Jobs › SSM Health

This position has closed. SSM Health removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 6, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Office Assistant

SSM Health · Centralia, IL · $15.00–$22.34 an hour · Full time

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

The posting calls this role the communication hub between patients, providers, imaging, lab and other departments. What does being a communication hub mean to you?

What they are checking: Whether they see the job as keeping information flowing accurately between people, not just answering phones.

Tell me about a time you dealt with an upset patient or customer. What did you say?

What they are checking: Staying calm and kind under pressure, which shapes how patients feel about the whole urgent care visit.

How do you keep track of tasks when you're interrupted every few minutes?

What they are checking: Whether they have a real system to avoid dropping follow-ups in a constantly interrupted front desk role.

This is a PRN role where you'd pick up shifts based on need, and the clinic is open 365 days a year. How would you fit that into your schedule?

What they are checking: Whether they understand PRN means flexible coverage, including weekends and holidays, and can actually pick up shifts.

What would you do

The phones are ringing, two patients are at the window and a provider needs something from you. What do you do first?

What they are checking: Handling competing demands in a busy urgent care without being rude to anyone or losing track of a request.

A patient calls asking for their lab results. How do you handle that call?

What they are checking: Knowing what they can share under privacy rules and getting the right clinician involved instead of guessing.

Someone walks in and says they have chest pain while you're checking them in. What do you do?

What they are checking: Recognizing a possible emergency and getting clinical staff right away rather than continuing the check-in process.

A coworker keeps leaving the front desk messy and records unfiled at the end of their shift. How would you handle it?

What they are checking: Addressing a teamwork problem directly and respectfully rather than complaining or quietly doing all the cleanup.

About the work

How do you make sure a patient's information is entered correctly, like their name, birth date and insurance?

What they are checking: Attention to detail, since a small data error can delay care, cause billing problems or mix up records.

What computer systems or scheduling software have you used, and how quickly do you learn new ones?

What they are checking: Comfort with electronic records and scheduling tools, which is most of the work between patient conversations.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at SSM Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by SSM Health.

It's more than a career, it's a calling. IL-SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Centralia Worker Type: Regular Job Highlights: Join a team where your work matters—every moment, every patient, every community. At SSM Health, you’ll be empowered to grow, supported to thrive, and inspired to make a lasting impact. Serves as a vital partner in supporting clinic, ensuring day-to-day activities run smoothly and efficiently. Brings strong communication and interpersonal skills, confidence in technology and a professional and welcoming phone presence. Department: Neurology and Sleep Disorder Testing Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7: 30 AM – 4:00 PM Apply today. SSM Health – We bring out the incredible in you, everyday. Pay Range: $15.00 - $22.34 Pay Rate Type: Hourly SSM Health values the skills and talents that each team member brings to our organization. Compensation for this role is based on a variety of components including relevant experience, labor market, and other qualifications. The posted pay range for this position is what SSM Health reasonably expects, in good faith, to offer based on the circumstances at the time of posting. SSM Health may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range as permitted by law. Job Summary: Supports clinic, department or program in an administrative capacity. Job Responsibilities and Requirements: PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES • Performs duties under supervision and within well established guidelines. • Greets patients or visitors, answers/screens/routes telephone calls, files, distributes mail and performs other general clerical duties. • May provide assistance with programs/software for Providers. May assemble and maintain patient charts. • Responsible for making copies, answering phones, making appointments, and maintaining records. • May be responsible for maintaining office inventory including ordering su pplies. Ensures that office equipment is in good working order and requests repairs or maintenance as needed. • Communicates with patients, families, physicians and other healthcare team members about patient care according to protocol. • Performs other duties as assigned. EDUCATION • High School diploma/GED or 10 years of work experience EXPERIENCE • No experience required PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Frequent lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 0-25 lbs. • Frequent sitting, standing, walking, reaching and repetitive foot/leg and hand/arm movements. • Frequent use of vision and depth perception for distances near (20 inches or less) and far (20 feet or more) and to identify and distinguish colors. • Frequent use of hearing and speech to share information through oral communication. Ability to hear alarms, malfunctioning machinery, etc. • Frequent keyboard use/data entry. • Occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, squatting, twisting and gripping. • Occasional lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 25-50 lbs. • Rare climbing. REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL LICENSE AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS • None Department: 3602000207 Sleep Disorders Testing Work Shift: Day Shift (United States of America) Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 SSM Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. SSM Health provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Click here to learn more.