Department: Clinic Based

Type: Full Time

Location: HOUSTON, TX

Legacy Community Health is a premium, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides comprehensive care to community members regardless of their ability to pay. Our goal is to treat the entire patient while improving their overall wellness and quality of life, in addition to providing free pregnancy tests, HIV/AIDS screening. At Legacy, we empower patients to lead better lives by promoting healthy behaviors and offering resources such as literacy classes, family planning services, and nutrition and weight management information.

Our roots began in 1981 as the Montrose Clinic, with specialization in HIV education, testing, and treatment. Since then, the agency has expanded to >50 clinics in Houston, one in Baytown, 3 in Beaumont, and one in Deer Park with extensive services that include: Adult primary care, HIV/AIDS care, pediatrics, OB/GYN and maternity, dental, vision and behavioral health. We also service students within KIPP and YES Prep schools. Legacy is committed to driving healthy change in our communities.

Position Summary

The Point of Care Testing Coordinator II (POCT Coordinator II) provides general and technical oversight of point of care and referred testing performed at Legacy Community Health (LCH) facilities to meet regulatory standards. The POCT Coordinator responsibilities include coordinating lab activities for patient testing, overseeing laboratory equipment, training testing personnel, and establishing and maintaining lab quality for the designated region. The POCT Coordinator II, in collaboration with laboratory leadership, will establish and implement lab policies, procedures, and protocols, and monitor quality assurance and performance improvement to ensure compliance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and other regulatory agencies. The POCT Coordinator II may serve as Technical Consultant for the POCT Coordinator I role.

Essential Duties & Functions

• Coordinates LCH lab activities and programs in all LCH locations, including LCH’s school-based clinics and the public health/community outreach departments.
• Regularly evaluates the functioning of LCH laboratories and provides the information to clinical operations leadership in a timely manner.
• Develops, establishes, revises, and implements laboratory policies, procedures, and/or protocols.
• Conducts laboratory trainings. Regularly observes and evaluates testing personnel on laboratory testing, blood collection skills, and working knowledge of laboratory policies and procedures.
• Participates in monthly site audits and report findings to appropriate leadership.
• Serves as the point of contact for regulatory compliance and regulatory inspections.
• Assists with programs associated with OSHA laboratory-related compliance and training.
• Maintains medical laboratory equipment performance by establishing quality standards; scheduling and performing instrument/equipment validations, routine maintenance and troubleshooting for laboratory instrumentation; and ensuring staff compliance with appropriate equipment use, cleaning and testing.
• Oversees Proficiency Testing (PT) Program for assigned sites, as needed.
• Resolves laboratory-related problems and issues by consulting with laboratory and/or clinic leadership.
• Manages laboratory quality by developing and participating in quality improvement programs, collection and review of laboratory data, creation of laboratory quality manuals, and evaluation of laboratory quality control tests.
• Manages CLIA certificates to ensure they are accurate and updated.
• Manages test menus at each site for accuracy.
• Performs diagnostic tests, as needed.
• Trains staff on processing blood and other specimens for referred testing, ensuring all specimens are properly labeled and packaged for reference laboratory.
• Reports critical lab values and any needed re-collections to clinicians, coordinates the patient’s return to clinic and documents, when appropriate, in the clinical record.
• Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients, families, visitors and fellow employees to ensure a professional, responsible and courteous environment.
• Promotes effective working relations and works effectively as part of a team to facilitate the laboratory’s ability to meet its goals and objectives.
• Works to promote the primary care medical home care model, applying team-based care coordination in partnership with patients/families to promote timely access to care, understanding of patient care that is culturally sensitive and language appropriate, continuity of care, and the improvement of the whole-person through the teaching of appropriate self-care-management skills.
• Attends all required safety training programs and can describe his/her responsibilities related to general safety, department/service safety, specific job–related hazards.
  • Attends all required safety education programs.
  • Operates assigned equipment and performs all procedures in a safe manner as instructed.
  • Maintains work area and equipment in accordance with Legacy and government standards.
  • Demonstrates proper body mechanics in all functions.
  • Checks on the patient’s environment and equipment to ensure safety. Reports safety concerns promptly to appropriate personnel.
• Follows Legacy’s exposure control plans/blood-borne and airborne pathogens.
  • Demonstrates knowledge of techniques, procedures, and correct use of protective barrier equipment (Universal Precautions).
  • Ensures a safe environment by instituting appropriate control measures.
  • Attends annual education programs.
• Participates in continuing education.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education, Certifications, Licenses, & Training

• Bachelor of Science degree is required.
• MT(ASCP) / MLS(ASCP) certification or equivalent is required.
• CPR/BLS training required.

Required Years of Experience

• 2 years of point of care and/or laboratory experience in a clinical laboratory setting is required.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor Science degree in Medical Technology/Clinical Laboratory Science is preferred.
• Phlebotomy experience is preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Knowledge of and ability to remain compliant with HIPAA regulations.
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality of client information.
• Ability to work with clinical staff, work well under pressure, and multitask within a multidisciplinary team.
• Commitment to the concepts of preventive health care program and team approach to health care delivery.
• Experience working with computers.
• Experience working in electronic medical records.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Experience training laboratory and non-laboratory staff preferred.
• Prior point of care testing experience preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred