The Top 5 USA Jobs for Medical Support Assistants
Contents
- What is a medical support assistant?
- What are the top 5 USA jobs for medical support assistants?
- What are the responsibilities of a medical support assistant?
- What skills do medical support assistants need?
- What are the working conditions for medical support assistants?
- What is the job outlook for medical support assistants?
- What are the salary ranges for medical support assistants?
- What are the education and training requirements for medical support assistants?
- What are the certification and licensure requirements for medical support assistants?
- What are the career advancement opportunities for medical support assistants?
If you’re looking for a career in the medical field, you might want to consider becoming a medical support assistant. Here are the top 5 USA jobs for medical support assistants, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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What is a medical support assistant?
A medical support assistant is a professional who provides clerical and administrative support to a healthcare team. They are responsible for tasks such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records and billing insurance companies. A medical support assistant may also be responsible for providing customer service to patients and their families.
The job outlook for medical support assistants is positive, with an expected growth of 19% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.1 Medical support assistants are in high demand due to the increasing number of aging baby boomers who require more medical care. In addition, the Affordable Care Act has resulted in more people having health insurance which has increased the demand for all types of healthcare services.
If you’re interested in a career as a medical support assistant, here are the top five states in the USA with the highest employment levels for this occupation:
1. California – There are over 36,000 medical support assistants employed in California. The average annual salary is $41,330.2
2. Texas – There are over 27,000 medical support assistants employed in Texas. The average annual salary is $35,970.3
3. Florida – There are over 25,000 medical support assistants employed in Florida. The average annual salary is $35,280.4
4. New York – There are over 17,000 medical support assistants employed in New York. The average annual salary is $45,370.5
5. Pennsylvania – There are over 16,000 medical support assistants employed in Pennsylvania. The average annual salary is $37,070.6
What are the top 5 USA jobs for medical support assistants?
Medical support assistants work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and physician offices. They perform clerical and administrative tasks to support the work of medical staff.
The top five jobs for medical support assistants in the USA are:
1. Medical administrative assistant
2. Medical office manager
3. medical billing and coding specialist
4. Health information technician
5. Medical secretary
What are the responsibilities of a medical support assistant?
The duties of a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) vary depending on their specific job title and the size and type of facility in which they work. However, there are some common duties that most MSAs perform.
MSAs typically work in medical offices, clinics, or hospitals. They may be responsible for greeting patients, scheduling appointments, answering phones, and handling other office tasks. They may also collect patient information, prepare medical charts, and assist with medical billing and coding. Some MSAs may also be responsible for taking and processing X-rays or performing lab tests.
In larger facilities, MSAs may specialize in a particular area, such as pediatrics, surgery, or obstetrics/gynecology. In these cases, their duties may be more focused on that particular area. For example, an MSA who specializes in surgery may be responsible for transporting patients to and from the operating room and keeping track of surgical instruments
What skills do medical support assistants need?
Medical support assistants need a combination of customer service, computer, and people skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most medical support assistants have at least a high school diploma. Many have completed postsecondary education, such as a certificate or diploma program in medical office administration or medical assisting.
Customer service skills are important for medical support assistants because they spend much of their time interacting with patients and families. They need to be able to answer questions and solve problems. Computer skills are also important because medical support assistants use computers to do everything from scheduling appointments to billing insurance companies.
People skills are important for medical support assistants because they work closely with other members of the healthcare team, including doctors, nurses, and physical therapists. They need to be able to communicate effectively and work well as part of a team.
What are the working conditions for medical support assistants?
Medical support assistants work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, and other healthcare facilities. They typically work Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Some medical support assistants may be required to work evenings or weekends to accommodate the needs of their patients.
Medical support assistants are responsible for a variety of clerical tasks. They may answer phones, schedule appointments, file Medical records process insurance forms, and assist patients with filling out paperwork. Medical support assistants also perform basic bookkeeping duties, such as maintaining financial records and processing invoices.
Most medical support assistants have an associates degree or certificate from a medical support assistant program. Some employers may require medical support assistants to have previous experience working in a healthcare setting.
What is the job outlook for medical support assistants?
Medical support assistant is a broad job title that can encompass a variety of positions in the medical field, such as administrative roles, billing and coding, and patient care. The top five jobs for medical support assistants in the USA are:
1. Administrative medical support assistant
2. Billing and coding medical support assistant
3. Patient care medical support assistant
4. Insurance verification medical support assistant
5. Medical records clerk
What are the salary ranges for medical support assistants?
Medical support assistants (MSAs) provide clerical support to medical staff in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices. They perform a variety of administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments, handling billing and insurance paperwork, and recording patients’ medical histories.
MSAs typically need to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers may prefer candidates who have completed a postsecondary medical administrative assistant program. Although certification is not required, it may give job seekers a competitive advantage.
The median annual wage for medical support assistants was $34,610 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $49,540.
Most MSAs work full time. Due to the nature of the job, some MSAs may need to work evenings or weekends to accommodate the needs of their patients or employers.
What are the education and training requirements for medical support assistants?
There are no formal education requirements for medical support assistants, although most have a high school diploma or equivalent. Many medical support assistants receive on-the-job training, which typically lasts for about a month. Some community colleges offer certificate or associate degree programs in medical office assistance or a related field, which can be beneficial for those who want to learn more about the field or advance their career.
What are the certification and licensure requirements for medical support assistants?
Education: Most medical support assistants have at least a high school diploma, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree.
Certification and licensure: Medical support assistants may need to be certified or licensed in some states.
Skills: Medical support assistants should be able to type and use computers, as well as have strong customer service skills.
Salary: The median annual salary for medical support assistants was $32,480 in May 2015.
What are the career advancement opportunities for medical support assistants?
Medical support assistants (MSAs) provide vital clerical and administrative support in healthcare facilities. Without them, the nurses and doctors would be unable to do their jobs effectively. Although the job of an MSA is important, it is often seen as a starting point for a career in healthcare rather than a destination. So, what are the career advancement opportunities for medical support assistants?
The most common next step for MSAs is to become a medical assistant (MA). MAs provide direct patient care under the supervision of a nurse or doctor. They may also perform administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and handling medical records.
Another popular career option for MSAs is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). LPNs provide basic nursing care and can work in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices.
There are also opportunities for MSAs to move into other administrative roles within healthcare facilities. For example, they may become office managers or medical billing and coding specialists.
MSAs with good people skills may also choose to become patient advocates or health educators. In these roles, they would work with patients and their families to help them navigate the healthcare system and make informed decisions about their care.
So, there are plenty of career advancement opportunities for medical support assistants. It all depends on what interests them and what type of environment they want to work in.