Back office medical assistant job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Back office medical assistant in details. A complete job description concludes Back office medical assistant key duties/responsibilities, Back office medical assistant job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Back office medical assistant duties:

1. Responsible for maintaining a clean, functional environment through regular cleaning of equipment, exam rooms and storage areas.
2. Utilizes back office equipment such as but not limited to bladder scanner, flow rate machine, urine dip reader, ultrasound/biopsy machine, bladder biopsy machine, autoclave, light sources, cystoscopes and biopsy gun.
3. Performs urinalysis as necessary.
4. Monitors daily schedule to facilitate a smooth patient flow.
5. Works EMR Desktop, returns phone calls, provides needed information or takes messages when appropriate.
6. Prepares necessary forms for authorizations of medications and/or x-rays.
7. Notifies manager of any difficulties with patients or equipment malfunctions.
8. If bi-lingual, required to help with translation which includes but not limited to: filling out forms, explaining tests/procedures, explaining results, scheduling appointments, and answering phone calls as needed.
9. Scan and index documents for EMR file as directed by Back Office Manager.
10. Perform other duties as required by clinic or Back Office Manager.

II. List of Back office medical assistant qualifications

1. Must have 2-3 years of previous experience as a back office medical assistant 
2. PC-based business applications software such as Microsoft Office, specifically Word and Excel.
3. Must use proper English grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation; modern business office procedures, including filing systems, business correspondence, receptionist and telephone techniques.
4. The ability to type at least 40 words per minute.
5. Excellent inter-personal, strong analytical, and problem-solving skills.
6. Must have a High School Diploma or GED.

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.