Ophthalmic Technician

Interested in a career with both meaning and growth? Whether your abilities are in direct patient care or one of the many other areas of healthcare administration and support, everyone at Parkland works together to fulfill our mission: the health and well-being of individuals and communities entrusted to our care. By joining Parkland, you become part of a diverse healthcare legacy that’s served our community for more than 125 years. Put your skills to work with us, seek opportunities to learn and join a talented team where patient care is more than a job. It’s our passion.

Primary Purpose: Assists the provider in all fields of clinical care, including the maintenance of ophthalmological equipment, patient testing and surgery and supports the diagnostic testing, provides basic imaging and care of the patient.

Minimum Specifications

Education

-High school diploma or equivalent.

-Must have completed a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) - or - -Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) training program.

Experience

-Must have two (2) year of relevant Ophthalmology experience.

Certification/Registration/Licensure

-Must be certified in Ophthalmology by the Joint Commission Allied Health Personnel (JCAHPO) upon hire.

-Current incumbents in the role as of August 1, 2023 must obtain their Ophthalmology certification by July 31, 2024.

-Must have current healthcare provider BLS for Healthcare Providers certification from one of the following:

• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Military Training Network

-Current incumbents in the role as of August 1, 2023 must obtain a health care provider BLS for Healthcare Providers certification no later than October 30, 2023.

Skills or Special Abilities

-Must be able to communicate effectively with patients, hospital staff and the general public.

-Must be able to interact with co-workers and patients to expedite and organize patient care.

-Must be able to ensure appropriate staff assignments to cover multiple providers and their individual needs.

-Must be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of ocular screening devices and photography devices.

-Must be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of ocular surgical instruments and reconstructive surgeries that are performed on patients.

-Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in meeting age-related and handicapped patients' needs.

-Must be able to demonstrate skill in providing ocular screening for all types of Ophthalmology patients.

-Must possess a basic knowledge of ophthalmic photography equipment and information technology media related to the area of specialization.

-Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of ophthalmic diseases.

-Must fulfill Super User responsibilities.

-Must be able to coordinate training of new Ophthalmic Assistants.

Responsibilities

1. Conducts patient work-ups (i.e., manifest refraction, applanation with tono-pen and dilation and evaluation of pupils, retina scan) to assist the provider in patient assessment

2. Tests patients for Goldmann visual fields to assist in determining the extent of development of a disease process.

3. Tests patients for Humphrey visual fields to assist in determining the progression of glaucoma and disease processes.

4. Tests patients using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to assist in determining the extent or progression of disease processes when needed.

5. Makes initial contact with patients, providing ocular evaluations (i.e., visual acuity, automatic refractions, lensometry) to assist the provider in patient assessment.

6. Prepares and handles instruments to assist in minor surgery.

7. Instruct patients on contact lenses' care and handling (insertion and removal) to ensure proper patient care and safety.

8. Gathers information and lab reports for physicians to expedite patient exams.

9. Cleans and stocks lanes (inventory supplies) and reports depleted supplies to ensure sufficient supplies and materials are available.

10. Maintains equipment inventory to maintain supplies and avoid shortages

11. Attends in-services and continuing education clinics to ensure ongoing certification. Integrates knowledge gained into current work practices.

12. May administer unit dose medications under the direction of the delegating physician according to department policies and procedures after completing competencies and signing the Physician-Unit Based Medication Administration Delegation form.

13. Identifies and analyzes the design of jobs, work processes, workflows, etc., for areas assigned.

14. Modifies approach, communication, and interaction to take account of sensory impairments and specific needs of all patients, in particular older adults.

15. Recommends appropriate changes to improve effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency that support the department's and Parkland's overall goals.

16. Maintains and/or coordinates maintenance for all photo equipment, i.e. photographic equipment, scopes, lasers, etc., to ensure proper working condition of equipment at all times.

17. Identifies ways to improve work processes and improve customer (internal as well as external) satisfaction. Makes recommendations to supervisor and implements and monitors results as appropriate in support of Parkland's overall goals and mission.

18. Maintains a positive working relationship with patients, medical staff, clinic staff, management, internal customers, and vendors to facilitate cooperative and coordinated interaction.24. Assists as needed in daily clinical operations to include activities such as patient work-ups, history, assessments, patient discharge, minor surgical procedures, etc., to ensure clinic operates effectively and efficiently.

19. Completes duties such as daily merge reports, referrals, budget requests, training objectives, etc., as assigned.

20. Serves on various committees as assigned

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Parkland Health and Hospital System prohibits discrimination based on age (40 or over), race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, national origin, marital status, political belief, or veteran status. As part of our commitment to our patients and employees’ wellness, Parkland Health is a tobacco and smoke-free campus.