Medical Lab Assistant

For those who want to invent the future of health care, here’s your opportunity. We’re going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 

Optum’s Pacific West region is redefining health care with a focus on health equity, affordability, quality, and convenience. From California, to Oregon and Washington, we are focused on helping more than 2.5 million patients live healthier lives and helping the health system work better for everyone. At Optum Pacific West, we care. We care for our team members, our patients, and our communities. Join our culture of caring and make a positive and lasting impact on health care for millions.

By performing venipuncture and capillary punctures on adult and pediatric patients and performing other routine laboratory duties, this position serves the patient, the physician and other staff members. The Lab Assistant performs processes associated with lab orders, processing and collection of specimens, applies knowledge of laboratory operations to assist patients, providers and other staff members. Performs waive and moderate complexity laboratory procedures, as defined by CLIA, according to standard operating procedures. Operates basic office and lab equipment.

Primary Responsibilities:  

• Perform phlebotomy services, specimen collection and handling.  Assist in the care of patient prior to, during and after phlebotomy.  Collect and label specimens for requested testing, process specimens according to established procedures and guidelines.  Completes documentation necessary to process and perform testing to ensure specimen integrity
• Perform waived and moderate complexity testing as assigned.  Recognize abnormal and critical results and follow up as defined in the critical, stat and test procedures
• Use the computer for order retrieval, results retrieval, test ordering and test resulting (for tests they perform and physician performed microscopics).  Use resources and computer as a reference guide for specimen collection, to provide information and answer questions
• Apply knowledge of lab operations to assist patients, assistants and providers. Communicate appropriate information to providers.  Answer telephone, take messages and provide routine laboratory information
• Follow established laboratory policies and procedures
• Maintain work area including appropriate record keeping, ordering and stocking of supplies and adhering to safety rules and regulations.  Conduct basic equipment maintenance
• Perform and participate in department quality assurance program procedures.  Organize and prioritize work duties
• Instruct patients on urine collection procedures.  Allocate urine specimens
• Dispose of contaminated material according to established policy and OSHA regulations.  Comply with OSHA, HIPAA, OMG, Safety and CLIA regulations.  Use PPE as required
• Collect Glucose Tolerance Testing, including administering correct Glucose dosing.  Following established policies and procedures instruct patients in the procedure for home collection of specimens and timed specimens including Glucose
• Tolerance Test.  Give verbal and written instructions
• Help orient and train new laboratory staff as needed
• Demonstrate flexibility, cooperation and support team goals.  Demonstrate professional behavior
• Enhance professional growth and development through in-service meetings and educating programs
• Attend staff meetings as required
• Maintain strictest confidentiality
• Perform other duties as assigned

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.