Per-Diem Unit Secretary

Grace Cottage Hospital - Townshend, VT

Full-time

Townshend, VT

Hospitals

About the position

The Per-Diem Unit Secretary position at Grace Cottage Hospital involves providing essential clerical support under the supervision of the Clinical Nurse Manager. The primary responsibilities include answering incoming calls, greeting patients and visitors, and directing them to their respective destinations in a friendly and helpful manner. The Unit Secretary plays a crucial role in alerting the Emergency Room (ER) Registered Nurse of patients arriving for emergency care and registering ER patients and inpatients according to established hospital procedures. This position requires maintaining patient confidentiality and adhering to regulatory requirements at all times. In this role, the Unit Secretary will be responsible for collecting patient demographic and insurance information, accurately entering this data into the hospital's computer system, and ensuring that all necessary documentation is completed. The position also involves preparing admission paperwork, setting up charts for new admissions, and reviewing previous day’s admissions for required signatures. The Unit Secretary will assist with various administrative tasks, including filing lab and radiology reports, updating daily census and staffing sheets, and maintaining an organized work area. The ability to use office equipment such as phones, fax machines, and computers is essential, as is the initiative to stay productive during slower periods. Grace Cottage Hospital is recognized for its positive work environment, having been voted the “Best Place To Work” in the Brattleboro Reformers Readers' Choice Award since 2019. The hospital is located in a picturesque area of Vermont, offering opportunities for outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, and enjoying the natural beauty of the region. This position is ideal for individuals who thrive in a supportive and community-oriented healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

• Greets all visitors and patients arriving at the hospital via the main entrance in a friendly and helpful manner.
• Answers all incoming calls in a timely and courteous manner, properly identifying self and facility, and routes calls to appropriate person or department.
• Alerts ER RN to the presence of any patients that present for emergency care and/or outpatient procedures.
• Registers ER patients and Inpatient Admissions, collecting patient demographic and insurance information accurately.
• Prints off Face Sheet, Consent for Treatment and/or Admission, wrist band and label sheet, and applies labels to chart forms.
• Obtains ER patient signature for consent to treat and places wrist band on patient, alerting ER RN if unable to do so.
• Collects co-payments from patients requesting to pay and provides receipts.
• Sets up charts for all new admissions and keeps an adequate supply of admission packets on hand.
• Prepares inpatient admission paperwork and forms that require signatures, placing them on a clipboard along with wrist band for the admitting RN.
• Reviews admission paperwork from previous day's admissions for required signatures and notifies Charge Nurse of any unsigned forms.
• Reviews registrations from previous day's admissions and converts any temporary registrations into full registrations, obtaining any missing demographic or insurance information.
• Reviews physician orders and enters orders for tests and treatments into the computer as appropriate, providing phone notification to departments that request it.
• Scans medication orders to Pharmacy as requested, applying patient ID label before faxing.
• Sets up referrals and other appointments for inpatients as directed by the physician or Charge Nurse, arranging for transportation if required/requested.
• Assists with ER transfers as directed by the ER provider or RN, including photocopying records and arranging ambulance transport.
• Works with Charge Nurse and Social Worker to maintain an accurate bed list that includes requested/accepted admissions, transfers, and discharges.
• Pre-admits any expected late admissions and files all lab, radiology, and other reports in the patients' charts.
• Updates daily census/staffing sheet for each shift and provides break and lunch relief for Outpatient Registration Clerk.
• Demonstrates the ability to properly use the phone and computer system, fax machine, photocopier, printers, and other business machines.
• Inventories, orders, and keeps the unit properly stocked with office supplies and forms, ensuring a neat and uncluttered work area.

Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent education.
• Current BLS certification.
• Excellent computer skills and customer service skills.
• Ability to maintain regulatory requirements, including all state and federal regulations.
• Commitment to maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

Benefits

• Recognition as a top workplace in the region.
• Opportunities for outdoor activities in a beautiful Vermont setting.