Secretary, PACU, Per Diem

Exemption Status:

Hiring Range:

Please note that the final offer may vary within this range based on a candidate's experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

Schedule Details:

Scheduled Hours:

Shift:

Hours:

Cost Center:

This position may have a signing bonus available a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver - regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

I. Major Responsibilities:

1. May call patients for the next day's surgeries. Coordinates patient schedules with the O.R., Front Desk and/or Booking Office. May prepare patient charts, verifies information, and assembles records from Admitting and Pre-Admission Testing. May Prepare O.R. Pre-op paperwork, checklists, and validate patient documentation, bringing discrepancies to the attention of the nurse.
2. At the RN's request, inquires with patients about needs for ancillary services including Financial Counseling, Social Services/ Case Manager. Arranges for ancillary services including Interpreter Services as needed.
3. Coordinates patient flow with the OR and procedural areas. Collaborates with the Resource Nurse to place patients according to needs including lines, vents and precautions. Arranges a variety of diagnostic tests and procedures with Labs and Radiology according to established guidelines. Prioritizes appointments in a manner that fosters optimum patient care, efficient utilization of physician's services, as well as equipment and facilities.
4. Constantly maintains the Communication Board with patient name, nurse assigned, physician name and patient destination and bed status. Upon arrival records patient into log book and brings patient OR / procedural records to patient's bedside. Reports patient's needs to the Resource Nurse.
5. Handles urgent patient care calls according to department protocol. May answer patient call lights and assists patient by calling nurse to bedside with the needs of the patient or alerts nurse in case of emergency. May alert providers to emergent patient care symptoms and concerns. Connects the patient's call to the provider or responds to the patient and takes messages as directed. Contacts the Anesthesia Department to notify Anesthesiologist on Duty of all emergency alerts, bedside needs and patient codes.
6. Keeps in constant communication with advocate; in regards to patient status. Communicates with patient family members and retrieves family from waiting room as needed by RN. Communicates with physicians' offices to update physicians on patient's status.
7. Maintains accurate and timely records, logs, charges, files, and other related information as required.
8. Schedules consults for Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy and Dietary for special needs. Notifies Case Management to arrange for Nursing Home Placement or Visiting Nurse needs. Places orders with Respiratory Therapy, Radiology and Labs as needed and Scans orders to Pharmacy. Arrangements for patient transport and/or Ambulance discharge as needed.
9. Checks the patient orders to facilitate bed needs such as ICU, specific floor, telemetry, sleep apnea monitoring, and/or private room for infection needs. Also reviews orders for discharge home or skilled nursing. Keeps in contact with Bed Control for scheduled rooms and status, i.e. stat cleans. Keeps in contact with the Environmental Building Services Dept (EBS) for room turnover and sanitation needs including bed cleaning upon discharge, trash, linen and sharps container pick up. May order supplies as needed, through general stores, linens and equipment for unit.
10. Calculates and determines the number of treatment units needed for billing and then bills accordingly for each patient daily. Reviews and audits billing discrepancy reports and researches errors for resolution as directed by office or clinical management. Inputs charges on all patients.
11. Orders all unit clerical supplies and forms needed. Checks inventory and stocks all forms and supplies daily. Orders and replaces toners and drums and takes care of maintenance of all printers and scanners in unit on a daily basis as needed including scheduling service.
12. Makes admission packets for new patient admissions.
13. Faxes any records to requesting departments as needed.
14. Records weekly and monthly, patient census, and distributes to appropriate departments.
15. May make out call sheets and set up call coverage on a weekly basis for RNs for unit by assigning beepers and notifying the hospital operator and the Operating Room.
16. Retrieves Operating Room schedule for the next day and prepares the log book sheets and the resource sheets for the following day.
17. Performs a variety of related administrative and clerical duties, such as retrieving files and other records, faxing, collating, data entry, and relaying messages to physicians, residents and staff. May prepare special reports or spreadsheets as requested.
18. May take on all secretarial responsibilities of pre-op or post-op when needed.

II. Position Qualifications:

License/Certification/Education:

Required:
1. High School Diploma

Preferred:

Experience/Skills:

Required:
1. 3+ years of related experience is required.
2. Requires the ability to use specialized applications software and computer systems.
3. Necessitates individuals who are multifunctional and able to work under stressful situations.
4. Exemplifies, professional behavior and excellent communication and human relations skills.
5. Must have proven work experience in coordinating patient flow.
Preferred:
1. Knowledge of business office procedures and medical terminology/procedures preferred.
2. Familiarity with perioperative services is preferred.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

We're striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health - for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.