Choosing to become a medical professional can be a rewarding experience and gratifying career path. Oftentimes, students decide to enroll in a medical assistant program because it can serve as an introduction to the medical field and will allow them to advance in their career after a few years of experience or continued education.
As the medical field continues to expand and qualified staff is needed, students can earn their medical assistant certification and usually find a job following graduation.
Manage Office
As a medical assistant, one of your primary roles will be to manage the daily happenings within the office setting. This would include careful monitoring of patient charts and sensitive information, scheduling in-house appointments, and possibly coordinating specialist referrals, as well as performing basic administrative tasks around the office.
Doing so helps to ensure that the office runs smoothly and that the medical team has what they need to perform their jobs effectively. It also helps ensure that patients receive the best treatment possible while they are under your care.
Healthcare agencies are extremely particular about handling sensitive patient information. All healthcare-related agencies must follow strict HIPAA guidelines for patient privacy, which requires specialized knowledge and training protocols.
Coordinate Billing
In order for any business to be financially successful, proper care must be maintained to see that patient bills are paid and money is coming into the facility. This could mean either collecting money from the patient directly or coordinating payment efforts with insurance companies. As a medical assistant, this will also be a part of your responsibility.
Some clients may have multiple insurance companies listed which means you will have to coordinate payment options between primary and secondary insurance companies. To do this properly, specialized knowledge is needed in order to know how insurance companies operate. During your schooling, you’ll learn about proper billing and coding procedures to make sure the office receives the payments due.
Perform Basic Procedures
Medical assistants are also responsible for performing basic procedures during patient visits. This will include walking patients to the examining room, checking their vitals, and could include drawing blood or collecting other samples for laboratory tests.
Your schooling will include specialized training in anatomy, physiology, and CPR so that you are well prepared to be called into action to support the medical team. To be certified you’ll also require proper training dealing with the cardiopulmonary system and to perform electrocardiographs.
Cultivate Positive Patient Relationships
Tying all responsibilities together, you’ll be expected to have the right communication skills that will allow you to cultivate positive patient relationships. Medical assistants are front-line workers and typically the first professional that patients meet or the one they interact with most often. As such, it’s important that you have the necessary skills that will effectively address patient concerns and help them to feel comforted in difficult situations.
If you’re looking for a rewarding career in the medical field then becoming a medical assistant could be a step in the right direction.
