The Difference Between Medical Assistants and Medical Office Assistants

The Difference Between Medical assistants and Medical Office Assistants. You may be wondering what the difference is between a medical assistant and a medical office assistant.

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Job duties

The main difference between medical assistants and medical office assistants is their job duties. Medical assistants generally perform both clinical and administrative tasks while medical office assistants are usually responsible only for administrative tasks. Both positions require excellent customer service skills and basic medical knowledge.

Medical assistants generally have more responsibilities than medical office assistants. Medical assistants may be responsible for taking patient medical histories and vital signs, preparing patients for examination, assisting the physician during the exam, scheduling appointments, handling medical insurance paperwork, and coding and transcribing medical records Medical office assistants typically handle clerical tasks such as answering phones, greeting patients, scheduling appointments, filing insurance forms, and billing.

Educational requirements

The educational requirements for medical assistants and medical office assistants are different. Medical assistants need to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, and they must complete a formal medical assisting program. Medical office assistants, on the other hand, only need a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certification

There are two different types of certification for medical assistants—the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through the American Association of Medical Assistants and the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) through the American Medical Technologists. In order to become either certified or registered, medical assistants must attend an accredited program and pass a national exam. Some states also require medical assistants to become licensed. The requirements for licensure vary by state.

Salary

In terms of salary, medical assistants earn a median wage of $15.41 per hour, or $32,480 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical office assistants earn a median wage of $14.96 per hour, or $31,170 per year.

Job outlook

The job outlook for medical assistants and medical office assistants is good. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for medical assistants will grow by 29% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The demand for medical office assistants is expected to grow by 10% over the same period.

Skills

Medical Assistants have many of the same responsibilities as Medical Office Assistants, but there are some key differences in their skills and training. Medical Assistants are trained in clinical and administrative tasks, while Medical Office Assistants are trained primarily in administrative tasks.

Medical Assistants are responsible for patient care, including taking medical histories and vital signs, administering injections and medication, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting with minor surgeries. They also perform office duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining Medical records billing insurance companies, and transcribing doctors’ orders. Most Medical Assistants have completed a postsecondary education program of at least one year.

Medical Office Assistants typically perform office duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records billing insurance companies, and transcribing doctors’ orders. They may also be responsible for some patient care tasks such as taking medical histories and vital signs or administering injections and medication. Most Medical Office Assistants have completed a postsecondary education program of at least one year.

Knowledge

The main difference between medical assistants and medical office assistants is the scope of their knowledge. Medical assistants have a broad range of knowledge that covers both clinical and administrative duties, while medical office assistants are only responsible for administrative tasks.

Both medical assistants and medical office assistants need to have strong communication and customer service skills. They also need to be proficient in computers and have basic knowledge of medical billing and coding.

Abilities

Medical assistants and medical office assistants are both important members of a healthcare team. They both provide support to physicians and other medical staff, but there are some important differences between the two roles.

Medical assistants are trained to perform both administrative and clinical tasks in a medical office setting. They might schedule appointments, take patient medical histories, assist with exams and procedures, prepare patients for x-rays and lab tests, give injections, take vital signs, collect specimen samples for testing, provide instruction to patients on medications and post-treatment care instructions, and code medical charts.

Medical office assistants perform administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, taking patient medical histories, verifying insurance coverage, answering phone calls, handling correspondence, maintaining medical records, and billing patients. They might also be responsible for ordering supplies and managing inventory.

Personality traits

Medical assistants and medical office assistants are two distinct career paths with corresponding skill sets. Office assistants generally handle the administrative tasks in a medical office such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records and billing insurance companies. Medical assistants, on the other hand, work alongside physicians and other medical staff providing basic patient care, taking vitals signs, updating medical histories and administering medications.

While both positions require excellent customer service skills and the ability to multitask, there are some personality traits that tend to be more common in each profession. Medical assistants are often compassionate and patient individuals who are able to remain calm in stressful situations. They should also be detail-oriented in order to accurately follow complex instructions from physicians. Medical office assistants need to be organized and efficient in order to keep the office running smoothly. They should also be able to juggle multiple tasks at once without becoming overwhelmed.

If you’re considering a career in the medical field, it’s important to evaluate your skills and personality traits to determine which position is right for you. Both medical assistant and medical office assistant positions provide opportunities to help others and make a difference in the lives of patients.

Work environment

While both medical assistants and medical office assistants work in health care their work environments are quite different. Medical assistants usually work in hospitals or clinics, where they have direct contact with patients. Medical office assistants, on the other hand, work in the administrative offices of hospitals or clinics and have less direct contact with patients.