Job Abstract

The Ophthalmic Service Specialist I provides technical ophthalmic and administrative assistance for the USC Roski Eye Institute multi-specialty group practice. Obtains medical histories from patients with standard and rare medical disorders. Patient-care duties include recording patient ocular history, obtaining visual acuity, autorefractometry, refractometry, lensometry, tonometry, pupillary defect evaluation, confrontational field testing, extraocular muscle assessment, administration of eyedrops for pupil dilation with topical anesthesia, and assisting with minor procedures clinical trials and research exams. Assists with administrative duties including patient follow up calls, prescription refills, clinic preparation, file preparation, care coordination, appointment scheduling, submission of billing, and insurance verification. Daily interactions with supervisor and doctors, as well as periodic meetings with ambulatory services manager. Incumbents are expected to work with minimal supervision; periodic and regular progress checks are performed to evaluate and adjust workload accordingly.

Essential Duties:

• Clinical Duties • Accurately document, record, and update patient’s ocular and medical history, and all other medical information as requested by provider, in electronic and/or paper medical record. Make introductions and establish rapport with patients. Initiate patient evaluation, documenting the chief complaint, history of present illness, review of systems, and all other medical information as requested by provider, in electronic and/or paper medical record, and all pertinent ocular findings accurately and in accordance with compliance guidelines. • Perform pre-exam testing to include visual acuity assessment, including pinhole and glare testing, confrontational visual field testing, assess extraocular muscles, pupillary evaluation, tonometry, assess angles, pupillary dilation, and all other patient services as requested by the physician including special tests such as color vision screening, stereopsis, and dry eye testing. • Perform lensometry and specialized testing such as visual field testing, keratometry, corneal topography, ophthalmic external photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), Optical Biometry (IOL Master/Argos/LenStar, or any other technology). • Perform refractometry to include manifest or trial frame as per Study Protocols. • Perform all necessary tests for providers to adequately diagnose patients. • Administration of eyedrops for pupil dilation and topical anesthesia, under provider supervision. • Provide assistance to physicians during minor surgical procedures (intravitreal injections and laser treatments) by setting up instruments and medications, responding to physician needs during procedure and prepare instruments after procedure for reprocessing. • Process patient requests for medication refills including contacting pharmacies to order prescription refills. Determine the need for physician review of prescription refills. • Be willing to be trained and use newer technologies such as microperimetry or experimental equipment that poses minimal risk to patients (training will be provided). • Assist with Study and Clinical Trials testing and obtain required certifications as necessary. • Assist and educate patients on how to take their medications. • Complete requests for prescription refills as authorized by physician, with full documentation in patient chart. When necessary, assist with obtaining Prior Authorization for insurance coverage. • Assist with fitting contact lenses and instruct patients in care and insertion of lenses. • Handle daily schedule to assure that patients are seen at proper intervals. • Maintain equipment and supplies for patient examination rooms. This includes dating topical medications and removing expired materials. • Properly clean/disinfect instruments and equipment routinely. • Prepare the necessary supplies for diagnostic testing, exams, and procedures. • Provide basic maintenance of all clinic equipment. • Ensure instruments and devices are clean, fully functional, and sterilized if necessary. • Assist with maintenance of clinical examination equipment. • Inspect instruments periodically for damage, send for repair, and request a replacement, as necessary. • Transporting instruments between CSPD and the clinic. • Ensure rooms are stocked daily with medications and ophthalmic supplies, place orders as necessary and appropriate. • Check the temperature of the medical refrigerator daily. • Check expiration date and inventory of culture plates, media, etc., kept in refrigerator and replace, as necessary. • Perform monthly compliance assignments. • Open and close exam lanes daily, ensuring that equipment is wiped down in an appropriate manner, battery powered instruments are seated properly in re-charge wells, slit lamps and projectors are switched off under covers. • Assist clinical coordinator with daily schedule and clinic flow and implement tracking measures as directed, to assure that patients are seen at proper intervals, and that status is updated in EMR • Consult with physician concerning test results and alert physician to positive test results or test abnormalities. • Report patient concerns, symptoms, reactions, and changes to licensed clinic personnel. • Serve as liaison between the medical staff and patients to answer questions, coordinate patient care, and/or provide patient education. • Monitor and track work requests. • Perform all tasks in a safe manner in compliance with organizational safety policies and according to applicable regulations; maintain a neat workstation and environment. • Provide excellent customer service. • Maintain confidentiality of all records and information related to patients, physicians, employees, the University and in related interests. • Obtain, document and update in appropriate system(s) all necessary patient information. • Provide technical services where needed, including but not limited to Roski Eye Los Angeles, Arcadia, and Pasadena clinic locations.
• General Administrative Duties • Triage patient issues to achieve timely resolution. • Respond to requests by doctors and staff during clinic. • Follow up calls to patients, checking on status after procedures, appointment verifications or reschedules. • Assist with file preparation, inputting appropriate forms in charts, insurance verifications and approvals. • Maintain clinic/patient flow, balancing diagnostic testing requirements, patient appointment times, and non-appointment activities. • Coordinate service requests with appropriate vendors and USC IT teams. • Assist ophthalmic technical services supervisor and/or ambulatory services manager with design and implementation of educational programs, which support professional growth and staff development. • Assist with pharmaceutical inventory and logs; identify variances. • Always maintain and protect patient confidentiality. • Support and participate in department huddles and team meetings. • Demonstrate KNOWN service standards
• Perform other duties or projects, as assigned, or requested.

Required Qualifications:

• Req High school or equivalent
• Req Associate's degree

• Or Combined experience/education, as substitute for minimum education

• Req 1 year Experience serving as an ophthalmic technician in a high-volume setting.
• Req Knowledge of ophthalmic medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology of the visual systems helpful.
• Req Skill in acquiring accurate medical history, measuring, and recording visual acuity, and tonometry.
• Req Ability to write concisely and clearly, edit, and proofread to ensure grammatically correct and factual correspondence.
• Req Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Req Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Req Ability to prioritize activities with varying time sensitivities.
• Req Ability to analyze clinical and administrative information and determine appropriate course(s) of action to resolve conflicts and discrepancies.
• Req Pleasant, caring, and compassionate personality.
• Req Ability to interact effectively with patients, staff, and physicians.
• Req Knowledge of the operations and maintenance of patient-related testing equipment.
• Req Responsible and detailed-oriented.
• Req Ability to learn state of the art diagnostic equipment.
• Req Ability to organize and prioritize duties to maximize clinic efficiency.
• Req Ability to work as a team member in an ophthalmic setting.
• Req Knowledge of various ophthalmic clinical protocols.
• Req Demonstrate professional and effective work skills to handle all responsibilities within a fast-paced, high pressure setting.
• Req Strong organizational and follow-up skills.
• Req Flexibility and adaptability given the dynamic nature of medicine and departmental needs.
• Req The ability to interact calmly and effectively with patients with difficult personalities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pref Experience working in a university-based medical facility/academic teaching environment.

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Req Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) Or obtained within 12 months of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date.
• Req Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association
• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu.  Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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