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Overview
At Houston Methodist, the Ophthalmic Assistant (OA) is responsible for providing the highest quality customer service in assisting the physician and other technical support personnel with patient examination and treatment. Other duties for this position include patient history, office and inpatient diagnostic tests, in-office procedures as well as some clerical duties. The OA position independently and expertly performing the duties and responsibilities of clinical resource to other OAs, training and orienting others as appropriate. This position delivers exceptional patient care per guidelines established by the department to ensure optimal patient safety and customer service and practices Patient and Family-Centered Care.
Houston Methodist Standard
PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.
HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS
- Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
- INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
- COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
- ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
- RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
- EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.
- Practices the Caring and Serving Model
- Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards
- Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)
- Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.
- Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job
- Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles
- Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Utilizes courteous and professional interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport with patients, physicians/office personnel and various hospital personnel, while maintaining patient confidentiality. Facilitates open, professional, communication to achieve mutual understanding, role modeling by example.
- Functions as a team member, responding willingly and positively to colleagues' needs for assistance and partnership and promotes a positive work environment that actively assists interprofessional care team to achieve optimal department results. Makes contributions to the work effort, by initiating problem resolution within the work unit.
- Provides contributions towards improvement of department scores for turnover/retention/employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.
- Screens walk-in patients, emergency patients and triages telephone calls from patients and referring physicians to determine appropriate physician and priority of appointments.
- Directs the flow of patients examined by the physician; obtains medical and personal data for patient charts; alleviates patient and family concerns by explaining diagnostic procedures and method of treatment.
- Performs preliminary screening examinations, excluding ocular, for physician review including, but not limited to, central and peripheral visual field tests; ocular motility tests; color vision tests; pharmacological pupil tests; tonometry, tonography and tensilon tonography tests to determine intraocular pressure and pupil testing for size, equality and reaction prior to dilation.
- Screens patients for conditions by examining the cornea, lens and anterior chamber of the eye using a slit lamp and notes variations from normal for physician review.
- Arranges for laboratory and other tests, ophthalmic photography, inpatient and outpatient studies and patient admissions and surgery as requested by physician.
- Measures acuity of patient, with and without glasses, for distance and near vision; obtains optical and lensometry measurements to determine lens prescription and correct acuity problems; records findings on patient chart.
- Reports observations, conditions and problems of patients to the physician and/or nurse. Provides for the privacy of patients and families, keeping the safety of the patient in mind.
- Cleans and disinfects instruments, equipment and patient service areas.
- Role models behaviors and skills, through peer-to-peer accountability, towards improving department score for patient satisfaction.
- Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, minimizing incidental overtime. Role models effective time management and coordinates with colleagues to meet the overall demands of the department.
- Assists the physician in the preparation of routine microbiological specimens and in various research studies. Continually assists with improving skills, performance and outcomes. Actively participates in professional development and the development of ongoing educational activities at a department-based level.
- Offers innovative solutions through participation in performance improvement activities. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.
Qualifications
EDUCATION
- High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)
- Two years as an Ophthalmic Assistant
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
- COA - Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (IJCAHPO) within 1 year OR
- COT - Certified Ophthalmic Technician (IJCAHPO) within 1 year
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Demonstrate a learning attitude toward solving problems, using good reasoning and judgment
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform No
- Scrubs Yes
- Business professional No
- Other (department approved) No
Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
- On Call* No
Travel specifications may vary by department**
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes
Company Profile
Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group - As one of the nation's leading hospitals and academic medical centers Houston Methodist has brought together some of the nation's leading experts in multiple specialties to serve our patients. As part of Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group (HMSPG), these specialists not only provide excellent clinical care, but are on the forefront of research, developing leading-edge technologies and treatments, and teaching the medical pioneers of tomorrow. This combination of clinical service, research and academics ensures patients have access to the latest in treatments and technologies while providing the best in comprehensive patient care. Established as a non-profit corporation and certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, HMSPG enables physicians to maintain autonomy with respect to their clinical practice while growing their practice within an academic environment.