get stuck or be practical
By Adi
Are you looking for a job yet your credentials doesn’t match with the qualifications of the positions that companies that are currently looking for? Well, you’re not alone, because there are millions of people out there who are experiencing the same thing. If you are currently employed, are you one of those who are tired of their current jobs and feel that they are not growing and earning enough in their current careers? If that is so, why don’t you consider becoming a medical assistant? A lot of people have made their quick turns towards a medical assistant career and went abroad to land on a better paying job. Perhaps just like me, you’ve also noticed the growing numbers of medical assistant schools in your local area, or whatever country you are in right now. The reason behind that is pretty obvious, it’s the hot item in the labor industry right now. The need for medical assistants in the whole world is becoming higher and higher. So with the increasing demand, there is more room for employment. So why get stuck or be jobless? Why not get a proper education that would be a stepping stone towards a better career and life? Many kids don’t realize this situation right now, they just take their courses because it’s what they want, without thinking if they would land on a job right after graduating. I think it’s still better to be practical, after all, when you have enough money, you can take whatever course you want afterwards.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
medical assistant training programs online for medical assistants
Choosing a right career is a huge task and you must think a thousand times before deciding because your future will depend on it.Once you look for a job,employers are looking for someone who have lots of experience already with the chosen field.There are lots of school who offers training but sometimes you find a hard time on your schedules due to some personal activities.Getting a medical course is such a very big responsibility.You must be able to complete all necessary subjects before you get successful and get a very good job.With medical assistant training,They will help you become a very well trained medical assistant in just few weeks.It is very convenient because you can study at any time you are available and the best thing is you can do this all in your home.They also have support team experts like consulting educators,physicians,nurses and other health care provides who are always available to assist you with all your needs.It is easy as one-two-three,Register,complete online classes and take the exam.Once you pass the exam,A Medical assistant certificate and transcript will be mail in your home…As a medical assistant,you are a professional that performs clinical tasks to keep other co-workers run smoothly. It is accredited,affordable and accessible certificate program for Medical Assistants.They are offering formal training online with nationally accredited and certified medical assistant program.You can take as long as needed.there is no deadlines or time limits to help you become a professional one.Studying with them will help you find the best job that will help you grow professionally.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Medical Assistant School
Medical Assistant
Online medical assistant school review:
Because of high demand for the job, it is very promising to attend on medical career. Many institutes can be found around the internet, and St. Augustine is one of the Medical Assistant School available there. They provide us with a authentic Medical Assistant Certificate Program.They offer an easy way to learn and school, using an Online Medical Assistant training. By attend online classes, take up some medical assistant exam and you will earn the certificate in less than 8 weeks! You wouldn’t find it from another program ever. Hospital or treatment center are desperately finding a medical assistant whose qualified enough to take care the patients. This doesn't mean that newbie and fresh graduate wouldn't have a chance, but for treating a different type of patients one should has a appropriate training to overcome every possible worst case scenario. Mental and intelligence are required for this job, but the power of will and a call for helping other also the most important factor.
Online medical assistant school review:
Because of high demand for the job, it is very promising to attend on medical career. Many institutes can be found around the internet, and St. Augustine is one of the Medical Assistant School available there. They provide us with a authentic Medical Assistant Certificate Program.They offer an easy way to learn and school, using an Online Medical Assistant training. By attend online classes, take up some medical assistant exam and you will earn the certificate in less than 8 weeks! You wouldn’t find it from another program ever. Hospital or treatment center are desperately finding a medical assistant whose qualified enough to take care the patients. This doesn't mean that newbie and fresh graduate wouldn't have a chance, but for treating a different type of patients one should has a appropriate training to overcome every possible worst case scenario. Mental and intelligence are required for this job, but the power of will and a call for helping other also the most important factor.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Medical Assistant: Online Medical Assistant Classes
St. Augustine Medical Assistant School offers online training classes for studnets entering the medical assistant profession. Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals who perform a wide range of roles in physicians offices, clinics, and other healthcare settings. They are proficient in a multitude of administrative and clinical tasks. Medical assistants are widely employed by doctors as vital members of the healthcare delivery team.
Our Medical Assisting program includes courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, medical insurance and coding, pharmacology, and medical office procedures.
Our Medical Assisting program includes courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, medical insurance and coding, pharmacology, and medical office procedures.
Medical Assistant: Online Medical Assistant Classes
St. Augustine Medical Assistant School offers online training classes for studnets entering the medical assistant profession. Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals who perform a wide range of roles in physicians offices, clinics, and other healthcare settings. They are proficient in a multitude of administrative and clinical tasks. Medical assistants are widely employed by doctors as vital members of the healthcare delivery team.
Our Medical Assisting program includes courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, medical insurance and coding, pharmacology, and medical office procedures.
Our Medical Assisting program includes courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, medical insurance and coding, pharmacology, and medical office procedures.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Medical Assistant FAQa
FAQs on Medical Assisting
For your convenience, here are answers to frequently asked questions regarding the medical assisting profession.
Q. What responsibilities can be included in a medical assistant's job description?
A. Duties vary from office to office depending on location, size and specialty.
Administrative duties may include...
Using computer applications
Answering telephones
Greeting patients
Updating and filing patient medical records
Coding and filling out insurance forms
Scheduling appointments
Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
Handling correspondence, billing and bookkeeping Clinical duties vary by state, but may include...
Taking medical histories
Explaining treatment procedures to patients
Preparing patients for examination
Assisting the physician during the exam
Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
Performing basic laboratory tests
Instructing patients about medication and special diets
Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
Authorizing prescription refills as directed
Drawing blood
Taking electrocardiograms
Removing sutures and changing dressings
For your convenience, here are answers to frequently asked questions regarding the medical assisting profession.
Q. What responsibilities can be included in a medical assistant's job description?
A. Duties vary from office to office depending on location, size and specialty.
Administrative duties may include...
Using computer applications
Answering telephones
Greeting patients
Updating and filing patient medical records
Coding and filling out insurance forms
Scheduling appointments
Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
Handling correspondence, billing and bookkeeping Clinical duties vary by state, but may include...
Taking medical histories
Explaining treatment procedures to patients
Preparing patients for examination
Assisting the physician during the exam
Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
Performing basic laboratory tests
Instructing patients about medication and special diets
Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
Authorizing prescription refills as directed
Drawing blood
Taking electrocardiograms
Removing sutures and changing dressings
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Medical Assistant
Nature of Medical Assistants Job:
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 of a medical assistant 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.
Medical Assistant distance education programs are now helping to train medical assistants for successful and very rewarding careers in the healthcare profession.
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 of a medical assistant 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.
Medical Assistant distance education programs are now helping to train medical assistants for successful and very rewarding careers in the healthcare profession.
Medical Assistant Blogs
Medical Assistant Blogs:
Additional Blog information about medical assistant careers and training is also available at: http://medicalassistantblog.blogspot.com
Click here to return to St. Augustine Medical Assistant School Online.
Additional Blog information about medical assistant careers and training is also available at: http://medicalassistantblog.blogspot.com
Click here to return to St. Augustine Medical Assistant School Online.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Medical Assistant Emploment
The health care industry consists of the following nine segments:
Hospitals. Hospitals provide complete medical care, ranging from diagnostic services, to surgery, to continuous nursing care. Some hospitals specialize in treatment of the mentally ill, cancer patients, or children. Hospital-based care may be on an inpatient (overnight) or outpatient basis. The mix of workers needed varies, depending on the size, geographic location, goals, philosophy, funding, organization, and management style of the institution. As hospitals work to improve efficiency, care continues to shift from an inpatient to outpatient basis whenever possible. Many hospitals have expanded into long-term and home health care services, providing a wide range of care for the communities they serve.
Nursing and residential care facilities. Nursing care facilities provide inpatient nursing, rehabilitation, and health-related personal care to those who need continuous nursing care, but do not require hospital services. Nursing aides provide the vast majority of direct care. Other facilities, such as convalescent homes, help patients who need less assistance. Residential care facilities provide around-the-clock social and personal care to children, the elderly, and others who have limited ability to care for themselves. Workers care for residents of assisted-living facilities, alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers, group homes, and halfway houses. Nursing and medical care, however, are not the main functions of establishments
Offices of physicians. About 37 percent of all health care establishments fall into this industry segment. Physicians and surgeons practice privately or in groups of practitioners who have the same or different specialties. Many Physicians and surgeons prefer to join group practices because they afford backup coverage, reduce overhead expenses, and facilitate consultation with peers. Physicians and surgeons are increasingly working as salaried employees of group medical practices, clinics, or integrated health systems. Most medical assistants work in doctors offices.
Offices of dentists. About 1 out of every 5 health care establishments is a dentist’s office. Most employ only a few workers, who provide general or specialized dental care, including dental surgery.
Home health care services. Skilled nursing or medical care is sometimes provided in the home, under a physician’s supervision. Home health care services are provided mainly to the elderly. The development of in-home medical technologies, substantial cost savings, and patients’ preference for care in the home have helped change this once-small segment of the industry into one of the fastest growing parts of the economy.
Offices of other health practitioners. This segment of the industry includes the offices of chiropractors, optometrists, podiatrists, occupational and physical therapists, psychologists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians, and other health practitioners. Demand for the services of this segment is related to the ability of patients to pay, either directly or through health insurance. Hospitals and nursing facilities may contract out for these services. This segment also includes the offices of practitioners of alternative medicine, such as acupuncturists, homeopaths, hypnotherapists, and naturopaths.
Outpatient care centers. The diverse establishments in this group include kidney dialysis centers, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, health maintenance organization medical centers, and freestanding ambulatory surgical and emergency centers.
Other ambulatory health care services. This relatively small industry segment includes ambulance and helicopter transport services, blood and organ banks, and other ambulatory health care services, such as pacemaker monitoring services and smoking cessation programs.
Medical and diagnostic laboratories. Medical and diagnostic laboratories provide analytic or diagnostic services to the medical profession or directly to patients following a physician’s prescription. Workers may analyze blood, take x rays and computerized tomography scans, or perform other clinical tests. Medical and diagnostic laboratories provide the fewest number of jobs in the health care industry.
In the rapidly changing health care industry, technological advances have made many new procedures and methods of diagnosis and treatment possible. Clinical developments, such as organ transplants, less invasive surgical techniques, skin grafts, and gene therapy for cancer treatment, continue to increase the longevity and improve the quality of life of many Americans. Advances in medical technology also have improved the survival rates of trauma victims and the severely ill, who need extensive care from therapists and social workers as well as other support personnel.
In addition, advances in information technology continue to improve patient care and worker efficiency with devices such as hand-held computers that record notes on each patient. Information on vital signs and orders for tests are transferred electronically to a main database; this process eliminates the need for paper and reduces recordkeeping errors.
Cost containment also is shaping the health care industry, as shown by the growing emphasis on providing services on an outpatient, ambulatory basis; limiting unnecessary or low-priority services; and stressing preventive care, which reduces the potential cost of undiagnosed, untreated medical conditions. Enrollment in managed care programs—predominantly preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations, and hybrid plans such as point-of-service programs—continues to grow. These prepaid plans provide comprehensive coverage to members and control health insurance costs by emphasizing preventive care. Cost effectiveness also is improved with the increased use of integrated delivery systems, which combine two or more segments of the industry to increase efficiency through the streamlining of functions, primarily financial and managerial. These changes will continue to reshape not only the nature of the health care workforce, but also the manner in which health care is provided.
Medical Assistant Links:
Medical Assistant Education
Medical Assistant School
Hospitals. Hospitals provide complete medical care, ranging from diagnostic services, to surgery, to continuous nursing care. Some hospitals specialize in treatment of the mentally ill, cancer patients, or children. Hospital-based care may be on an inpatient (overnight) or outpatient basis. The mix of workers needed varies, depending on the size, geographic location, goals, philosophy, funding, organization, and management style of the institution. As hospitals work to improve efficiency, care continues to shift from an inpatient to outpatient basis whenever possible. Many hospitals have expanded into long-term and home health care services, providing a wide range of care for the communities they serve.
Nursing and residential care facilities. Nursing care facilities provide inpatient nursing, rehabilitation, and health-related personal care to those who need continuous nursing care, but do not require hospital services. Nursing aides provide the vast majority of direct care. Other facilities, such as convalescent homes, help patients who need less assistance. Residential care facilities provide around-the-clock social and personal care to children, the elderly, and others who have limited ability to care for themselves. Workers care for residents of assisted-living facilities, alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers, group homes, and halfway houses. Nursing and medical care, however, are not the main functions of establishments
Offices of physicians. About 37 percent of all health care establishments fall into this industry segment. Physicians and surgeons practice privately or in groups of practitioners who have the same or different specialties. Many Physicians and surgeons prefer to join group practices because they afford backup coverage, reduce overhead expenses, and facilitate consultation with peers. Physicians and surgeons are increasingly working as salaried employees of group medical practices, clinics, or integrated health systems. Most medical assistants work in doctors offices.
Offices of dentists. About 1 out of every 5 health care establishments is a dentist’s office. Most employ only a few workers, who provide general or specialized dental care, including dental surgery.
Home health care services. Skilled nursing or medical care is sometimes provided in the home, under a physician’s supervision. Home health care services are provided mainly to the elderly. The development of in-home medical technologies, substantial cost savings, and patients’ preference for care in the home have helped change this once-small segment of the industry into one of the fastest growing parts of the economy.
Offices of other health practitioners. This segment of the industry includes the offices of chiropractors, optometrists, podiatrists, occupational and physical therapists, psychologists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians, and other health practitioners. Demand for the services of this segment is related to the ability of patients to pay, either directly or through health insurance. Hospitals and nursing facilities may contract out for these services. This segment also includes the offices of practitioners of alternative medicine, such as acupuncturists, homeopaths, hypnotherapists, and naturopaths.
Outpatient care centers. The diverse establishments in this group include kidney dialysis centers, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, health maintenance organization medical centers, and freestanding ambulatory surgical and emergency centers.
Other ambulatory health care services. This relatively small industry segment includes ambulance and helicopter transport services, blood and organ banks, and other ambulatory health care services, such as pacemaker monitoring services and smoking cessation programs.
Medical and diagnostic laboratories. Medical and diagnostic laboratories provide analytic or diagnostic services to the medical profession or directly to patients following a physician’s prescription. Workers may analyze blood, take x rays and computerized tomography scans, or perform other clinical tests. Medical and diagnostic laboratories provide the fewest number of jobs in the health care industry.
In the rapidly changing health care industry, technological advances have made many new procedures and methods of diagnosis and treatment possible. Clinical developments, such as organ transplants, less invasive surgical techniques, skin grafts, and gene therapy for cancer treatment, continue to increase the longevity and improve the quality of life of many Americans. Advances in medical technology also have improved the survival rates of trauma victims and the severely ill, who need extensive care from therapists and social workers as well as other support personnel.
In addition, advances in information technology continue to improve patient care and worker efficiency with devices such as hand-held computers that record notes on each patient. Information on vital signs and orders for tests are transferred electronically to a main database; this process eliminates the need for paper and reduces recordkeeping errors.
Cost containment also is shaping the health care industry, as shown by the growing emphasis on providing services on an outpatient, ambulatory basis; limiting unnecessary or low-priority services; and stressing preventive care, which reduces the potential cost of undiagnosed, untreated medical conditions. Enrollment in managed care programs—predominantly preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations, and hybrid plans such as point-of-service programs—continues to grow. These prepaid plans provide comprehensive coverage to members and control health insurance costs by emphasizing preventive care. Cost effectiveness also is improved with the increased use of integrated delivery systems, which combine two or more segments of the industry to increase efficiency through the streamlining of functions, primarily financial and managerial. These changes will continue to reshape not only the nature of the health care workforce, but also the manner in which health care is provided.
Medical Assistant Links:
Medical Assistant Education
Medical Assistant School
Health Care: Jobs: Medical Assistant
Heathcare: Jobs: Medical Assistant
As the largest industry in 2004, health care provided 13.5 million jobs—13.1 million jobs for wage and salary workers and about 411,000 jobs for the self-employed.
8 out of 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest are in health care.
More new wage and salary jobs—about 19 percent, or 3.6 million—created between 2004 and 2014 will be in health care than in any other industry.
Most workers have jobs that require less than 4 years of college education, but health diagnosing and treating practitioners are among the most educated workers. Combining medical technology and the human touch, the health care industry administers care around the clock, responding to the needs of millions of people—from newborns to the critically ill. Also working in the healthcare system are medical assistant that work in medical offices and other settings.
About 545,000 establishments make up the health care industry; they vary greatly in terms of size, staffing patterns, and organizational structures. About 76 percent of health care establishments are offices of physicians, dentists, or other health practitioners. Although hospitals constitute only 2 percent of all health care establishments, they employ 40 percent of all workers.
As the largest industry in 2004, health care provided 13.5 million jobs—13.1 million jobs for wage and salary workers and about 411,000 jobs for the self-employed.
8 out of 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest are in health care.
More new wage and salary jobs—about 19 percent, or 3.6 million—created between 2004 and 2014 will be in health care than in any other industry.
Most workers have jobs that require less than 4 years of college education, but health diagnosing and treating practitioners are among the most educated workers. Combining medical technology and the human touch, the health care industry administers care around the clock, responding to the needs of millions of people—from newborns to the critically ill. Also working in the healthcare system are medical assistant that work in medical offices and other settings.
About 545,000 establishments make up the health care industry; they vary greatly in terms of size, staffing patterns, and organizational structures. About 76 percent of health care establishments are offices of physicians, dentists, or other health practitioners. Although hospitals constitute only 2 percent of all health care establishments, they employ 40 percent of all workers.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Medical Assistant Employment
Medical Assistant Employment
In 2002, there were about 365,000 medical assistants in the United States. Almost 60% of medical assistants work in physicians offices. About 14% work in private or public hospitals. 10% work in the offices of other health practitioners. The remainder worked in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory healthcare services, state and local government agencies, medical and diagnostic laboratories, nursing care facilities, and employment services.
Medical Assistant Job Outlook
The need for medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations over most of the next decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is projected to be the fastest growing of all occupations through 2012. Job growth will be driven by the growth of the healthcare industry. Job prospects will be best for individuals with formal training, certification, and experience.
In 2002, there were about 365,000 medical assistants in the United States. Almost 60% of medical assistants work in physicians offices. About 14% work in private or public hospitals. 10% work in the offices of other health practitioners. The remainder worked in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory healthcare services, state and local government agencies, medical and diagnostic laboratories, nursing care facilities, and employment services.
Medical Assistant Job Outlook
The need for medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations over most of the next decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is projected to be the fastest growing of all occupations through 2012. Job growth will be driven by the growth of the healthcare industry. Job prospects will be best for individuals with formal training, certification, and experience.
Medical Assistant Career
Become A Medical Assistant
This article provides an overview of medical assistant careers and the requirements to become a medical assistant. This article will outline medical assistant job duties, salary levels, and employment prospects, as well as discuss the career's necessary skills, training, educational requirements, and certification requirements.
Medical Assistant Job Duties
Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of medical practitioners. Their duties will vary depending on the size, type, and location of a medical practice. In smaller practices, medical assistants tend to be generalists with both clinical and administrative duties, reporting either to an office administrator or physician. In larger practices, medical assistants tend to specialize and report to a supervisor or department administrator. The administrative duties of a medical assistant may include:
Answering telephones
Greeting patients
Updating and filing patient's medical records
Filling out insurance forms
Correspondence
Scheduling appointments
Arranging for hospital admission
Handling billing and bookkeeping
The clinical duties of a medical assistant vary according to individual state law. Clinical duties can include:
Taking medical histories
Recording vital signs
Explaining treatment procedures or instructing patients about medications and special diets
Preparing patients for examination
Assisting the physician during the examinations
Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
Performing basic laboratory tests on the premises
Disposing of contaminated supplies
Sterilizing medical instruments
Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
Authorizing drug refills as directed
Telephoning prescriptions to a pharmacy
Drawing blood
Preparing patients for x rays
Taking electrocardiograms
Removing sutures
Changing dressings
Arrange examining-room instruments and equipment
Maintaining supplies and equipment
Medical assistants should not be confused with physicians assistants, who typically have broader clinical duties. Some medical assistants in specialist's offices may have additional specialized clinical duties.
Medical assistants typically work a 40-hour work week. Some work nights and weekends. Some work part-time.
Medical Assistant Job Skills
Medical assistant skills include:
Courteous and pleasant manner to effectively deal with the public and to be able to put patients at ease
Manual dexterity and visual acuity to perform certain clinical duties
Strong attention to detail to perform clinical duties accurately and efficiently
Excellent verbal communication skills to be able to explain physician's instructions
Strong ethical and confidentiality standards because of confidential patient medical information that they handle
Good organizational skills to effectively deal with patient records and other administrative tasks
Medical Assistant Income
Salaries for medical assistants vary depending on experience, skill level, and location. As of 2002, salaries for medical assistants were around $23,940, with the top 10% earning more than $34,130. Earnings for medical assistants vary by industry segment with the median annual incomes for the industries employing the largest number of medical assistants being:
General medical and surgical hospitals
$24,460
Physicians offices
$24,260
Outpatient care centers
$23,980
Other health care services
$23,440
Offices of other practitioners
$21,620
Also, see related careers such as: Nursing Assistant
This article provides an overview of medical assistant careers and the requirements to become a medical assistant. This article will outline medical assistant job duties, salary levels, and employment prospects, as well as discuss the career's necessary skills, training, educational requirements, and certification requirements.
Medical Assistant Job Duties
Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of medical practitioners. Their duties will vary depending on the size, type, and location of a medical practice. In smaller practices, medical assistants tend to be generalists with both clinical and administrative duties, reporting either to an office administrator or physician. In larger practices, medical assistants tend to specialize and report to a supervisor or department administrator. The administrative duties of a medical assistant may include:
Answering telephones
Greeting patients
Updating and filing patient's medical records
Filling out insurance forms
Correspondence
Scheduling appointments
Arranging for hospital admission
Handling billing and bookkeeping
The clinical duties of a medical assistant vary according to individual state law. Clinical duties can include:
Taking medical histories
Recording vital signs
Explaining treatment procedures or instructing patients about medications and special diets
Preparing patients for examination
Assisting the physician during the examinations
Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
Performing basic laboratory tests on the premises
Disposing of contaminated supplies
Sterilizing medical instruments
Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
Authorizing drug refills as directed
Telephoning prescriptions to a pharmacy
Drawing blood
Preparing patients for x rays
Taking electrocardiograms
Removing sutures
Changing dressings
Arrange examining-room instruments and equipment
Maintaining supplies and equipment
Medical assistants should not be confused with physicians assistants, who typically have broader clinical duties. Some medical assistants in specialist's offices may have additional specialized clinical duties.
Medical assistants typically work a 40-hour work week. Some work nights and weekends. Some work part-time.
Medical Assistant Job Skills
Medical assistant skills include:
Courteous and pleasant manner to effectively deal with the public and to be able to put patients at ease
Manual dexterity and visual acuity to perform certain clinical duties
Strong attention to detail to perform clinical duties accurately and efficiently
Excellent verbal communication skills to be able to explain physician's instructions
Strong ethical and confidentiality standards because of confidential patient medical information that they handle
Good organizational skills to effectively deal with patient records and other administrative tasks
Medical Assistant Income
Salaries for medical assistants vary depending on experience, skill level, and location. As of 2002, salaries for medical assistants were around $23,940, with the top 10% earning more than $34,130. Earnings for medical assistants vary by industry segment with the median annual incomes for the industries employing the largest number of medical assistants being:
General medical and surgical hospitals
$24,460
Physicians offices
$24,260
Outpatient care centers
$23,980
Other health care services
$23,440
Offices of other practitioners
$21,620
Also, see related careers such as: Nursing Assistant
Friday, July 07, 2006
Medical Assistant Education
Medical Assistant education and medical assistant classes are available online at the St. Augustine Medical Assistant School. 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.
Medical assistants may be able to advance to office manager. They may qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations or may teach medical assisting. With additional education, some enter other health occupations, such as nursing and medical technology.
Medical Assistant Employment:
Medical assistants held about 387,000 jobs in 2004. About 6 out of 10 worked in offices of physicians; about 14 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. The rest worked mostly in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory health care services, State and local government agencies, employment services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and nursing care facilities.
Medical assistants may be able to advance to office manager. They may qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations or may teach medical assisting. With additional education, some enter other health occupations, such as nursing and medical technology.
Medical Assistant Employment:
Medical assistants held about 387,000 jobs in 2004. About 6 out of 10 worked in offices of physicians; about 14 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. The rest worked mostly in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory health care services, State and local government agencies, employment services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and nursing care facilities.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Medical Assistant Distance Education
Medical Assistant
Details about online distance education training for medical assistants is avialable at www.medassistant.org
Friday, June 30, 2006
Medical Assistant
St. Augustine Medical Assistant School offers a comprehensive online distance education program for medical assistants. You can view details at www.medassistant.org
Our program is designed by physicians, nurses, medical assistants and other health care professionals to give you the best possible Medical Assistant education available anywhere. With our program you can study at your own pace and finish at your convenience. Most students complete our online Medical Assistant program in 6-8 weeks!
Our innovate online web-based Medical Assistant program is designed to offer our students a diverse and comprehensive Medical Assistant education so they will feel comfortable working in any health care setting. Our online Medical Assistant distance education program consists of Internet based assignments, CD/ROM instruction, online videos and virtual labs. After completing our online classes and Medical Assistant exam students will receive their Medical Assistant certificate and transcripts from the St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants, so they can enter the profession as a well trained Medical Assistant.
Reasons to earn your Medical Assistant Certificate online from St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants:Save Time and Money! Earn your Medical Assistant certificate in 6 weeks (since this is distance education you finish much quicker then the older traditional classroom models). Study at your own pace and convenience (all material is presented online so there is not need to commute to far away schools at inconvenient times). Perfect for today’s busy Medical Assistant students! No traditional classrooms to attend, the entire program is online Our program is fully accredited, you can begin work with our Medical Assistant certificate after you finish the program. Very affordable tuition fees (since this is a distance education program you can save thousands of dollars on tuition fees). We teach the most practical and latest information need to succeed as a Medical Assistant.
New: Medical Assistant Jobs Blog
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Emergency in the Emergency Rooms
The nation's emergency rooms have been stretched thin for at least a decade or more, but a new analysis suggests that they have reached a breaking point. Their plight underscores how dreadfully unprepared we are to cope with a major disaster like pandemic influenza or mass casualties from a terrorism attack.
The crisis in emergency medical care was laid bare in three reports issued last week by the Institute of Medicine, a unit of the National Academy of Sciences. Half a million times a year ambulances are diverted from emergency rooms that are full and sent to others farther away. Emergency room patients who need admission to the hospital often spend eight hours or more — sometimes even two days or more — on gurneys in the hallways, waiting for a hospital bed to open up.
Some emergency rooms lack the services of key specialists, such as neurosurgeons, who shy away from emergency room duty because many uninsured patients can't pay and their malpractice premiums would skyrocket because of the risky nature of emergency cases. What is not known is how many people die as a result of delays in treatment or inadequate care under chaotic conditions. No measurement system tracks such data.
The emergency room crisis has many causes, none of them easily or cheaply resolved. The number of people seeking treatment in emergency rooms has jumped sharply over the past decade or so, from 90 million in 1993 to 114 million in 2003. Over the same period, cost pressures forced the closing of some 700 hospitals, almost 200,000 hospital beds and 425 emergency departments. The result is severe crowding, exacerbated by a huge influx of poor people seeking routine care who are either uninsured or on Medicaid but unable to find doctors willing to treat them. By law, emergency rooms must accept all patients, whether they have insurance or not.
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The institute's experts have many proposals for easing the situation, ranging from new regional systems to improve the flow of patients to the most appropriate and least crowded emergency rooms to an infusion of money to cover unpaid emergency care and to bolster preparedness for large-scale disasters. The most important change would be to stop diverting seriously ill ambulance patients and divert instead the poor patients who clog emergency rooms seeking routine care. That would require extending health coverage to the uninsured and providing more primary care clinics and doctors in poor neighborhoods.
The crisis in emergency medical care was laid bare in three reports issued last week by the Institute of Medicine, a unit of the National Academy of Sciences. Half a million times a year ambulances are diverted from emergency rooms that are full and sent to others farther away. Emergency room patients who need admission to the hospital often spend eight hours or more — sometimes even two days or more — on gurneys in the hallways, waiting for a hospital bed to open up.
Some emergency rooms lack the services of key specialists, such as neurosurgeons, who shy away from emergency room duty because many uninsured patients can't pay and their malpractice premiums would skyrocket because of the risky nature of emergency cases. What is not known is how many people die as a result of delays in treatment or inadequate care under chaotic conditions. No measurement system tracks such data.
The emergency room crisis has many causes, none of them easily or cheaply resolved. The number of people seeking treatment in emergency rooms has jumped sharply over the past decade or so, from 90 million in 1993 to 114 million in 2003. Over the same period, cost pressures forced the closing of some 700 hospitals, almost 200,000 hospital beds and 425 emergency departments. The result is severe crowding, exacerbated by a huge influx of poor people seeking routine care who are either uninsured or on Medicaid but unable to find doctors willing to treat them. By law, emergency rooms must accept all patients, whether they have insurance or not.
Click here to return to Medical Assistant School.
The institute's experts have many proposals for easing the situation, ranging from new regional systems to improve the flow of patients to the most appropriate and least crowded emergency rooms to an infusion of money to cover unpaid emergency care and to bolster preparedness for large-scale disasters. The most important change would be to stop diverting seriously ill ambulance patients and divert instead the poor patients who clog emergency rooms seeking routine care. That would require extending health coverage to the uninsured and providing more primary care clinics and doctors in poor neighborhoods.
Nurse practitioners filling care void
Nurse practitioners filling care void
By JOANN LOVIGLIO
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Marguerite Harris and her staff of eight provide prenatal care and child immunizations, write prescriptions, and diagnose and treat ailments from diabetes to the sniffles.
Though it may sound like a typical doctor's office, no one on staff at Project Salud is a doctor. The medical center is run by nurse practitioners — registered nurses with specialized training and advanced degrees — whose numbers have risen from 30,000 in 1990 to 115,000 today.
Increasingly, patients are being treated by health care professionals with N.P. after their name instead of M.D. or D.O. Nurse-managed primary care centers such as Project Salud have increased to about 250 nationwide today, from a small handful 15 years ago.
"We've come a long way since the early days, the knockdown drag-outs with doctors who thought we were overstepping our roles," said Harris, a nurse practitioner at the Philadelphia-area medical center since 1974.
The change is attributed to factors that include a drop in the number of doctors choosing primary care as their specialty, a falloff expected to continue.
According to the American College of Physicians, medical school surveys showed that from 1998 to 2005, the percentage of third-year residents intending to pursue careers in general internal medicine dropped from 54 percent to 20 percent. Many new doctors, saddled with high student loans, are choosing more lucrative specialties.
The supply of general practice physicians is falling just as the baby boomer population is aging and in greater need of medical care, and nurse-run medical centers are helping to bridge the gap.
Nurse practitioners first appeared about 40 years ago in pediatrics, and quickly expanded into obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, and adult primary care.
They can perform many of the duties of primary care doctors such as performing physical exams, diagnosing and treating common health problems, prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting X-rays, and providing family planning services.
However, some physicians' groups are concerned about the trend.
The American Medical Association is against giving full autonomy to nurse practitioners, stating as its official policy position that a physician should be supervising nurse practitioners at all times and in all settings. An AMA spokeswoman said the association would not provide additional comment on its position.
"There is an element within the physician community that gets a little antsy. ... They think it's going to take away revenue and business from them," said Dr. Jan Towers, director of health policy for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. "Really, there's more than enough for everybody."
Some patients say they're more satisfied with the less rushed, more holistic style of care they receive from nurse practitioners.
"It got to the point where my doctor was in such a hurry, he wouldn't even look me in the face," said Diane Gass, a North Philadelphia resident who has been a patient at her neighborhood nurse-run health center since it opened about a decade ago.
Gass, 61, said her nurse practitioner took four hours during the first visit taking her medical history and getting to know her.
"For years the doctor was treating me for ulcers, but I was in such pain," she recalled. "The nurse kept asking me questions about the pain and about my medical history, and we got to the bottom of what was really going on: I had a gallstone."
One outpatient procedure later, Gass' gallstone — and her chronic pain — were gone for good.
A 2000 study in the
Journal of the American Medical Association' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that patients who receive primary care from nurse practitioners fare just as well as those treated by doctors and report similar levels of satisfaction with their care.
Nurse practitioners also have steadily been gaining greater acceptance by insurers and in most states. In about half of the states, nurse practitioners — who frequently have lower fees for office visits than doctors — are now recognized by insurance carriers as primary care physicians.
In all but seven states, they can practice either independently or with remote collaboration with doctors. In all states except Georgia, they have some level of independent authority to prescribe medications; some states do prohibit nurse practitioners from prescribing narcotics.
"One of the statistics that stands out is that we (nurse practitioners) see our patients twice as often as similar practices of physicians," said Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, a Philadelphia-based industry group. "Doing primary care well is the foundation for saving health care dollars — working on improving health early instead of, for example, paying for coronary surgery and bypasses later."
Helpful Links:
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: http://www.aanp.org
American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org
National Nursing Centers Consortium: http://www.nncc.us
By JOANN LOVIGLIO
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Marguerite Harris and her staff of eight provide prenatal care and child immunizations, write prescriptions, and diagnose and treat ailments from diabetes to the sniffles.
Though it may sound like a typical doctor's office, no one on staff at Project Salud is a doctor. The medical center is run by nurse practitioners — registered nurses with specialized training and advanced degrees — whose numbers have risen from 30,000 in 1990 to 115,000 today.
Increasingly, patients are being treated by health care professionals with N.P. after their name instead of M.D. or D.O. Nurse-managed primary care centers such as Project Salud have increased to about 250 nationwide today, from a small handful 15 years ago.
"We've come a long way since the early days, the knockdown drag-outs with doctors who thought we were overstepping our roles," said Harris, a nurse practitioner at the Philadelphia-area medical center since 1974.
The change is attributed to factors that include a drop in the number of doctors choosing primary care as their specialty, a falloff expected to continue.
According to the American College of Physicians, medical school surveys showed that from 1998 to 2005, the percentage of third-year residents intending to pursue careers in general internal medicine dropped from 54 percent to 20 percent. Many new doctors, saddled with high student loans, are choosing more lucrative specialties.
The supply of general practice physicians is falling just as the baby boomer population is aging and in greater need of medical care, and nurse-run medical centers are helping to bridge the gap.
Nurse practitioners first appeared about 40 years ago in pediatrics, and quickly expanded into obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, and adult primary care.
They can perform many of the duties of primary care doctors such as performing physical exams, diagnosing and treating common health problems, prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting X-rays, and providing family planning services.
However, some physicians' groups are concerned about the trend.
The American Medical Association is against giving full autonomy to nurse practitioners, stating as its official policy position that a physician should be supervising nurse practitioners at all times and in all settings. An AMA spokeswoman said the association would not provide additional comment on its position.
"There is an element within the physician community that gets a little antsy. ... They think it's going to take away revenue and business from them," said Dr. Jan Towers, director of health policy for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. "Really, there's more than enough for everybody."
Some patients say they're more satisfied with the less rushed, more holistic style of care they receive from nurse practitioners.
"It got to the point where my doctor was in such a hurry, he wouldn't even look me in the face," said Diane Gass, a North Philadelphia resident who has been a patient at her neighborhood nurse-run health center since it opened about a decade ago.
Gass, 61, said her nurse practitioner took four hours during the first visit taking her medical history and getting to know her.
"For years the doctor was treating me for ulcers, but I was in such pain," she recalled. "The nurse kept asking me questions about the pain and about my medical history, and we got to the bottom of what was really going on: I had a gallstone."
One outpatient procedure later, Gass' gallstone — and her chronic pain — were gone for good.
A 2000 study in the
Journal of the American Medical Association' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that patients who receive primary care from nurse practitioners fare just as well as those treated by doctors and report similar levels of satisfaction with their care.
Nurse practitioners also have steadily been gaining greater acceptance by insurers and in most states. In about half of the states, nurse practitioners — who frequently have lower fees for office visits than doctors — are now recognized by insurance carriers as primary care physicians.
In all but seven states, they can practice either independently or with remote collaboration with doctors. In all states except Georgia, they have some level of independent authority to prescribe medications; some states do prohibit nurse practitioners from prescribing narcotics.
"One of the statistics that stands out is that we (nurse practitioners) see our patients twice as often as similar practices of physicians," said Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, a Philadelphia-based industry group. "Doing primary care well is the foundation for saving health care dollars — working on improving health early instead of, for example, paying for coronary surgery and bypasses later."
Helpful Links:
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: http://www.aanp.org
American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org
National Nursing Centers Consortium: http://www.nncc.us
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