Medical assistant advice:
http://medicaladvices.blogspot.com/2005/10/role-of-medical-assistant-in-modern.html
Many physicians are unsure of what tasks are appropriate to assign to a Medical Assistant. It is important to remember Medical Assistants are not licensed to make independent medical assessments or give advice. Although many Medical Assistants may have advanced training in certain clinical areas it is ultimately the responsibility of the supervising physician or other licensed health care provider to assure that their staff and Medical Assistants working in the office are performing duties in compliance with all governing laws.
Physicians must determine the skill level and capabilities of each Medical Assistant they supervise and take into account liability risk and quality control when assigning them their responsibilities. Physicians should provide initial direct supervision and periodically assess the quality of their work. In practices with nurse managers, medical assistants can receive additional supervision coordinated to maximize workflow in a practice. Communicating the Medical Assistant roles to other staff and clearly delineating their responsibilities is important in maximizing the productivity of the health care team.
There are many lwas that govern the function of a medical assistant and other medical office staff members, so a Medical Assistant should never perform any duties or functions unless specifically instructed my their supervising physician or other licensed health care professions.
Although legal requirements addressing Medical Assistants scope of practice vary by state, Medical Assistant generally work under the license of their supervising physician or the managed care organization that employs them. If you have any questions about the legal role a medical assistant may play in your practice please contact your local state medical board for advise. Additional Medical Assistant training inforamtion information is available at St. Augustine Medical Assistant School: www.medassistant.org, which now offers online distance education training for Medical Assistants
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Monday, May 03, 2004
Medical Assistant Education
Medical Assistant careers are gathering demand in the background of a healthcare industry boom worldwide. A Medical Assistant essentially is a healthcare professional with multiple responsibilities and skill sets required to execute the same. Both administrative and medical tasks that do not need much medical proficiency fall into the ambit of a Medical Assistant.
Medical Assistants are indispensable in any modern day healthcare practice. Engaged under physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners. Medical Assistants attend to the complexities involved in delivering medical services.
By accomplishing administrative and other responsibilities, Medical Assistants make it easier for the practitioners to concentrate on attending to and treating patients.
Medical Assistants execute varied administrative, laboratory and clinical tasks in different health care institutions.
Often, Medical Assistants are seen as generalists who are involved with many aspects of the medical profession but do not specialize in them.
A detailed overview of the activities of a Medical Assistant is given here:
Administrative duties:
General administration which includes day-to-day activities and other tasks. These include:
Communication - both internal and external and office correspondence.
Patient welfare - maintenance of patient records, insurance forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission.
Billing and bookkeeping.
Maintain medical and drug supplies.
Clinical duties:
Clinical duties require discreet manual dexterity and visual acuity. A Medical Assistant has to support the medical practitioner with the following:
Recording vital signs.
Preparing patients for examination, explaining treatment procedures to patients.
Assisting the physician during the examination.
Instructing patients about medications and special diets.
Preparation and administration of medications.
Laboratory tasks:
Laboratory tasks include:
Collection and preparation of laboratory specimens.
Performing basic laboratory tests on the premises.
Draw blood, prepare patients for X-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures and change dressings.
Disposal of contaminated supplies and sterilization of medical instruments.
Medical Assistants employed at small medical outfits may undertake both administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the office manager or health practitioner.
Larger medical outfits have Medical Assistants reporting to department administrators and specializing only in a particular area.
Medical Assistant - Essential qualities and skills:
Duties entailed in medical assisting vary with the type of health care facility, size, location and specialisation.
A pleasant disposition is a must as Medical Assistants constantly interact with patients and public. Courteous manners, a well groomed personality and an aptitude for making people feel at ease are essential.
Simple medical and clinical skills and administrative abilities are integral to the profile of a Medical Assistant.
Traditionally, Medical Assistants did not need to be certified as they learnt on the job. This scenario has changed and contemporary medical practices prefer trained and certified Medical Assistant professionals to untrained individuals
Medical Assistants are indispensable in any modern day healthcare practice. Engaged under physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners. Medical Assistants attend to the complexities involved in delivering medical services.
By accomplishing administrative and other responsibilities, Medical Assistants make it easier for the practitioners to concentrate on attending to and treating patients.
