MEDICAL ASSISTANT SITE

 

 

 

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What Do Medical Assistants Do?

The medical assistant is an important link between the patient and the healthcare delivery system and provides essential support in the areas of patient care, medical and lab procedures, records management and office administration.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, medical assistants held about 387,000 jobs in 2004. It is the medical assistant's responsibility to keep the office's work flow going in all areas of the medical office and provide services and support that contributes to the total care and well-being of the healthcare provider's patients.

Job training and career development programs prepare medical assistant students to work in a wide variety of healthcare environments including medical offices, clinics, laboratories, blood banks, state health facilities, and many more places where licensed healthcare practitioners need a helping hand.

Who's In Charge?

Typically the physician is the leading capacity in the medical office and therefore is the one in charge of the medical assistant, this includes ophthalmologists, audiologists, podiatrists, etc, but also nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who own and run their own medical practices to provide healthcare services to the community and hire medical assistants.

   Medical Assistants Can:

Schedule and confirm appointments over the phone

Prepare patients for examination

Explain treatment procedures

Assist during the examinations

Administer medications

Performe diagnostic screening tests

Change wound dressings

Remove sutures

Collect laboratory specimens

Perform selected clinical and administrative duties

Order and restock supplies

Bookkeeping and basic accounting

Insurance billing and coding

 

 

Prepare patients for examination and treatments

Take patient histories and vital signs

Prepare exam and treatment rooms and set up equipment

Perform venipunctures, obtain throat cultures

EKG's and other procedures as directed

Follow CLIA, OSHA and JCAHO regulations

Order and maintain lab and medical supplies and equipment

Attend required meetings and participates in committees as required

Participate in professional development activities

Data entry and typing

Maintain patient files, records and other information

 


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