Medical Assistant and HIV/STD Counselor (Los Angeles)

About This Job

APLA Health delivers comprehensive healthcare, essential services, and a supportive atmosphere of fellowship and understanding to everyone who enters our facilities. Our devoted healthcare team is focused on offering individualized, empathetic medical care that is either free or low-cost, designed to address the distinct requirements of each patient. Functioning as a primary medical home, APLA Health delivers a wide range of integrated services across more than 71,000 billable patient visits and close to 10,000 supportive services visits annually. These services encompass medical, dental, behavioral health, and HIV care; pharmacy services; PrEP counseling and management; health education and HIV prevention; along with STD screening and treatment. For individuals living with HIV, we additionally provide housing assistance, benefits counseling, home healthcare, and access to the Vance North Necessities of Life Program food pantries, among other vital support services.

We provide excellent benefits, competitive compensation, and a positive workplace.

We offer:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance (at no cost to the employee)
• Vision Insurance (at no cost to the employee)
• Long Term Disability
• Group Term Life and AD&D Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 11 Paid Holidays
• 4 Personal Days
• 10 Vacation Days
• 12 Sick Days
• Metro transit reimbursement or complimentary parking
• Employer-Matched 403b Retirement Plan (6%)

This is an excellent opportunity to create a meaningful impact.

The hourly wage for this role is $25.60 to $28.82. Compensation is based on experience.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Medical Assistant – HIV/STD Counselor will deliver patient care under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider, including culturally competent HIV/STD services for APLA Health & Wellness patients. Working alongside prevention program staff, this individual will help identify HIV-positive participants within our prevention programs who are not yet connected to HIV medical care. This includes newly diagnosed persons, those aware of their status but never engaged in care, and individuals who have discontinued care. The HIV/STD Counselor/Medical Assistant will handle both administrative front-office and clinical back-office tasks within the medical clinic. Duties include submitting and monitoring referrals, recording vital signs, preparing examination rooms, administering medications as directed, performing phlebotomy, and completing other technical clinical functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities outlined below are representative of the tasks that may be performed. The absence of specific duty statements does not preclude other similar or logically related work from being included.

• Welcome and register patients as necessary; assist with form completion; answer phones and schedule appointments; retrieve and maintain medical files and records.
• Provide client-centered HIV counseling before and after testing.
• Conduct HIV/STD risk evaluations.
• Offer coaching and counseling for HIV/STD risk reduction and prevention.
• Prepare treatment rooms, ensuring they are clean, orderly, and stocked with necessary supplies and equipment; maintain sterile and sanitary conditions.
• Interview patients to gather basic medical information and history; measure and document vital signs, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI); prepare medical records for provider review.
• Perform phlebotomy to collect blood samples; collect urine and other non-invasive specimens; log specimens for testing; conduct urine dip sticks and finger-sticks for hemoglobin and glucose measurements.
• Provide counseling and rapid HIV testing to clients requesting these services.
• Maintain monthly equipment logs for items such as Glucometers, Hemocue devices, and refrigerators.
• Develop targeted strategies to enhance the linkage and ongoing engagement in HIV primary medical care for recently diagnosed individuals, those aware of their status but never in care, and those who have discontinued care.
• Assist physicians and nurses during patient examinations and treatments; handle instruments; prepare and disinfect treatment sites; apply and remove dressings and bandages; administer medications per provider orders; give subcutaneous and intramuscular injections as directed by mid-level providers and physicians.
• Assist in preparing reports as required.
• Maintain HIV/STD testing records to ensure all documentation mandated by funders and the agency Quality Management Plan is properly filed.
• Carry out patient discharge procedures; clarify and provide patients with follow-up care instructions and referrals.
• Follow steps in the APLA Health & Wellness referral tracking policy to ensure patients receive necessary referrals and that all referrals are accurately logged and monitored.
• Administer Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) during a medical emergency.
• May be required to work overtime for essential shift coverage, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
• May be required to work at different APLA Health locations as necessary.

Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

REQUIREMENTS

Training and Experience:
A High School diploma or GED equivalent is required. Candidates must have successfully completed a Medical Assistant training program from a recognized institution, meeting standards set by the Medical Board of California. Successful completion of LA County’s Division of HIV and STD Programs’ HIV Test Counselor Certification is required within the first 90 days of employment.

Knowledge of:

1. Basic medical terminology and patient care methods and techniques.
2. Procedures for performing technical clinical tasks, including phlebotomy, collecting and testing urine and other non-invasive specimens, and administering injections.
3. Routine laboratory procedures.
4. Standards and methods for maintaining sterile and sanitary laboratory and examination room conditions.
5. Standard procedures for maintaining medical records.
6. Applicable safety policies and safe work practices.
7. HIV infection; STD infection and treatment; HIV/AIDS prevention; psychosocial issues related to HIV and STD transmission/acquisition; special concerns for individuals at risk for or living with HIV/STD; health education and behavior modification theory; human sexuality, substance abuse, behavior change principles and strategies; effective communication; group dynamics; data management; general computer skills; community resources; and the health and social concerns of diverse populations, including gay and non-gay identified men who have sex with men and other genders, individuals who share injection paraphernalia, heterosexuals, women at sexual risk, and transgender individuals.

Ability to:

1. Effectively interview patients to obtain medical, social, and sexual histories.
2. Provide risk reduction counseling to limit the spread of HIV and other STDs.
3. Communicate effectively with individuals from varied educational, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds.
4. Understand and follow written and oral instructions from physicians, mid-level providers, and nurses, and apply relevant departmental policies, procedures, and protocols.
5. Identify and correct unsanitary conditions and maintain sterile environments.
6. Perform routine medical tests and procedures proficiently and accurately.
7. Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
8. Operate a computer and standard business software.
9. Maintain highly confidential personal and medical information in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
10. Exercise tact, objectivity, sensitivity, and sound judgment when dealing with people in sensitive situations.
11. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, patients, and others encountered during work.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This is primarily an office-based role. It may occasionally require bending, reaching, stooping, lifting, and moving office materials weighing up to 25 pounds. Daily use of a personal computer is necessary, involving entering, viewing, and revising text and graphics on both computer terminals and paper.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

COVID-19 vaccination and booster, or a valid medical/religious exemption, is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer: APLA Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

To Apply:

Visit our website at www.aplahealth.org to apply or use the following link:
https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=331800&clientkey=A5559163F67395E0A2585D2135F98806