Medical Assistants execute varied administrative, laboratory and clinical tasks in different health care institutions.
Often, Medical Assistants are seen as generalists who are involved with many aspects of the medical profession but do not specialize in them.
A detailed overview of the activities of a Medical Assistant is given here:
Administrative duties:
General administration which includes day-to-day activities and other tasks. These include:
Communication - both internal and external and office correspondence.
Patient welfare - maintenance of patient records, insurance forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission.
Billing and bookkeeping.
Maintain medical and drug supplies.
Clinical duties:
Clinical duties require discreet manual dexterity and visual acuity. A Medical Assistant has to support the medical practitioner with the following:
Recording vital signs.
Preparing patients for examination, explaining treatment procedures to patients.
Assisting the physician during the examination.
Instructing patients about medications and special diets.
Preparation and administration of medications.
Laboratory tasks:
Laboratory tasks include:
Collection and preparation of laboratory specimens.
Performing basic laboratory tests on the premises.
Draw blood, prepare patients for X-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures and change dressings.
Disposal of contaminated supplies and sterilization of medical instruments.
Medical Assistants employed at small medical outfits may undertake both administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the office manager or health practitioner.
Larger medical outfits have Medical Assistants reporting to department administrators and specializing only in a particular area.
Medical Assistant - Essential qualities and skills:
Duties entailed in medical assisting vary with the type of health care facility, size, location and specialisation.
A pleasant disposition is a must as Medical Assistants constantly interact with patients and public. Courteous manners, a well groomed personality and an aptitude for making people feel at ease are essential.
Simple medical and clinical skills and administrative abilities are integral to the profile of a Medical Assistant.
Traditionally, Medical Assistants did not need to be certified as they learnt on the job. This scenario has changed and contemporary medical practices prefer trained and certified Medical Assistant professionals to untrained individuals
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Medical Assistant Laws
There are many laws that govern the function of a medical assistant and other medical office staff members, so a Medical Assistant should never perform any duties or functions unless specifically instructed my their supervising physician or other licensed health care professions. Although legal requirements addressing Medical Assistants scope of practice vary by state, Medical Assistant generally work under the license of their supervising physician or the managed care organization that employs them. If you have any questions about the legal role a medical assistant may play in your practice please contact your local state medical board for advise.
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Medical Assistant :: Medical Assistant Tasks
Many physicians are unsure of what tasks are appropriate to assign to a Medical Assistant. It is important to remember Medical Assistants are not licensed to make independent medical assessments or give advice. Although many Medical Assistants may have advanced training in certain clinical areas it is ultimately the responsibility of the supervising physician or other licensed health care provider to assure that their staff and Medical Assistants working in the office are performing duties in compliance with all governing laws.
Physicians must determine the skill level and capabilities of each Medical Assistant they supervise and take into account liability risk and quality control when assigning them their responsibilities. Physicians should provide initial direct supervision and periodically assess the quality of their work. In practices with nurse managers, medical assistants can receive additional supervision coordinated to maximize workflow in a practice. Communicating the Medical Assistant roles to other staff and clearly delineating their responsibilities is important in maximizing the productivity of the health care team.
Although legal requirements addressing the Medical Assistant scope of practice vary by state, the Medical Assistant generally works under the license of their supervising physician or the managed care organization that employs them.
Below are some of the duties that a typical medical assistant may perform (it is important to check with local and state medical boards to determine what duties a medical assistant can legally perform. It is also important to remember that a medical assistant is not a physician, nurse, physician assistant or other licensed health care provider, they must therefore always be supervised by the appropriate licensed health care provider, after all it is the medical practioner who’s license is most at risk.) The role of a medical assistant may be split into both administrative and clinical tasks.
Typical Medical Assistant administrative tasks may include: Work in reception, answer telephone, schedule appointments, process medical billing, keep financial records, file medical charts, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, transcribe dictation, send letters and triage patients over the telephone using a protocol to determine the acuity of the visit and the visit-length for scheduling purposes.
