The Duties of a Medical Assistant in a Hospital

A medical assistant in a hospital setting typically provides patient care services, assists with medical procedures, helps to maintain patient records and schedules, and provides administrative support to the hospital staff.

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Job Description

Medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians and other health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the size and type of the practice, but there are many common tasks that are performed by medical assistants in most healthcare settings.

Clinical duties may include taking and recording patients’ vital signs, assisting with physical examinations, drawing blood, preparing patients for x-rays, giving injections, and removing sutures. Medical assistants also may handle routine laboratory procedures such as urine tests, blood tests, and skin cultures. In addition, they may schedule appointments, notify patients of test results, receive patients for the physician, answer telephones, complete insurance forms, do billing and bookkeeping, transcribe dictation, instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare hospital rooms for surgery, take out stitches
collate laboratory specimens for testing.

Duties

The duties of a medical assistant in a hospital can be very demanding and may vary from day to day. However, there are certain tasks that are typically expected of medical assistants in hospitals. These include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, taking patient vital signs, updating patient medical records and assisting with medical procedures. Additionally, medical assistants in hospitals may also be responsible for stocking supplies, ordering laboratory tests, and handling billing and insurance paperwork.

Qualifications

Medical assistants perform a range of both clinical and administrative duties in hospitals, assisting physicians and other medical staff in providing care to patients. They must complete a formal education program and earn certification to work in this field. Some states also require medical assistants to be licensed.

Medical assistants typically need to have at least a high school diploma, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree from a community college or trade school. Many medical assistants complete certificate programs that take about a year to finish. These programs are often found at community colleges, technical schools, and vocational schools.

Education and Training

Most medical assistants have either a certificate or an associate degree from an accredited program. Some states require certification and/or licensure, although this is not always the case. Check with your state’s Board of Medical Examiners to find out what the requirements are in your area.

Medical assistants must complete a formal education program and pass a national examination to earn their credential. Many accredited programs offer both classroom and clinical instruction, and some programs offer externships or internships to provide students with hands-on training. Classroom instruction covers topics such as Medical Terminology anatomy and physiology, office procedures, and insurance billing and coding. Clinical instruction gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a real-world medical setting.

Salary and Job Outlook

The median annual wage for medical assistants was $34,800 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,720.

Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 29 percent from 2017 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the baby-boom population ages, there will be an increasing need for diagnostic medical procedures, which are often performed by medical assistants. In addition, as physicians expand their practices to include more patients, they will hire more medical assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties so that the physicians can see more patients.

Career Paths

Medical assistants work alongside physicians, primarily in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics. They complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.

Most medical assistants have postsecondary education such as a certificate. However, some states allow them to work with on-the-job training only. The majority of programs take about 1 year to complete, although some accelerated programs can be completed in as little as 9 months.

The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the size and location of the practice and the practitioners’ specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually are responsible for many administrative duties and may be asked to perform clerical tasks such as scheduling appointments, maintaining Medical records billing, and bookkeeping. In larger practices, medical assistants usually are assigned specific jobs such as scheduling appointments or handling billing and insurance claims.ita

Key Skills

A medical assistant working in a hospital setting is responsible for a variety of tasks, including patient care, administrative duties, and clinical procedures. To be successful in this role, they must be able to multitask and have excellent time management skills. They must also have strong communication skills to interact with patients and their families, as well as other members of the healthcare team.

Some of the key skills that a medical assistant needs to succeed in a hospital setting include:

-Patient Care: Medical assistants are responsible for providing basic patient care, such as taking vital signs and performing simple tests. They may also assist patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing and eating.
-Administrative Duties: Medical assistants working in a hospital setting are often responsible for handling administrative duties, such as scheduling appointments and maintaining medical records They may also be responsible for billing and coding patients’ insurance information.
-Clinical Procedures: Medical assistants working in a hospital setting may be responsible forperforming clinical procedures, such as drawing blood or administering medications. They must have a thorough understanding of sterile techniques and infection control procedures.

Working Conditions

Medical assistants typically work in outpatient clinics, physician’s offices, and hospitals. Their duties vary with the location, specialty, and size of the practice. Working conditions are usually pleasant and clean. Most full-time medical assistants work about 40 hours a week. Because many office and clinics are open evenings and weekends, some medical assistants work part time. A few medical assistants work more than 40 hours a week.

What to Expect

If you have been considering a career in medical assisting, you may be wondering what the day-to-day duties of this important role are. Medical assistants are a vital part of any healthcare team, providing support to doctors and nurses and performing a variety of administrative tasks. If you’re thinking of pursuing a career in medical assisting, here’s what you can expect:

As a medical assistant, you will be responsible for a variety of tasks, both clinical and administrative. Clinical tasks may include taking patients’ vital signs, recording medical histories, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting with minor office procedures. You will also be responsible for keeping the examination rooms clean and organized and stocking them with supplies. Administrative tasks may include answering phones, filing patient records, scheduling appointments, and billing insurance companies. In some cases, medical assistants may also be responsible for transcribing doctors’ orders and preparing laboratory specimens for testing.

Medical assistants typically work in hospitals, but they may also work in physicians’ offices, clinics, or other healthcare facilities. They often work full time, but some positions may be part time or permit flexible scheduling. Many medical assistants are certified through professional organizations such as the American Association of Medical Assistants or the National Healthcare Association. Certification is not required for all positions, but it may give you an advantage when applying for jobs.

Get Ahead with This Career

As a medical assistant in a hospital, you’ll be responsible for a variety of tasks. From greeting patients and collecting their information to scheduling appointments and handling insurance paperwork, you’ll play an important role in keeping the hospital running smoothly. If you’re organized, detail-oriented, and have good people skills, a career as a medical assistant in a hospital could be a great fit for you.