Job responsibilities
Role Summary and responsibilities
- Work as a member of the Practice team.
- Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective manner.
- Provide assistance to the practice team and project a positive friendly and professional image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
The best Medical Administrator is consistently:
- Relaxed, yet efficient
- Friendly, but not too talkative
- Fast but accurate
- Sensitive to both the mood of the patients and of the doctors
- Able to prioritise
- Aware of when to be the patients, rather than the doctors, advocate
- NEVER breaks confidentiality
- Never gossips in general earshot
- Never leave reception area in a mess
- Never loses their temper in public
Front of house staff should remember that every waiting patient watches and hears.
A skilled medical administrator t will deliver patients to the doctor with minimum stress, whilst an unskilled receptionist will irritate BOTH GPs and patients.
General Front Desk Duties
Opening Procedures
Unlock Practice Main Door, deactivate security alarm system.
Switch on Reception Computers and log into the Clinical System using personal ID and password.
Log in and check the Practice generic email account.
Activate the self check in screen.
Check Tasks on Emis, and make sure all messages from the previous day have been seen.
07.30 - 08:00 Open doors to enable patient access.
Closing Procedures
18:30-19.00 - return telephones to the Out Of Hours provider.
Check all TASKS have been dealt with.
Clear all rooms ensuring all windows are closed and computers and lights and music system are switched off.
Switch off the check in screen
Ensure no personnel are left in the building before you set the security alarm system. Lock the Practice main door when leaving.
Front Desk & General Duties
1. Make all patients and visitors feel welcome and at ease always be pleasant and helpful.
2. Greet all patients courteously and direct them to self check in screen, help those patients who may need assistance.
3. Direct patients and if necessary personally escort them to the healthcare professional with whom they have an appointment.
4. Answer the telephone courteously and respond to all telephone inquiries, redirecting where necessary.
5. Check all prescriptions have been signed and file for collection in alphabetical order.
6. Give out prescriptions and correspondence filed in the filing cabinet to patients after they have confirmed name and address.
7. Collect certain fees from patients as and when required, enter details on practice receipt and present patient with a copy.
8. Register new patients with reference to eligibility requirements defined in Practice Policy and Procedure, give out appropriate forms, assist with completing, check for correct information, make copies of proof of identity, enter registration details on the practice computer systems database and book patient appointment with Health Care Assistant for a New Patient Health Check.
9. Make new and follow-up appointments for patients over the telephone as per practice protocol. Speak slowly and distinctly, if necessary ask the person to spell their name, confirm the booking by repeating the Clinicians name and the time and day of the appointment.
10. Record requests for home visits in appropriate Duty Dr Appointment slots on Emis
11. Record appointment requests for non urgent telephone consultations with Dr.
12. Patient contact numbers, to check on EACH patient contact that we hold their current contact telephone numbers including mobile number. Update patient record on the Emis patient record.
13. To be responsible for the stocking levels of consumables and request replacements in a timely manner via the practice purchasing system in order to maintain efficiency.
14. To be responsible for the efficient day-to-day running of the premises. This will include disposal of waste, collection of specimens, and delivery of mail/fax/e-mail and care and maintenance of patient waiting rooms and toilet facilities.
15. To ensure confidentiality on all matters relating to patients and information obtained during the course of employment and not to release such information to anybody else other than acting in an official capacity.
16. To be responsible for maintaining petty cash and postage systems according to practice policy.
17. Be proficient in use of Windows Office Software and to maintain a working knowledge of the practices computer systems, including entering and retrieving patient data.
18. Participate in any required training as part of your self-development plan.
19. The Practice is paper light which means that it is very important that information recorded on the Practice Database is always accurate, please pay attention to detail to ensure phone numbers, names and addresses are recoded correctly.
Clerical Duties
1. Prescription Requests must be in writing from the patient either by letter, fax or e-mail, date stamp and prepare computerised repeat prescriptions following practice protocol and set out for verification and signature of doctor.
2. Review uncollected scripts and forms/letters awaiting collection after a specified time seek confirmation re disposal from practice Manager.
3. Regularly confirm patient address and contact details against those held on the Practice database and update accordingly.
4. Photocopy patient record notes as required
5. Retrieve and file patient records when required, ensure the medical records cabinet contents are kept tidy and in alphabetical order at all times.
6. Open mail, and pass to scanning as soon as possible.
7. Assist with production of general letters and reports, medical insurance reports, letters and referrals for professional staff as and when this is required.
8. Send and receive faxes and circulate to designated personnel.
9. Ensure plentiful supplies of patient forms and information leaflets are available at all times.
10. Open Work Flow and reconcile unmatched pathology items, ensure all mail is allocated to Dr on weeks rota. Process Drs action on patient path results like make appointment etc.
11. Open DOCMAN and follow the Dr Instructions for ACTION, make appointment etc.
12. Registration Link, monitor daily the response file sent from the PCSS of registration errors and correct accordingly.
13. Registration Link Deductions, produce report and pass to PM for authorisation, once authorised pull patient records and print Patient FULL REPORT. Report and notes are placed in the PCSS Blue Bag (Tuesdays).
14. Undertake clerical duties, specified at the time, concerning data input into the practice system. Enter and maintain Patient and Practice details on the Practice Database in line with Practice policies and procedures.
Administration Duties1. To be responsible for the scanning of clinical correspondence onto our clinical system, Emis.
It is vital that checks are carried out before filing a letter to ensure 100% accuracy in patients medical journals.
2. To be involved in Meetings by assisting to co-ordinate and to take and write up minutes when required.
3. To be allocated Enhanced Services/QOF to Monitor and report on either quarterly or on a Monthly Basis.
4. Undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibility and scale of the post as agreed with the Practice Manager.
This job description is a reflection of the current position and may change in emphasis or detail in the light of subsequent developments, in consultation with the post holder.