The clinical tasks of a Medical Assistant vary greatly buy state and other local laws as well as the policies of a medical office or the health care setting were they are employed. Some of the supervised clinical tasks of a Medical Assistant may include: escorting the patient to exam room, carry out patient history interviews, take and record vital signs, prepare patient for examination, provide patient information/instructions, assist with medical examinations/surgical procedures, set up and clean exam rooms, maintain medical supply inventory, restock medical supplies in patient rooms, perform venipuncture (in certain states), administer immunizations (also only in certain states), collect and prepare laboratory specimens, notify patients of laboratory results after evaluation by a physician, schedule patient appointments, translate during medical interviews with non-English-speaking patients, give prevention reminders, instruct patients about medications or special diets, basic patient medical education, perform some basic laboratory tests, prepare medications as directed by the office physician, assist in performing ECGs.
Physicians must determine the skill level and capabilities of each Medical Assistant they supervise and take into account liability risk and quality control when assigning them their responsibilities. Physicians should provide initial direct supervision and periodically assess the quality of their work. In practices with nurse managers, medical assistants can receive additional supervision coordinated to maximize workflow in a practice. Communicating the Medical Assistant roles to other staff and clearly delineating their responsibilities is important in maximizing the productivity of the health care team.
Although legal requirements addressing the Medical Assistant scope of practice vary by state, the Medical Assistant generally works under the license of their supervising physician or the managed care organization that employs them.
Below are some of the duties that a typical medical assistant may perform (it is important to check with local and state medical boards to determine what duties a medical assistant can legally perform. It is also important to remember that a medical assistant is not a physician, nurse, physician assistant or other licensed health care provider, they must therefore always be supervised by the appropriate licensed health care provider, after all it is the medical practioner who’s license is most at risk.) The role of a medical assistant may be split into both administrative and clinical tasks.
Typical Medical Assistant administrative tasks may include: Work in reception, answer telephone, schedule appointments, process medical billing, keep financial records, file medical charts, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, transcribe dictation, send letters and triage patients over the telephone using a protocol to determine the acuity of the visit and the visit-length for scheduling purposes.
The clinical tasks of a Medical Assistant vary greatly buy state and other local laws as well as the policies of a medical office or the health care setting were they are employed. Some of the supervised clinical tasks of a Medical Assistant may include: escorting the patient to exam room, carry out patient history interviews, take and record vital signs, prepare patient for examination, provide patient information/instructions, assist with medical examinations/surgical procedures, set up and clean exam rooms, maintain medical supply inventory, restock medical supplies in patient rooms, perform venipuncture (in certain states), administer immunizations (also only in certain states), collect and prepare laboratory specimens, notify patients of laboratory results after evaluation by a physician, schedule patient appointments, translate during medical interviews with non-English-speaking patients, give prevention reminders, instruct patients about medications or special diets, basic patient medical education, perform some basic laboratory tests, prepare medications as directed by the office physician, assist in performing ECGs.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
Medical Assistant Schools
The Medical Assistant: Doctors' offices are extremely busy places. There are almost constantly patients to see or consult with on the telephone, medical records and insurance records to update, tests to run, appointments to schedule, billing and bookkeeping responsibilities to handle, and many other duties and needs. Doctors may hardly have time to see all of their patients, let alone handle the rest of these tasks. This is where medical assistants step in. Medical assistants are basically the doctor's right hand. They keep the office running smoothly, taking care of any clerical and some clinical aspects so that the doctors can focus on providing direct patient care. Many doctors have large practices, especially those in populous rural areas where there are fewer doctors per person, and if all responsibilities are left to the doctor, the quality of the patient care can suffer. There is never a typical workday as far as medical assisting is concerned because it is a very busy and varying occupation. They may focus on reception, records, and billing one day and perform simple lab tests and change dressings and sutures the next. They may even be needed to assist doctors in procedures or by taking x-rays or administering electrocardiograms. Medical assistants also explain medication and procedures to patients, providing them with the knowledge and understanding they need to better care for themselves. The responsibilities and challenges, as well as the opportunities, are endless.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 800,000 doctors in practice in the United States, with only 500,000 medical assistants working for them. As such, the medical assistant field is expected to grow substantially within the next ten years, especially as more doctors become overloaded with patients. The job is challenging, but there are many rewards, not in the least the chance to provide patients with the best care available.
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