Becoming A Medical Assistant
Many schools and training programs advertise the benefits of becoming a medical assistant, but many people have only a vague idea about what a medical assistant does. Before choosing to train as medical assistant it is important for people to know what a medical assistant is and what they do in the medical community.
What Is a Medical Assistant?
A medical assistant is a trained professional who performs basic clinical tasks and clerical duties in a doctor’s office. Medical assistants may also work in medical facilities like hospitals, residential care facilities, skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers. In most cases they greet patients and prepare them for examinations and medical tests. They also answer phones, schedule appointments and handle medical records, billing and coding.
Medical Assistants are Not Physician’s Assistants
While medical assistants handle basic clinical tasks for doctors and nurses, they do not have the same training or duties as physicians’ assistants. Physician’s assistants must have a bachelor’s degree, but most have a master’s degree in medicine. They can prescribe medications and assist in surgery under a doctor’s supervision. Medical assistants most often have an associate’s degree and they cannot prescribe medication and they are not qualified to assist in complex medical procedures.
Why Do Doctor’s Need Medical Assistants?
Medical assistants perform clerical tasks like answering the phone and scheduling appointments which allows doctors and nurses to spend more time with patients. They may also be responsible for billing and coding and keeping accounts which is an important aspect of any medical practice. Often, medical assistants inventory supplies, stock exam rooms and sterilize equipment which helps doctors and nurses work smoothly without interruption.
What Function Can Medical Assistants Serve in Hospitals?
The two main functions served by medical assistants in hospitals are clinical and administrative. Clinical medical assistants can perform basic tasks like taking vitals and drawing blood which frees doctors and nurses to handle more complex medical issues. Administrative medical assistants usually work in hospital offices keeping medical records, handling hospital billing, answering phone calls and questions from patients and visitors.
Do Nursing Facilities Need Medical Assistants?
Skilled nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and residential care centers can utilize the skills of both clinical and administrative medical assistants. Since most patients in these facilities don’t need the constant care of a doctor or nurse, medical assistants can perform the daily tasks of taking and recording vital signs, administering medications and collecting fluids for testing. Administrative assistants perform many of the same tasks they would perform in hospitals.
What Is a Medical Assistant?
A medical assistant is many things depending on the work environment and his or her choice of specialty. They may be a doctor’s right hand, the person who keeps the practice running smoothly. They may also be the face at the hospital that helps patients to complete insurance forms or prepares them for medical exams or procedures. The chances are that anyone who visits a doctor’s office or goes to a hospital has spoken with a medical assistant, they just didn’t know it.
What do Medical Assistants Do?
Medical assistants perform a variety of both clinical and clerical tasks although the exact nature of their duties depends largely on where they are employed. In doctor’s offices they may perform both basic clinical duties and clerical tasks like answering the phone and scheduling appoints. In hospitals they may assist patients in completing insurance forms, handle billing procedures or enter medical records into information systems.
Clinical Duties in a Doctor’s Office
In a doctor’s office, medical assistants may perform basic clinical duties like taking the patient’s vitals, collecting blood and urine samples and performing simple laboratory tests. They may be responsible for stocking exam rooms with medical supplies and sterilizing equipment as well as cleaning exam rooms between patients. In some offices they may apply wound dressings, change dressings, remove sutures and administer medication like vaccines.
Clinical Duties in a Hospital
In a hospital, medical assistants prepare patients for medical examinations or diagnostic tests, take vitals, administer medication, draw blood and they may perform basic lab tests. They are often responsible for restocking exam rooms and sterilizing medical equipment. In emergency rooms, they may be called upon to assess patients and determine those in greatest need of treatment. They also dress wounds, remove sutures and administer medications under a doctor’s supervision.
Administrative Duties in a Medical Office
In a physician’s office, medical assistants answer phones, schedule appointments, keep medical records, handle billing and insurance claims, perform accounting tasks, inventory and order medical supplies, and handle correspondence. They also greet patients and juggle their administrative work with their clinical duties. Medical assistants in this environment need to be able to multi-task while keeping their focus on the patients.
Administrative Duties in a Hospital
Administrative medical assistants work in hospital offices. They are usually assigned to a specific department where they may be responsible for working with medical records and information systems, billing and coding or inventorying hospital equipment and supplies. Some medical assistants may handle phone calls for the hospital or assist patients in completing insurance forms or filing for state medical benefits.
Choosing the Right Position
While the majority of medical assistants currently work in medical offices, the demand for assistants in hospitals and other medical facilities is growing. The demand for trained medical professionals is greater than the supply, and medical assistants can free nurses from basic clinical tasks so they can perform more complex duties. On this note, the choice between a hospital or office setting will determine the duties of the medical assistant.
What Do Medical Assistants Do?
What medical assistants really do is to allow doctors and hospitals to utilize the training of all medical professionals to the fullest extent. Handling the basic medical tasks in an office or hospital frees nurses and doctors to perform the more complex medical work for which they are trained. Administrative medical assistants keep records in order and collect bills so the hospital or doctor’s office has the funds to continue operating.
How to Become a Medical Assistant
In most cases, a medical assistant career requires one to two years of post secondary training at an accredited school or training program. Exceptions are made for those who received on the job training and have 5 or more years experience in medical assisting; as well as members of the armed forces who have worked as medical assistants for 5 or more years.
Prerequisites for Training Programs
In order to be accepted into a medical assistant training program, applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants with felony convictions may be accepted into training programs, but may not be allowed to sit for the certification exam. Certifying bodies decide these cases on their individual merits. High school students intending to enter medical assistant training are encouraged to take math and science courses.
Completing a Training Program
Training programs may be one or two years and lead to a certificate of completion or an associate’s degree respectively. The programs include courses in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, medical ethics, medical law, accounting and information systems. Clinical training is required and many programs include an externship where students work in a hospital environment under supervision of an instructor, a nurse or a physician’s assistant.
Certification for Medical Assistants
There are four separate organizations which offer certification for medical assistants. Although certification is voluntary, most employers will not hire assistants who have not become certified. All four organizations require that the medical assistant take a written exam, and all require that medical assistants re-certify periodically through continuing education programs or by taking an additional exam.
Licensing and Regulations for Medical Assistants
Some states may require that medical assistants be licensed, although in most cases licensing involves special areas like x-rays or phlebotomy which require additional training. All states have regulations regarding the scope of activities which a medical assistant is permitted to perform. In some states, medical assistants are not allowed to have any direct contact with patients unless a licensed medical professional is present.
Professional Organizations
There are two professional organizations for medical assistants, the American Association for Medical Assistants and the American Medical Technologists. While it is not necessary to join a professional organization, it is usually a good idea. Members of the AAMA receive a discount on their certification exam and on continuing education courses for re-certification. Belonging to a professional organization should be included in a resume as it looks professional to employers.
It requires commitment and dedication to become a medical assistant; training courses are difficult and not all assistants are able to be certified the first time they sit for the exam. Certified assistants must continue their education to remain current in the medical field where new discoveries are made daily. Once a student becomes a medical assistant he or she can look forward to a rewarding career in a growing industry.