Medical Administrative Assistant Career Profile

2007-10-15 12:53:47

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



Functions of a Medical Administrative Assistant

As a medical administrative assistant, you perform a wide assortment of duties in a medical clinic or hospital administration office. You need to arrange appointments on behalf of patients for consultations, treatment procedures, or hospital admissions. You update patient medical records, prepare billings, and file health insurance claims.

Your functions are not just limited to acting as a liaison on behalf of patients and doctors. You also need to perform some bookkeeping and financial management duties, such as collecting dues from patients and insurance companies, and posting to your office ledgers.

Technically, you are performing practically all of the functions required of a medical office, except assisting the doctor in treatment or surgical procedures.

Career Opportunities

Presently, there is a very high demand for efficient medical administrative assistants, as doctors normally don't have the time to take care of their own clinical and financial records. Medical insurance policies and systems have also become increasingly complicated to interpret, so medical institutions need to hire qualified people who are well-versed in this field.

You can also find good employment in hospitals, medical centers, and health insurance companies. While the pay may be initially low in an entry level position, you can easily move up to a managerial position especially in a small medical office.

Training and Preparation Required

In order to properly execute your duties as a medical administrative assistant, you need to undergo the right training.

A typical medical assistant training program lasts about two years, and earns you an associate degree. This is shorter than an average baccalaureate degree because there are fewer required general education credits.

As in any other medical field, you will be taking courses in anatomy and physiology, as well as in pharmacology and health. You will learn medical vocabulary for medical transcription purposes, and also take up computer training in accounting and medical office management software. You will also learn medical coding and billing techniques which are essential for preparing patient accounts and for dealing with insurance claims.

Where to Find Medical Assistant Schools

Most local colleges and universities offer the medical assistant training course, or you could go to specialized schools. You can find a list of reputable schools online. Some sites also post complete course syllabuses and descriptions.

Another excellent source for information would be your local hospital or medical center. You can try finding out which schools they prefer to recruit medical assistants from, and have a general idea of which schools are considered reputable.

Shop around and visit the campuses to check out their training facilities. Don't forget to ask about the school's placement programs for graduates.


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