Medical Assistant - Highland Park

Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley (PPPSGV) has been proudly serving our community since 1933 and is one of the original Planned Parenthood affiliates in the nation. 

We provide reproductive health care, health education and advocacy from our five health centers in Alhambra, Baldwin Park, Glendora, Highland Park, and Pasadena, in addition to our telehealth clinic.  We strive to ensure the sexual and reproductive health services we provide align with the needs of the communities we serve. Our service area extends from Glendora to Glendale and from the San Gabriel mountains to the San Bernardino freeway, home to 24 communities and a diverse population of 1.4 million people. 

Today, PPPSGV sees over 60,000 patient visits per year and delivers over 15,000 opportunities for sex and relationship education in our schools and colleges.  

We offer safe and legal abortions.  We are committed to providing accurate, non-judgmental care and resources by helping our patients overcome financial, transportation, and other barriers to care.  In addition, we work with abortion funds and practical support network to support our patients.   Our abortion care has increased every year since 2018 with an average of 3,500 abortions per year.  We saw close to 4,000 abortion patients in 2022 alone, approximately 59 were out-of-state patients. 

You will be responsible for supporting the delivery of health care services under the medical supervision of Clinician and/or Physician. Assist patients by providing testing, screening, and education required for the provision of medical care. Assist providers to ensure high quality, efficient delivery of care.  Screen patients, prepare exam rooms, provide excellent customer service in a non-judgmental, empathetic manner to patients.

• Adhere to affiliate goals and policies on patient care, professionalism, wait time in-clinic and on the system for addressing patient complaints
• Participate in health center efforts to achieve established goals for productivity and quality metrics
• Participate in health center/affiliate efforts to achieve established revenue goals
• Perform and/or coordinate the following back-office functions:
• Obtain social history, triage and educate patients ensuring informed consent triage
• Provide options, counseling, abortion referrals, education on all PP services and recommend appropriate testing
• Perform basic lab work (e.g. Hgb, pregnancy test, urine dipsticks, venipuncture, injections, blood draws) package specimens for outside lab tests, record lab results.
• Obtain vital signs (blood pressure, height, weight, etc.)
• Clean and sterilize equipment and stock lab and exam rooms
• Support Clinicians as needed
• Gather information regarding sensitive subjects such as intimate partner violence, STIs, risks of sexual activity for early teens, abortions and domestic violence
• Input and update patient information accurately into the Agency’s Practice Management and Electronic Medical Record systems
• Ongoing communication with Patient Flow Coordinator, Health Center Manager, and other health center staff
• Schedule appointments for family planning including but not limited to contraceptives, abortion services and other specialty services
• Comply with all safety policies and procedures including infection control, including OSHA
• Comply with all regulatory requirements (e.g. TB testing, biannual review of emergency policies, procedures and drills, annual OSHA training review, etc.) per agency policy and regulatory mandates
• Attend trainings, staff meetings, DEI trainings, and in-services to maintain and increase knowledge of protocols and procedures
• Ensure patient satisfaction and confidentiality
• Treat everyone with empathy, compassion and respect
• Prepare center for opening and secure for closing, as required
• Understand the organization’s services and priorities
• Collaborate and cooperate with other team members to get the job done
• Identify and report errors, near misses, employee, patient and customer safety concerns in a timely manner
• As a mandated reporter, proactively communicate and identify risks to supervisor or appropriate agency in order to minimize risk when possible
• Comply with PPPSGVs Code of Conduct and maintain the highest level of professional and ethical standards and act in compliance with both the letter and spirit of all applicable laws and regulations

• Non-Essential Functions
• Assist in training of new staff and volunteers by demonstration and observation of techniques and procedures
• Perform clerical and administrative duties, as directed by manager
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

• Education:
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Graduate of an accredited medical assistant program
• -or-

• Experience:
• 0-2 years comparable clinical back office medical assistant experience
• Reproductive and/or family planning health care experience preferred

• Other:
• Commitment to and support for the mission and goals of Planned Parenthood, including but not limited to, increasing access to abortion and decreasing abortion stigma
• Commitment to quality healthcare
• Excellent customer service and commitment to providing the highest level of customer satisfaction
• Productivity and efficiency through punctuality and attendance
• Clear and concise writing skills    
• Establish trust and rapport with all patients and guests
• Initiative utilizing resources effectively
• Multi-task and detailed orientated
• Work in a fast-paced health care environment
• Maintain relevant knowledge about anatomy and physiology, methods of contraception, STDs, pregnancy, adoption, abortion, early prenatal care, community resources, Agency protocols and referral procedures and all Planned Parenthood programs
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Understand insurance and FPACT contract guidelines
• Flexible to work and travel to other centers as needed based on health center patient demand
• Communicate effectively with patients and co-workers of all backgrounds
• Recognize own biases; non-judgmental
• Approach every interaction with compassion, honesty and an earnest desire to help
• Adaptable to shift direction as needed
• Open to change and new ways of working quickly and efficiently
• Knowledge of EMR systems, Outlook, and Internet 
• Adapt quickly to advances and changes in technology
• Legally required to report observed or suspected abuse
• Work Saturdays and/or evening hours required
• Some positions require bilingual skills
• Commitment to personal and/or organizational Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work, including the proficiency and/or strong willingness to use non-binary pronouns

PPPSGV is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.  We offer a series of workshops during employee onboarding and throughout the year. We also provide additional opportunities to get involved in our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work through various task forces, conferences, and staff retreats.

We are a prominent team of passionate health experts who adhere to the highest standards as we collaborate and care for people without judgment.  As we stand in solidarity with communities of color, we demand greater diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within our organization. 

Join our team and be part of a powerful movement to shape the future of sexual and reproductive health!

“We are Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley”, for more information about our affiliate, please visit: We are Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley! (youtube.com)

For additional career opportunities, please visit our careers page: Careers at PPPSGV | Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley

Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley is an Equal Opportunity Employer.