Medical Massage Therapist

POSITION PURPOSE & SUMMARY

A Medical Massage Therapist works closely with doctors to treat patients who are affected by pain, illness, or injury. Their work has the specific goal to alleviate pain and treat health conditions such as neuropathy, cancer, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, or even high blood pressure.

The work of a Medical Massage Therapist differs from that of a general massage therapist. Medical massage therapists have advanced training and experience that allows them to provide care focused on healing injuries, improving function, or increasing circulation. They typically work in hospitals or clinics, may receive orders from a physician as to the type of massage treatment they should give their patients, and can be paid for their services through the patient's health insurance.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Providing massages to patients by appointment for a variety of lengths.

• Take a detailed client history and note any health conditions.

• Evaluate clients to determine painful or stressed areas of the body.

• Guide clients through service offerings and determine which type of massage would benefit them most.

• Using various massage techniques to manipulate muscles and soft tissue to treat chronic pain and injuries.

• Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints.

• Listening and explaining various aspects of medical massage to patients, adjusting technique as they desire.

• May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength or propose client therapy plans.

• Advise clients on stretching, strengthening or relaxation methods,

• Leads and ensures a consistent high-quality effective clinical care is being consistently delivered.

• Suggest future massage appointments and regime to clients.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Experience working in a spa or therapy center environment preferred.

• 4+ years' experience as a professional massage therapist

• Proficient knowledge of reflexology, Swedish, prenatal, hot stone, trigger point, sports, and deep tissue massage

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written

• Dexterous and able to stand for extended periods.

• Ability to keep a well-groomed, professional appearance.

• Ability to perform massages on diverse patients.

• Familiar with accurately entering patient data in an EMR system in a timely manner.

• Understands health and wellness trends.

• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff, patients, members, and guests.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Knowledge

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with a high degree of diplomacy and team involvement.

• Must be a confident communicator and presenter. Tact, empathy, and self-discipline are traits required.

• Must possess excellent organizational and planning skills. Needs to excel in problem solving and be analytical and detail oriented.

• Ability to work independently and exercise judgment to resolve personnel and production issues that arise during daily operations.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, team members, members, and the general public.

• Must be able to understand medical, and wellness related terminology including the various treatment modalities, equipment, and products.

• Must effectively manage HIPAA and related compliance regulations.

• Must be able to think critically and creatively, have knowledge of proper body mechanics to prevent injury.

Formal Education & Job-Related Experience

• Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) certification required.

• Board certification through additional training and passing the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTB) Exam.

• A minimum five (5) years professional experience has a Medical Massage Therapist, either in a clinic or hospital setting, is preferred.

License, Registration, and/or Certification Required

þ Valid Driver's License

o Food Protection Manager Certification

o Alcohol Server / Seller Certification

þ Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) þ NCBTB Certification

þ First-Aid / CPR / AED Certification

o Food Handler Certification

o Licensed Personal Trainer

o AFAA Group Exercise

Problem Solving

Identifiable - Information is clear but further investigation often is required in order to define problems and proceed. Often requires modifying existing procedures / precedents within established policy.

Guidance

Projects are assigned with considerable latitude for decision making and setting of priorities. Work may be periodically reviewed according to achievement of predefined goals.