Job Description
The Ophthalmic Assistant – Certification Pending reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
The Ophthalmic Assistant provides technical and clinical support and patient care for various physicians and sub-specialists by performing various tests to aid in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment and follow up of patients with various ophthalmic health conditions. This role supports physicians as their needs arise and acts as a liaison between patients and physicians by answering questions and providing educational assistance
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Interviews patients and documents histories.
- Performs technical workups, patient histories and special testing (Refractions w/ retinoscopy, Lensometry, Keratometry, Tonometry, Visual Fields, Amslers, Muscle Testing, Pupil Exams, Topography, OCT, IOL Master / Ascans, Fundus Photos).
- Assists the physician with patient care, minor surgery, scribes.
- Communicates with patients (follow-up care, surgeries, procedures, changes in schedule, symptoms, surgery scheduling, etc.), returns phone calls (patients, pharmacies).
- Maintains and cleans equipment, reports equipment deficiencies to management.
- May perform other duties as assigned.
Addendum - Ocular Oncology Service Line
- Promote positive mindset of ongoing improvement and development for best team health and patientcare.
- Prepare for each clinic day by ensuring all needed imaging, referring provider notes, pathology over-reads, CT/MRI/PET have been received for each patient.
- Update Care team in Epic to list all Prior providers and current providers in care team
- Coordinate travel agenda (hotel stay) with multi-disciplinary team appointments (radiation oncology,medical oncology, etc)
- Schedule hotel stays as appropriate for patient care.
- Help prep notes
- Scribe in clinic
- Coordinate OR scheduling
- Put in Castle Bioscience orders ready for us to sign
- Order Medi Care and MTX for Evanston patients.
- Assess if patient’s Insurance is out of network and work with financial assistance to ensure patient canreceive medical care. Example: request primary care physician referral if HMO, or work with financialassistance to establish single case agreement with insurance company out-of-network (OON).
- Completing FMLA/disability paperwork
- Provide new patient information, educational documents/videos, and clinic visit information as instructedby the care team.
- Fax completed patient notes to care team members
- Assist in developing patient education material.
- Participates in quality monitoring for best patient outcomes on a periodic basis to assure quality care.
- Performs clinical research and assists in writing publications.
- Assists in data analysis.
- Help maintain good organization for the clinical ocular oncology team
- Prompt same day responses to patients and clinical team (use feedback close-loop approach)
- Serve as a liaison between patient and members of the ocular oncology team and multi-disciplinary teams
- Must be able to work with collaborating ocular oncology physician and clinical team.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required:
- High School diploma or GED equivalent.
- Basic Life Support (American Heart Association) certification.
- Certified Ophthalmic Assistant certification through JCAHPO within one year of hire date (applicants who have obtained a Doctor of Medicine degree are exempt from the COA requirement).
- Zero (0) to two (2) years’ experience in a relevant role.
Preferred:
- Two years related experience (equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered).
- Surgical assistance experience.
Additional Information
Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.
Background Check
Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.
Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.
