Back Office Medical Assistant Job Description

Medical assistants help maintain organization and keep the facility running efficiently by performing a range of clerical tasks. Administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, answering calls, fielding patients' questions, taking patients' medical history and filing and maintaining patient records are usually done by the medical assistant. Medical assistants perform a variety of clinical tasks under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.

Medical assistants are often used to help a doctor during a patient's checkup or record vital signs before meeting with the doctor. A medical assistant's main responsibilities are to attend the reception area of the doctors' practices, file paperwork and maintain an organized office setting. Medical assistants are required to have a working knowledge of how to perform clerical tasks.

Medical assistants should have a basic understanding of clinical tasks in addition to the administrative responsibilities. Medical assistants should have the skills to understand patient care, procedures, medical terminology, tools and clinical pharmacology. Continuous on-the-job training is offered by many employers so employees can continue to build upon their clinical skills.

Medical assistants rely on their skills in building relationships in the workplace to interact with patients and staff. Quality care and clinical service can be provided if patients are connected and empathised with. In a medical assisting role, effective communication is necessary.

Medical assistants are often required to have written communication skills such as entering patient information into databases and recording patient information. Communication skills can be demonstrated by the ability to make suggestions and actively listen. Medical assistants need exceptional organization so that they can locate patient files, equipment and resources easily.

Communication in a Medical Office

The medical staff and clerical staff have their own supervisors in the medical office. The doctor and the supervisors make policies for the employees. The front office is the first place patients are seen.

There will be policies on how the calls are to be answered and how they are distributed. The doctor will record her findings in her medical record. In some medical practices, the doctors will use a medical transcriptionist to type dictated reports into the medical record.

The doctor can order exams to be performed outside of the office. The medical practice could have the facilities to do X-Ray and lab work. The nurse will send the patient for an exam or make arrangements for outside services if the orders are entered into the medical record.

The medical record will be sent to the insurance company. The appointment clerk will make the appointment for the patient when the authorizations are received. The current visit and associated medical notes will be reviewed by the coding clerk to verify the codes needed to complete the insurance claim form.

The clerk has a lot of resources through the computer software and books that can be used to communicate with the insurance company about what services were provided and the diagnostic reason for the services. There are many hours of phone time for medical assistants. In larger practices, nurses are assigned to the phone lines.

Medical Assistant Jobs in a Diverse Setting

Medical assistants have a wide range of skills, but certain ones have become wildly popular in the job market. The specialized qualities of a medical assistant, such as analytical skills, attention to details, and personal skills, are of paramount importance to prospective employers. Interpersonal skills are important in medical assisting as you have to form bonds with patients and colleagues.

Medical spheres are diverse. MA jobs are all about helping each other out, regardless of the setting they are in. Your nature and your personality are two of the things that can affect how well you fare as an MA.

A Resume Example for a Medical Assistant

You don't need a license to become a medical assistant. Medical assistants can get a certificate. Some people have a high school degree and are able to learn on the job.

Monitoring inventories of medical supplies and re-ordering as needed are some of the skills that medical administrative skills include. You can schedule patient appointments, arrange for hospital admissions, work with laboratory services, and record medical histories. The personal qualities you possess make you the best person for the job.

To be a medical assistant, you have to be detail-oriented, committed to accuracy, and compassionate. Good communication skills are required. You must be able to do both.

Medical Assistants: How to Keep Your Equipment Sterile

A good medical assistant can manage both their time and their employer's time. If you work in a private practice, you may be required to schedule appointments with the doctor. It is important to manage your time well because medical assistants have a wide range of clerical tasks that they need to perform each day.

Employers want to see that you can complete tasks in a reasonable amount of time, and that you can keep things running smoothly. Sterile equipment is used in health care. Medical assistants should know how to keep equipment sterile and how to maintain a strong practice of doing so.

Every employer takes sterilizable equipment seriously. Most health care facilities follow strict protocols to keep patients and employees safe. Medical assistants need to know how to bill customers, how to deal with infectious diseases, and how to fill out paperwork.