PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 25%

• 
  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. (EF)
• 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. (EF)
• Provides contributions towards improvement of department scores for turnover/retention/employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability. (EF)

SERVICE - 35%

• Screens walk-in patients, emergency patients and triages telephone calls from patients and referring physicians to determine appropriate physician and priority of appointments. (EF)
• 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. (EF)
• 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. (EF)
• 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. (EF)
• Arranges for laboratory and other tests, ophthalmic photography, inpatient and outpatient studies and patient admissions and surgery as requested by physician. (EF)

QUALITY/SAFETY - 15%

• 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. (EF)
• 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. (EF)
• Cleans and disinfects instruments, equipment and patient service areas. (EF)
• Role models behaviors and skills, through peer-to-peer accountability, towards improving department score for patient satisfaction. (EF)

FINANCE - 15%

• 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. (EF)

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 10%

• 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. (EF)
• Offers innovative solutions through participation in performance improvement activities. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis. (EF)

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.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• 
  High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Two years as an Ophthalmic Assistant