Medical Assistants- The demand for medical assistants continues to grow, especially in the US where the nursing shortage has required many doctor’s offices to rely more heavily on medical assistants to perform basic tasks, like first contact with a patient, taking blood pressure or medical histories, and possibly performing some tests like . What a medical assistant does may depend upon their qualifications, education, and the needs of a specific medical practice. They often have dual roles, performing both clerical work and working with patients. The medical assistants may need to have certification or training. Some have associate degrees and others may have completed training programs through vocational colleges or even high schools. Others are not formally educated, but are trained by other office staff. State laws within each state govern the education required for a medical assistant to perform certain tasks such as drawing blood. Additional training or certification may be required for those with the most hands-on contact with patients.
How to Become a Medical Assistant:
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 do many different kinds of tasks, 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 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 and job details of medical assistants vary according to what is allowed by State law. Some common tasks include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting physicians during examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and sometimes perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They might 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 usually perform administrative tasks such as update and file patient medical records, fill out insurance forms, and arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services. They also perform tasks less specific to medical settings, such as answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping. 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.
In most cases a medical assistant is a none licensed health care professional and they are trained in a variety of way. Many receive informal on the job type of training while others learn the basics of a medical practice and patient care in a more formal setting such . Formal training for medical assistants may occur at a local junior college, vocational school, high school technical classes, local hospital or online distance education programs. A good example to newer innovative online training is available at www.medassistant.org. St. Augustine Medical Assistant School is an educational service that uses internet based technology to train medical assistants online. According to the United States Department of Labor, employment for this filed 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 or experience.
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