The Medical Assistant plays an important role in promoting a safe, therapeutic environment while supporting quality care, continuity of services, and compliance with facility policies and regulatory standards.

Essential Duties:

• Assist licensed nurses and medical providers with resident admissions, medical intakes, and ongoing clinical care.
• Obtain and accurately document vital signs, height, weight, and other clinical information.
• Observe residents for changes in condition and promptly report concerns to the licensed nurse or provider.
• Assist with medication administration and medication observation as permitted by state regulations and facility policies.
• Prepare examination rooms and treatment areas, ensuring equipment and supplies are stocked and readily available.
• Collect and process laboratory specimens and perform point-of-care testing as directed.
• Schedule medical appointments, coordinate outside referrals, and assist with continuity of care.
• Accurately document resident interactions, treatments, and clinical information in the electronic medical record.
• Assist with obtaining and maintaining required medical documentation, including immunization records, TB testing, laboratory results, and other health records.
• Provide residents with education and reinforcement of treatment plans, wellness practices, medication instructions, and harm reduction strategies as directed by licensed staff.
• Support infection prevention and control practices by maintaining clean and organized clinical areas.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and all applicable federal and state regulations.
• Collaborate effectively with nurses, providers, counselors, case managers, and other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Participate in emergency response procedures and resident safety initiatives within the Medical Assistant scope of practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support resident care and facility operations.

Requirements

Education and/or Licensure – Must be a Registered Medical Assistant licensed in Texas.

Experience – At least one year of professional medical assistant experience, preferably in a detox unit and/or inpatient, partial hospitalization and/or outpatient setting preferred.

Additional Requirements – Must obtain and maintain approved CPR certification, de-escalation training, and ASAM training.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

·         Detoxification proficiency: identify signs of withdrawal; understand observation and monitoring procedures; understand pregnancy related complications; execute the transfer process including understanding potential complications; execute appropriate interventions; and understand frequently used medications, including their purpose, precautions, and side effects.

·         Have the training, knowledge, and/or experience demonstrating competence in the treatment of the disease of addiction, including the management of withdrawal, client evaluation, motivational counseling techniques, and the taking and recording of vital signs.

·         Can work independently while being a team player.

·         Possess the skills to network with all resources to provide the best customer service with clients or family members seeking help.

·         The ability to ensure a safe and clean working environment complying with OSHA and Plum Creek Recovery Ranch standards.

·         Excellent customer service skills to handle continuous customer contact with the public, including citizens who may be ill or injured, upset, and/or distraught, requiring the utmost patience, tact, and discretion.   

·         Ability to exercise sound judgment and good problem-solving skills in pressure situations.   

·         Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with co-workers and the public.

·         Administers medications and monitoring. Takes verbal orders from the Nurse Manager, documents them in the patient record and carries them out accurately and professionally. 

·         Good vision to read documents and view information output from medical equipment.

·         Must have basic PC skills that include a combination of working in a Windows Operating System and Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.

·         Understands the importance of maintaining confidentiality; able to maintain confidentiality under HIPAA standards.

·         Must have the ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy and tact; excellent customer services and interpersonal communication skills; Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work with diverse people groups.

·         Well-developed verbal and written communication skills in English; Additional language abilities desirable. Ability to work well under pressure with minimal supervision.

·         Ability to effectively interact with persons of widely diverse roles, backgrounds, cultures, and socio-economic classes, those in crises or resistant or negative toward organization

·         Ability to apply time management practices to prioritize, schedule and complete work effectively to comply with mandated policies and deadlines.

·         Maintains a cooperative and positive attitude and approach with patients, family members, staff and visitors.

·         Ability to successfully manage conflict, negotiating “win-win” solutions.

·         Must be able to multi-task, prioritize with strong time management skills.

·         Exceptional follow through on tasks and assignments

Physical Requirements/Environmental Conditions

Perform the following with or without reasonable accommodations:

·         Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and/or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips. 

·         Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey detail or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly.

·         Hearing to perceive the nature of sound with no less than 40 db loss @ Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information orally and make fine discriminations in sound. 

·         Perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers. Individual must be able to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and to be able to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. 

·         Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks, as well as inspect and analyze.

·         Must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation, and foot traffic; ability to handle interruptions often and be able to move from one task to another

·         While worker may possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside.