Duties Of Medical Assistant

Summary: The duties of medical assistant vary and will depend on the size practitioner's practices, size and location of the office.

The employment rate of medical assistants these days is surprisingly higher than the past couple of years and it is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations for the next ten years. This is due to the continuing expansion of health care industry because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging population. Increasing utilization of medical assistants in the rapidly growing health care industry will further stimulate job growth.

Medical assistants, as we all know, perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices, clinics, and other health practitioners running smoothly. But, the duties of medical assistants from differ from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice or practitioner's specialty. In small clinics or offices, the duties of medical assistants are handing both administrative and clinical tasks and reporting directly to an office manager, or physician. However, those in large practices tend to specialize in particular area under the supervision of department administrators.

Answering phones, greeting patients, updating and filing medical record of patients, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and borrowing are also included in the list of duties of medical assistants. Still want to be a medical assistant? It sounds a whole lot of job, doesn't it? But, that's not all. Wait until you hear the rest.

The clinical duties of medical assistants vary according to State Law and may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedure to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, throw away contaminated supplies, and sterilize instruments. They also instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

Now, what do you have to say about the duties of medical assistants? Aren't they meaningful, rewarding, and challenging? You might already be out of breath just reading your future duties. The lists of duties of medical assistants maybe too long to mention, but you are not going to do all those task. Fell better? It's not like you will be the only medical assistant in an office or clinic. Medical assistant's specific duties may vary from office to office. Nevertheless, it is best that you know your possible jobs when you finally decided to be a medical assistant so that you will be prepared what kind of career you are going into.