A Day in the Life of a Medical Assistant: Performing Essential Actions

Get a behind-the-scenes look at what Medical assistants do on a day-to-day basis. See how they perform essential actions and functions that keep the medical office running smoothly.

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Waking Up and Getting Ready

As a medical assistant you have a lot of responsibilities. You might be responsible for greeting patients, scheduling appointments, taking vital signs, and recording medical histories. You also might be responsible for giving injections, helping with minor surgery, and assisting the physician with examinations. No matter what your duties are, you need to be able to perform them efficiently and effectively.

Checking In with the Office

One of the first things a medical assistant does when arriving for their shift is check in with the office. This helps the front office staff know that you are present and accounted for, and also allows you to get any updates on the day’s schedule or tasks that need to be completed. Once you have checked in, you can then begin to prepare for your patient appointments.

Seeing Patients

As a medical assistant you will play a vital role in ensuring that patient visits run smoothly. You will be responsible for greeting patients, escorting them to exam rooms, and recording their medical history. In addition, you will take patients’ vitals signs and collect lab specimens. You may also be asked to assist the physician with various tasks during the patient visit.

Performing Administrative Tasks

Medical assistants play a vital role in the day-to-day operations of healthcare facilities. They are responsible for a wide range of administrative tasks, from scheduling appointments and maintaining medical records to billing patients and handling insurance claims. In many cases, they are the first point of contact between patients and the medical staff, so it is important that they be able to effectively communicate with both groups.

In addition to their administrative duties, Medical Assistants may also be responsible for performing clinical tasks such as taking patient histories, measuring vital signs, and administering injections. They must have a strong knowledge of Medical Terminology and be able to accurately record patient information. Depending on their training and experience, they may also be responsible for handling laboratory specimens or performing diagnostic tests.

Taking a Break

Although medical assistants have a lot of responsibility and their days are often very full, they are still entitled to take a break. In most cases, medical assistants are allowed to take a ten to fifteen minute break for every two hours that they work. If they work more than six hours in a day, they are also entitled to a thirty minute lunch break. These breaks are essential in order for medical assistants to be able to recharge and refocus so that they can provide the best possible care for their patients.

Checking In with the Office (cont.)

The medical assistant checks in with the office upon arrival to get a list of tasks for the day. Once the morning routine is complete, they may have some down time before patients start arriving. During this time, they may check and respond to messages, prepare patient charts, or work on scheduling.

Seeing Patients (cont.)

After the patient has been triaged by the medical assistant, they will then be seen by the doctor. The medical assistant will escort the patient to the examination room and take vitals such as blood pressure, pulse, and weight. They will also update the patient’s medical chart with this information. The medical assistant will then hand the chart off to the doctor so they can review it before seeing the patient.

Performing Administrative Tasks (cont.)

MA’s perform a variety of administrative tasks in order to keep the medical office organized and running efficiently. Some of these tasks include:
-Scheduling appointments
-Answering phones
-Filing and maintaining patient medical records
-Billing and coding insurance claims
-Ordering medical supplies

MA’s must be able to multitask and be efficient in order to perform all of their duties in a timely manner. They must also have excellent customer service skills in order to deal with patients, doctors, and other staff members.

Wrapping Up the Day

At the end of the day, medical assistants perform various tasks to wrap up their work. They may review upcoming appointments to ensure that patients are scheduled for the appropriate tests and procedures. They may also review laboratory results and relay them to patients who have been waiting for test results. In some cases, medical assistants may need to contact patients who have not yet been seen by the physician to reschedule them for another day.

Going Home

ending the work day