The Responsibility of a Medical Assistant
Becoming a medical assistant is a more and more desirable job in today’s world. This is because medical assistant training is affordable, they work in a clean environment, they have many specialty options to choose from, they build long lasting relationships, the medical field is stable in comparison with other fields, and they take pride in what they do. This is the perfect job for those who want to work in the medical field and help patients, but can’t handle the demanding role of a doctor or surgeon.
A medical assistant is essential to the doctors and nursing staff, because the doctors and nursing staff must be able to focus directly on the health issues and concerns of their patients. These assistants keep the doctors on schedule, the Benzo Withdrawal medical office on track, the workflow smooth and running, the patients informed, and the patients comfortable and safe. Essentially, they keep the clinic together. Doctors and surgeons have their own long list of duties and responsibilities to keep up with. They simply don’t have the time to cover all of the tasks that are given to the medical assistants. Without them, things would be quite chaotic and unpleasant. Doctors and nurses would have way too much on their plate to handle.
Medical assistants can be hired by family medical practices, group medical offices, ambulatory walk-in clinics, medical centers, and other various facilities under the employment of doctors and licensed health care practitioners. These assistants mainly focus on handling daily clinical and administrative medical office routines such as processing patients in and out as they arrive for their appointment, directing patients to appropriate clinical areas, and answering telephones. Other responsibilities may include sorting mail and paper work, updating patient charts and electronic medical records, verifying insurance coverage and specialist referral authorization, processing insurance claim forms, scheduling patient appointments, adjusting schedules to fit in emergency cases, being prepared to fetch instruments for the doctor, replacing prescription pads, fixing the stethoscope, stocking the medical supply closet, disposing of infectious material, mopping up spills, and administering medications or treatments as ordered.
In addition, experienced medical assistants may also show new hires and students on internship the ropes within their discipline’s scope of practice, and react appropriately to unforeseen medical emergencies. They can also be responsible for taking medical histories, recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures, preparing and positioning patients for examinations, and keeping the waiting area and examining rooms clean.
In a larger health facility, they may be assigned specialized tasks, because of the abundance of them at the work place. In a smaller facility, however, they will need to perform all of the duties mentioned above.