Medical Assistant Salary information

If you want to become a medical assistant, this article includes many of the skills that you will see in a medical assistant job description when you begin looking for work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists medical assisting as one of the fastest growing careers in the nation. They attribute this growth to more elderly in need of medical treatment and an expected increase in outpatient care and doctors’ offices. A medical assistant duties and responsibilities may be different depending on office and specialty. A medical assistant salary varies a lot because their duties and responsibilities are also heavily affected by their location.

 

General Medical Assistant Job Description

 

In general, a medical assistant helps to keep the offices of health professionals running smoothly by performing administrative duties, clinical tasks and sometimes a combination of both depending on the office. They report directly to the office manager or doctor. The scope of a medical assistant duties and responsibilities does not include diagnosing or treating patients; which are some of the duties of a physician assistant.

 

Medical Assistant Job Description of Administrative Duties

 

Medical assistants are trained to perform many administrative duties along with any clinical tasks they perform each day. Depending on where they are employed, administrative duties for a medical assistant may include:

 

-Greeting patients

-Maintaining patient records

-Computer related tasks

-Medical coding and insurance forms

-Scheduling appointments

-Clerical duties such as billing, bookkeeping and handling correspondence

 

Clinical Medical Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

 

The clinical duties of a medical assistance not only differ depending on the office, but each state has different laws which govern the requirements that can be posted in a medical assistant job description in that state. There are several common clinical duties that most medical assistants perform which may include:

 

-Recording the medical history of patients

-Explaining treatments and procedures to patients

-Taking vital signs

-Collecting laboratory specimens

-Disposing of contaminated equipment and supplies

 

In some states the medical assistant job description can include performing tasks directly under a physician such as giving patients information regarding medication, authorizing drug refills, preparing patients for x rays and changing dressings.

 

Specialty Practices

 

Medical assistants work in physician’s offices as well as specialty medical professions which may require special skills. For instance, a medical assistant job description for work in an ophthalmology office may include the ability to perform eye tests, measure eye function and contact lens insertion or removal. Additional skills may also be required in the offices of chiropractors, podiatrists, elder care facilities and other health practices.

 

 

 

Interaction Skills

 

Regardless of location, every medical assistant job description in a classified ad will include people skills as a qualification to apply. This is because a medical assistant must be able to interact with people through effective communication, respect and courtesy to patients and medical staff and have a compassion and caring attitude.

 

Personal Characteristics

 

A medical assistant job description will most often list excellent personal appearance as a qualification. Because they deal with the public, they must always be neat and well groomed. A medical assistant must be willing and able to maintain patient confidentiality. Physically, they should be able to stand for long periods of time if needed and have manual dexterity. They must be patient and be able to perform several tasks at once while maintaining professionalism at all times.