Medical Assistant Job Description

Duties

Perform administrative and basic clinical tasks under the direction of a physician. The job of a medical assistant may vary depending on the position you hold and what type of office you are.

Administrative tasks include:

• Scheduling appointments.
• Registration and Handling medical records.
• Accounting, bookkeeping and data entry.
• Answering phone calls and inquiries.
• Filling up forms for insurance purposes and other data entry tasks.
• Front desk receptionist (greeting and logging in patients, explaining hospital admission to visitors.)

Clinical tasks include:

• Taking, documenting vital signs, medical histories and complaints of patients and producing it when needed.
• Arranging the appointments of patients according to the doctor’s schedule
• Helping doctor during minor surgeries.
• Applying and changing dressings on wounds.
• Administer medications as directed by physicians.
• Performing basic lab tests.
• Maintaining the cleanliness and sanitation of medical equipments and supplies.

Working Conditions

• Medical assistants work full time for 40 hours a week. However some medical assistants work part time during evening or weekends.
• Medical assistants are assigned in doctor’s offices, hospitals and clinics that are well lighted and have clean environment but very busy and challenging place to work.
• They regularly interact with other people and may handle multiple tasks at once.

Educational Requirements

To work as a certified medical assistant, it is necessary to have the following:

• A higher secondary education or any equivalent diploma or technical course certificate. However, having an Associate of Applied Science degree from any accredited CAAHEP (Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) college program is an advantage because most employers prefer to hire graduates with formal training programs.
• A medical assistant can become certified or registered by distinctive associations. This involves meeting certain training and experiences as well as passing the national test given every January and June. The training includes all important administrative and clinical procedures, communication and practical computer skills, and front office grooming and conduct. Certificates are not necessary but it makes professional distinction.

Occupation and Progress

Medical assistant plays a vital role in a society. They are key members of hospitals, clinics, and health care establishments. Jobs of medical assistants would cover a wide range of tasks from administrative to clinical. They provide assistance to medical doctors in giving general check-ups, giving necessary information and performing operational procedures to the patients including doing the office and desk jobs in hospitals or clinics.

Medical Assisting has been regarded as one of the most rapid growing health care professions. There is a high demand of medical assistant nowadays, responding to the needs of ever growing number of aging population and the pursuit to deliver immediate and excellent medical services. Medical doctors need at least one medical assistant to work them, clinics, hospitals and need many thus the total number of jobs for medical assistants continues to grow. Further promotion comes with experience, training and good performance. Becoming a supervisor or a manager is a possibility given having good leadership and organizational skills.

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