Medical Office Personel
A.
Medical Assistant
B.
Medical Secretary
C.
Medical Office Manager
No clinic or hospital department
could function without the special skills of clerical staff.
If you are interested in office
work with an extra measure of challenge, intellectual stimulation, excitement,
and personal satisfaction, you can choose from among dozens of
medically-related clerical positions.
You could be a department
secretary in a special area of medicine that intrigues you, or a unit
secretary in a fast-paced nursing station. You could work in the
administrative office, the emergency room, the laboratory, or in research.
As a medical assistant or
secretary in a healthcare setting, you must be exceptionally conscientious,
mature, and responsible. You must have a keen understanding of how your work
ultimately affects the operation of the hospital or clinic and the patients
they serve.
A. Medical Assistant
Medical Assistants
provide various types of medical
care and related services. Medical Assistants may assist physicians in
examining patients or may handle duties involving office management.
Work Activities
·
Preparing
treatment rooms for the examination of patients
·
Checking and
recording the patient’s pulse, blood pressure, temperature, weight, height,
and other medical history data
·
Assisting in
operating equipment, such as EKG (electrocardiograph) and X-ray machines
·
Administering
injections and medications and collecting blood samples and other specimens
·
Assisting with
some laboratory and surgical procedures
·
Arranging for
hospital admission and laboratory work as requested by the physician
·
Instructing
patients in the use of medications and other treatments
·
Scheduling
appointments, receiving payments for bills, maintaining medical and financial
records, completing insurance forms, performing general secretarial tasks, and
assisting with office management
·
Preparing
inventories of office, medical, and laboratory supplies to determine items
that need to be ordered
Career Specialties
Medical Assistants’ duties may
be either clinical or administrative, but they usually involve both, depending
on their training and the needs of their employer. Medical Assistants may be
designated as Chiropractic Assistants or Podiatric Assistants.
Work Settings
Medical Assistants work under
the supervision and direction of physicians. They may work alone, with other
assistants, or with other health personnel, such as registered or licensed
practical nurses. They may supervise medical secretaries and clerks. Medical
Assistants work in offices, clinics, hospitals, industrial plants, schools,
and research and medical laboratories, where working
conditions vary. Medical
Assistants may be exposed to infection, communicable diseases, and
contaminated material.
Special Requirements
Medical assisting is one of the
few health occupations open to individuals with no formal training. Applicants
usually need a high school diploma or the equivalent. Certification of Medical
Assistants is not mandatory in Arkansas. However, physicians may require it
for employment. There are two certifying organizations: the American
Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the American Medical
Technologists (AMT). Both the AAMA and the AMT require applicants for
certification to pass examinations. In order to qualify for the examinations,
applicants must have completed an approved program of study or have sufficient
training and work experience.
Educational Institutions
ATU, BRTC, CCCUA, OTC, OC, PCCUA,
SACC, SAUT, SEAC, UACCB, UACCH (C)
For more information, contact:
The American Association of
Medical Assistants
20 North Wacker Dr., Suite 1575
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 899-1500
www.aama-ntl.org
B. Medical Secretary
Medical Secretaries,
also called Medical Transcriptionists or Medical Administrative
Assistants, perform a variety of clerical tasks and assume minor executive
responsibilities in order to keep the office running smoothly. Their main
purpose is to conserve the employer’s time by organizing the office and being
responsible for some administrative duties.
Work Activities
·
Taking hand or
machine dictation
·
Transcribing
medical notes for patient records or research reports
·
Writing and typing
letters and memoranda
·
Opening and
sorting the mail
·
Greeting patients
and other visitors
·
Receiving and
placing phone calls
·
Scheduling
appointments for patients
·
Maintaining
records and time cards
·
Filing
correspondence, reports, and records
·
Bookkeeping and
billing patients
Career Specialties
Some Medical Secretaries are
trained in specific areas of medicine. Their familiarity with the terminology
may allow them to concentrate in ophthalmology, dermatology, pathology, or
another specialty.
Work Settings
Medical Secretaries work alone
or with other employees in a large office. These secretaries are employed by
physicians or other health care professionals, hospitals, clinics, local or
state health departments, group medical practices, or medical research
departments. They may supervise other clerical personnel and may be supervised
by an office manager or nurse.
Special Requirements
Most employers require
applicants to have a minimum typing speed of 50 to 60 words per minute and
dictation skills of 80 words per minute. Knowledge of medical terminology is
required. Other desired skills include competence in spelling, punctuation,
and grammar.
Educational Institutions
Medical Administrative
Assistant/Secretary:
NPCC, PCCUA (C)
Medical Transcription:
ASUMH, ATU, BHS, CCCUA, MSCC, NAC, NPCC, OTC, PTC,SACC, SEAC (C)
For more information, contact:
