Pathology Lab Assistant Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

UnityPoint-St Luke's

Full-Time

M-F 11am-7:30pm

Interfaces the laboratory to its Reference Laboratory and Hospital Customers by performing complex reference laboratory patient registrations as well as registrations for hospital laboratory outpatients, in both the Hospital Information System as well as in the Laboratory Information System.  Determines Reference Laboratory billing based on numerous location codes for each facility.  Orders all testing for the hospital laboratory in the Laboratory Information System, receives electronic orders and completes appropriately, and determines and validates medical necessity of all lab orders in addition to obtaining appropriate diagnoses from providers.  Verifies the integrity of Reference Lab outreach shipments, performs specimen processing and communicates with Outreach Reference Clients and various hospital departments.  Communicates specimen deliveries with laboratory couriers, communicates and distributes test results to providers, clients, and patients, performs manual charge entry and performs support functions for the pathologists, including medical examiner requests.

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.  

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in. Here are just a few:   

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.   

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.  

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.   

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.  

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience. 

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

Clinical Excellence/Patient Care

• Provides specimen processing for reference laboratory outreach patient testing, and initiates inpatient processing, requiring handling of patient specimens.
• Assists lab outpatients in the collection process of specimens for testing.
• Monitors patients during more complex lab test procedures and patients being held for provider notification of test results.
• Uses the Lab and Mayo On-line test catalogs to ensure that the correct tests are ordered for providers and patients.
• Assists patients in the completion of Authorizations prior to release of test information.
• Initiates and resolves the problem patient specimen resolution process for the laboratory.
• Communicates and interacts with patients and their families, with compassion and empathy, both on the phone and at the lab department.
• Informs patients of potential denial by insurance, estimates appropriate costs and obtains appropriate ABN or Insurance Waiver according to insurance. Adds modifiers and account notes as appropriate per regulations.
• Completes daily quality audits of the patient lab record.

Technical and Operational Expertise

• Performs complex reference laboratory patient registrations as well as registrations for hospital laboratory outpatients, in both the Hospital Information System as well as in the Laboratory Information System, with a high degree of focus and minimal registration errors.
• Investigates and confirms insurance eligibility with minimal information available by phone or computer to prevent error and delay of payment.
• Registration, test ordering, and processing outside facility pre-specimen collections to include lab test label generation.
• Obtains, investigates, and verifies both written and add on orders from physicians and other care providers, both for reference lab clients and lab outpatients. Scans all order documentation, etc. into the appropriate patient’s medical record.
• Obtains diagnoses for lab testing performed, and determines appropriate medical necessity and coding documentation in compliance with CMS and Health System Guidelines. Researches National and Local Coverage Determinations to assist with diagnosis and medical necessity with lab clients.
• Investigation of denials, to include insurance and medical necessity issues for resolution.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of lab test order codes in the Lab Information System. Receives and completes electronic interfaced test orders from lab clients appropriately. 
• Determination and entry of numerous different location codes into the Hospital Information System, as well as the Laboratory Information System, dependent on reference facility to facilitate test results interfacing to the correct client and facility.
• Determines whether reference client billing or insurance billing is required dependent on pre-set client and insurance requirements. Interface number entry requirement dependent on type of lab interface with each client.
• Specimen processing to include verification of the integrity of specimen shipments through patient identification processes and specimen receipt verification. Handles and distributes specimens to work areas by manual delivery to lab hospital departments.  Centrifugation, handling, and separating specimens with specific knowledge of which tests are performed in each lab department.
• Performs various lab business office functions within regulatory guidelines that include but are not limited to registration operations, insurance verification, confidential fax verifications, and other functions as required.
• Knowledge of lab CPT codes as well as diagnosis codes and enters them in the patient’s record for appropriate billing to insurance.
• Performs support functions for pathologists to include medical examiner requests, consult processing, pathology registrations, billing functions, etc.
• Manual lab charge entry into patient accounts. Calculation of Medicare Travel Charges and charge entry to include appropriate documentation.
• Orders and maintains office supply inventory for all lab departments, including pathology.
• Collects and processes specimens by performing phlebotomy collection, labeling, centrifuging, organizing by Laboratory section(s), aliquoting, and storing. Prepares specimens for transport according to Department of Transportation (DOT) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations.
• Provides information through verbal and written communication in person, over the telephone, or via email, concerning specimen collection, patient results, interface ordering, normal values, Laboratory operation, and phlebotomy; and monitors interface orders to ensure specimen collection.

Communication and Promotion of Educational Skills

• Recognizes and communicates critical information, special requests, unusual orders, etc. by including special comments during the registration and order entry process or by contacting key laboratory individuals.
• Provides the clerical component of result reporting, which includes but is not limited to the production and filing of computer reports, and the distribution of reports by mail, FAX, personal distribution or telephone.
• Communicates test results to providers, patients, hospitals, and facilities with compliance to HIPAA laws and regulations. Scans non-interfaced reports into the appropriate patient’s medical record.
• Services needs of lab customers by providing information to reference lab and hospital customers or routing calls to others.
• Communicates timely information and requests with lab couriers, including delivery, requests, and specimen pickups.
• Trains new lab registration staff and technical staff in lab business office functions as appropriate.
• Participates in taking call to support staff on weekends and holidays.

• Education:  High School Diploma or equivalency required.
• Experience:  1 year work experience required.  Proficiency with computer data entry functions. 
• License/Certifications:  If designated to drive it will be required obtain OSHA Bio-Hazard Certification prior to transporting and maintain annually. Valid driver’s license when driving any vehicle for work-related reasons.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:  Writes, reads, comprehends and speaks fluent English. Multicultural sensitivity. Microsoft Office – basic computer skills. Customer/patient focused. Critical thinking skills using independent judgment in making decisions.
• Other:  Use of usual and customary equipment used to perform essential functions of the position.