Some common tasks performed by administrative medical assistants!

The profession of medical assistant in healthcare industry is a crucial one and is also highly diverse. It has many categories and sub-categories such as clinical, administrative, podiatry and ophthalmic MAs. Therefore, depending upon the area of interest, candidates can select the one that suits them. In this section, we will discuss some of the duties and responsibilities, administrative MAs perform in a typical medical setting.

These particular MAs work with medical staff such as nurses, and physicians to run the office smoothly and provide patients with quality services. They are responsible for carrying out some basic clinical work and administrative tasks. Although, the nature of their job will vary as per the medical office, yet some common duties are discussed below:

Medical record management:

Administrative medical assistant have to deal with lot of files and paperwork. As a part of this profession, you will be responsible for updating, managing, creating and filling out medical records of patients. In addition, you will also be responsible for filling out and coding forms for insurance claim. Handling and maintaining bill records, bookkeeping and ensuring management of stock of medical supplies are some other duties these MAs are responsible for. Candidates first go through training for medical assistance to acquire necessary administration knowledge.

Communication

This is another of many duties that administrative medical assistants have to do, and that is to ensure communication. Apart from staying in touch with physicians and colleagues, these MAs also work with patients. If you are in this profession, you will have to greet the patients, answer the phone call, schedule appointments with doctor and make arrangements for patients who need to be hospitalized, or undergo some lab tests.  As additional work responsibility, you will have to educate the patients about medical procedure and note down their medical history. You will also have to write emails and letters apart from interpersonal communication.

Preparation

If you work in a small medical office, then you will have to carry out both administrative and clinical work. As a part of additional clinic work, you will be responsible for the preparation of examinations rooms, collecting and preparing specimen for lab tests and taking patient’s vital signs. Some additional duties will be sterilizing the medical supplies and instrument and helping the physicians in conducting X-ray procedures and EKGs.

Training for medical assistance profession is must to be a successful MA, as majority of employers look candidates who went through some form of training.