Friday, June 13, 2008

Medical Assistant


Medical Assistant Training Online:

St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants now provides a convenient and affordable online medical assistant program designed to train Medical Assistants to function effectively as an integral member of todays health care team!

Medical Assistant Program Details:
Our online
Medical Assistant courses are so convenient that you can complete the entire program at your own pace and study all classes online at anytime around the world. We also provide online training in intoductory laboratory skills and basic clinical tasks for medical assistants.
Medical Assistants as Healthcare ProfessionalsMedical assistants as healthcare professionals perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. Medical assistants find employment in private and public hospitals, as well as inpatient and outpatient facilities, medical doctors, etc. Given their role as healthcare professionals the demand for medical assistants is only on the rise.The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner’s specialty. Medical Assistant registration formalities are extremely convenient and flexible with St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants online distance education program. Our simple online registration form and tuition payment modality is also tuned for your convenience. Medical Assistant program registration is only a few clicks away!
Our Medical Assistant School is now very convenient: Just enroll online, attend online classes at your convenience, take the online medical assistant exam at the end of the program and earn your certificate in as little as 6-8 weeks!


Medical Assistant Program Classes Online:
Medical Terminology, Human Body Planes, Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Office Professionalism, Patient Communication, Medical Records, Basic Medical Law, Scheduling Appointments, Medical Billing and Insurance Claims, Infection Control, Surgical Instruments, Emergency Care, Clinical Equipment, Patient History and Physicals, EKG and Lab Testing, Specimen Collection and Lab Safety, Introduction to Patient Medications.
Online Medical Assistant Clinical Labs: Virtual Phlebotomy Lab (Collecting a Blood Sample), Virtual Injection Lab , Medication injections, Measuring A Pulse, Introduction to CPR and Basic Ultrasound.


Required Course Medical Assistant Textbook: All students entering our medical assistant distance education program are required to purchase the textbook: "Outline Review for the Medical Assistant ", by Marsha Perkins Hemby (second edition). This text contains all the materials and CD-ROM required to successfully complete our Medical Assistant distance education program.

Medical Assistant Employment Opportunities: According to the United States Department of Labor, "job prospects are excellent for Medical Assistants. Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with formal training. Most Medical Assistants work in doctors offices, hospitals, clinics or other health care settings. A Medical Assistant assists with administrative tasks and minor procedures to keep the doctor's offices and health care facilities running smoothly. Helping to drive job growth is the increasing number of group practices, clinics, and other health care facilities that need a high proportion of support personnel, particularly medical assistants who can handle both administrative and clinical duties. In addition, medical assistants work primarily in outpatient settings, a rapidly growing sector of the health care industry. Job seekers who want to work as a medical assistant should find excellent job prospects. Medical assistants are projected to account for a very large number of new jobs, and many other opportunities will come from the need to replace workers leaving the occupation. Those with formal training or experience should have the best job opportunities."
What is a Medical Assistant?
Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. They should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician. The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner�s specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually are generalists, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.
Medical assistants perform many administrative duties, including answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients� medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping.
Clinical duties vary according to State law and include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.
Medical assistants also may arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.
Ophthalmic medical assistants and podiatric medical assistants are examples of specialized assistants who have additional duties. Ophthalmic medical assistants help ophthalmologists provide eye care. They conduct diagnostic tests, measure and record vision, and test eye muscle function. They also show patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses, and they apply eye dressings. Under the direction of the physician, ophthalmic medical assistants may administer eye medications. They also maintain optical and surgical instruments and may assist the ophthalmologist in surgery. Podiatric medical assistants make castings of feet, expose and develop x rays, and assist podiatrists in surgery.
St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants offers online medical assistant classes. Student reviews of program and blogs at: