Understanding The Medical Assistant Job Description

On December 15, 2010 in General

The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out every year very detailed information on jobs in the United States. In their 2008-09 Handbook, the position of medical assistant was documented as one of the fastest growing industries nationwide.

Health professionals need their offices to run smoothly and efficiently. Many administrative and clinical tasks need to be done to make sure this happens. Medical assistants are the ones who carry out these tasks. In contrast, Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and also treat patients.

The specific duties of a medical assistant depend on several factors. These factors include the medical practitioner’s medical specialty together with the location and size of the practice. In a small office a medical assistant would have a bigger variety of tasks while medical assistants working in a large practice may have more specialized job assignments. This is no different than any regular administrative position .

Medical assistant jobs may be split into 2 main categories, administrative and clinical. Administrative duties include updating and filing medical records, insurance forms, and logistical arrangements for hospital admission and lab work. They also perform tasks less unique to medical settings, such as answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping.

Clinical tasks are dependent on what is allowed by State Law. Clinical medical assistants might possibly have to record a patient’s medical history and note down specific vital signs, explain treatments to patients, get a patient ready for a medical exam, and assist the physician during an exam . Additionally, it is possible that a medical assistant would collect lab specimens, be responsible for proper disposal of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical equipment used in the office. They might also tell patients about medications and specific diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, give approval for drug refills as instructed, call prescriptions in to a pharmacy, take blood, get patients ready for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

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