OVERNIGHT EMERGENCY RECEPTIONIST

ANIMAL CLINIC NORTHVIEW

OVERNIGHT EMERGENCY RECEPTIONIST

Position Summary

The Overnight Emergency Receptionist is responsible for providing exceptional client and patient care while serving as a primary point of contact for clients arriving at Animal Clinic Northview during overnight emergency hours. This position combines the responsibilities of reception, client service, billing, room assistance, patient intake, and emergency support.

The Overnight Emergency Receptionist must be warm, welcoming, professional, compassionate, accurate, and able to remain calm and organized in a fast-paced and unpredictable emergency environment. This position requires excellent communication skills, attention to detail, patience, flexibility, and the ability to effectively multitask while managing frequent interruptions and changing priorities.

The Overnight Emergency Receptionist is expected to positively represent Animal Clinic Northview at all times and ensure that clients and patients receive professional, compassionate, and efficient service from arrival through discharge.

Reports To: Staff Manager and Hospital Administrator
Position: Non-Exempt

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Reception & Patient Check-In

• Greet and assist all clients and patients in a professional, courteous, friendly, and compassionate manner.
• Provide a warm and welcoming first impression of the clinic, including for clients who arrive without an appointment.
• Check clients and patients in for emergency and scheduled services.
• Verify client and patient information, including name, address, telephone numbers, email address, vaccination history, and heartworm history, and update records as necessary.
• Prepare patient records, charts, consent forms, and other required paperwork and verify that all information is complete and accurate.
• Ensure required paperwork is properly signed, legible, scanned into the patient's/client's account, and processed appropriately.
• Receive and process surgery, treatment, hospitalization, euthanasia, and other required consent forms.
• Prepare charts and paperwork for the appropriate medical team members.
• Handle incoming phone calls and assist clients and visitors with their needs as directed.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with clients, doctors, technicians, assistants, and all other team members.
• Keep clients informed of wait times and acknowledge clients who may be waiting for an extended period so they do not feel forgotten.
• Track no-shows and maintain appointment information as directed.
• Enter vaccines and patient history into the appropriate system.
• Notify doctors and appropriate team members when patients arrive as directed.
• Handle miscellaneous correspondence as assigned.

Emergency Reception & Intake

• Handle emergency patients and emergency situations promptly, calmly, professionally, and thoroughly according to clinic policy.
• Respond quickly and appropriately when critical or unstable patients arrive.
• Assist with receiving and directing emergency patients to the appropriate area.
• Communicate important client and patient information to the medical team accurately and efficiently.
• Remain calm and professional during stressful, emotional, or difficult client interactions.
• Assist with emergency situations throughout the hospital as needed and within the scope of the position.
• Maintain flexibility and resourcefulness in an unpredictable emergency environment.

Room & Patient Assistance

• Verify patient arrival and obtain patient weights as required.
• Assist with getting patients and clients appropriately set up in exam or treatment areas.
• Prepare exam rooms and patient areas as needed.
• Assist doctors and medical staff as directed.
• Pick up medications from the pharmacy as needed.
• Set up appropriate cages/runs for patients when directed and communicate with the appropriate department regarding patient placement.
• Assist with patient movement, restraint, and handling as needed.
• Walking, restraining, and handling patients ranging from approximately 2 pounds to over 200 pounds may be required. For safety, assistance must be obtained for patients over 50 pounds. Do not lift more than 50 pounds alone.
• Assist clients with getting patients safely to and from their vehicles when needed.

Billing, Estimates & Client Checkout

• Invoice clients for services, products, food, medications, ashes, and other charges.
• Present invoices to clients, explain charges and applicable instructions, and verify that the correct owner and patient are being checked out.
• Prepare estimates and provide clients with appropriate information regarding services and charges.
• Receive and process acceptable forms of payment.
• Process credits, refunds, and account adjustments as authorized. Refunds must be approved by the Practice Manager or Staff Manager prior to processing.
• Answer billing-related phone calls and assist clients with billing questions.
• Address client concerns and disputes regarding billing services in a professional and appropriate manner.
• Process and distribute required paperwork associated with patient discharge and checkout.
• Provide medications, food, and supplies purchased by clients.
• Review medication instructions with clients and have a basic understanding of the medications being dispensed, including being able to pronounce medication names and explain instructions appropriately.
• Retrieve medications from the pharmacy as needed.
• Ensure all applicable forms are properly completed, signed, processed, and scanned into the appropriate record.

Cleaning, Stocking & Organization

• Maintain a clean, organized, professional, and clutter-free reception and waiting area.
• Maintain clean and properly stocked exam rooms and reception areas throughout the shift.
• Perform routine cleaning of the lobby, exam rooms, outside garbage cans, and other assigned areas.
• Ensure the work area is organized and prepared for the next shift.
• Perform opening and/or closing procedures as assigned, including ensuring appropriate areas are clean, organized, and prepared.
• Maintain supplies and notify management when additional supplies are needed.
• Perform other cleaning, stocking, and organizational duties as assigned.

Professional Standards & Teamwork

• Provide outstanding customer service to every client and compassionate care to every patient.
• Maintain a professional appearance and demeanor at all times.
• Communicate effectively and professionally, both verbally and in writing.
• Work cooperatively with ALL team members and ensure actions support the clinic, doctors, and practice philosophy.
• Maintain patience and professionalism with clients, coworkers, and visitors, even during stressful situations.
• Be passionate about quality, accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.
• Be flexible, resourceful, and capable of adapting to changing priorities.
• Assist with training new employees at the discretion of management.
• Understand and be able to pronounce procedures performed by the clinic and appropriately explain them to clients when applicable.
• Create and participate in a drama-free working environment. Employees should reference the "Commitment to My Coworkers" form signed at hire if questions arise.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.
• Cross-train in all areas of the front reception department and maintain current knowledge and skills.

Workplace Expectations

• Attendance and punctuality are essential requirements of this position. Employees are expected to arrive on time and be ready to work for their scheduled shift.
• Any scheduling conflicts should be communicated to the Hospital Administrator or Staff Manager.
• Weekends, nights, emergency hours, holidays, and on-call responsibilities may be part of the schedule.
• Attendance is required the day before and the day after any holiday unless otherwise approved.
• No eating is permitted at the reception/billing station.
• Cell phones must be put away while working at the reception/billing station.
• Employees are expected to remain attentive, engaged, and available throughout their scheduled shift.
• This position requires the ability to work effectively in a busy, unpredictable, and sometimes emotionally stressful emergency environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This position requires a combination of sitting and standing, with periods of walking and continuous movement throughout the shift. The position can be physically demanding and may require being on your feet for extended periods.

Employees may be required to walk, restrain, and handle patients ranging from approximately 2 pounds to over 200 pounds. Employees must obtain assistance when handling patients over 50 pounds and must not lift more than 50 pounds alone.

SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITY

• Full-time: 36 hours or more per week
• Part-time: Less than 30 hours per week
• Standard shifts: 8-hour shifts
• Overnight, weekend, holiday, and emergency-hour availability is required as applicable to the position.
• Shift differential applies during specified emergency hours, including Saturdays, Sundays, and anytime after 9:30 PM Monday through Friday through 7:30 AM the following day.

The current schedule we are looking to fill is Monday through Thursday 9pm-7am.

BENEFITS

• Rate of pay begins at $15.00/hour
• Shift differential pay begins at $22.95/hour
• Eligible for health insurance and 401(k) benefits after the first month of employment, subject to applicable eligibility requirements
• Employee discount on services for personal pets after 90 days of employment
• Uniform allowance
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Pay & Coverage
• Shift differential during specified scheduled ER hours