Download What is a Medical Assistant

Administrative duties may include...
Using computer applications
Answering telephones
Greeting patients
Updating and filing patient medical
records
Coding and filling out insurance
forms
Scheduling appointments
Arranging for hospital admissions
and laboratory services
Handling correspondence, billing,
and bookkeeping
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Clinical duties vary according to state law and
include...
Taking medical histories
Explaining treatment procedures to patients
Preparing patients for examination
Assisting the physician during the exam
Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
Performing basic laboratory tests
Instructing patients about medication and
special diets
Preparing and administering medications as
directed by a physician
Authorizing prescription refills as directed
Drawing blood
Taking electrocardiograms
Removing sutures and changing dressings
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Medical assistants are instrumental in
helping patients feel at ease in the doctor's
office and often explain the physician's
instructions.
If you have good communication skills
and are often appreciated for your caring
manner, then you might be well suited for a
career in medical assisting
Is Medical Assisting For You?
Are you looking for a meaningful job?
Do you like helping others?
Do you have an interest in health and medicine?
Are you a "people person"?
Are you good at multitasking—switching tasks
throughout the workday?
Do you like variety in your job?
Would you like to enter a career in an expanding field?
Medical assistants enjoy an exciting career, working
alongside physicians in medical offices and clinics,
to help ensure the best possible care for patients.
The CMA (AAMA):
The gold standard of professionalism
The American Association of Medical
Assistants (AAMA) offers certification to
medical assistants who have graduated
from a program accredited by the
Commission on Accreditation of Allied
Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or
the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education
Schools (ABHES). The CMA (AAMA)
credential represents a medical assistant
who has been certified by the Certifying
Board of the AAMA.
Graduates
Graduates of medical assisting
programs accredited by the
Commission on Accreditation of
Allied Health Education Programs
(CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau
of Health Education Schools
(ABHES) are eligible to take the
CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam.
RMA (AMT)
The AMT/RMA is certification by the American Medical
Technologists for a registered medical assistant.
AMT is a nationally and internationally recognized certification
agency—the AMT credential is well respected in the industry and is
transportable throughout the US.
AMT is a reputable certification agency. Its competency-based
exams are developed, administered, and analyzed using industry
standards and state-of-the-art methodologies.
AMT is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying
Agencies (NCCA), a recognition only given to organizations
meeting rigorous NCCA Standards. Because AMT offers multiple
but related certifications, individuals can become certified in more
than one specialty, making them more valuable and marketable in
the industry.
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment
(1)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
495,970
$14.16
$29,450
Percentile
10%
25%
50%
(Median)
75%
90%
Hourly
Wage
$9.98
$11.57
$13.77
$16.23
$19.21
Annual
Wage (2)
$20,750
$24,060
$28,650
$33,760
$39,970
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Division of Occupational Employment Statistics, PSB Suite 2135, 2
Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20212-0001
www.bls.gov/OES | Telephone: 1-202-691-6569 | Contact OES
Employment change.
Employment of medical assistants is expected to
grow 34 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster
than the average for all occupations.
As the healthcare industry expands because of
technological advances in medicine and the growth
and aging of the population, there will be an
increased need for all healthcare workers.
The increasing prevalence of certain conditions, such
as obesity and diabetes, also will increase demand for
healthcare services and medical assistants. Increasing
use of medical assistants to allow doctors to care for
more patients will further stimulate job growth.
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Job Titles MA’s can apply for:
Medical Assistant
Medical Office Assistant
Lab Assistant
Patient Care Assistant
Medical Administrative Assistant
Medical Secretary
Medical Biller and Coder
Medical Transcriptionists
Medical Support Specialists
Phlebotomists
NEW EMR (EHR) course coming to the MA
program
What’s happening across the US;
Massachusetts: Dr’s will lose their license to practice if they
don’t convert to EMR by 2015
Minnesota: Clinics and hospital to convert over by 2015 or they
will be in “technical noncompliance” which is a misdemeanor.
(60% have EMR as of 2010)
Maryland: Will personally pay clinics and hospitals to switch
over
Federal Government: Stimulus for EMR (hospital=Millions,
doctors up to $44,000)
Medicare Though the program is voluntary, doctors and
hospitals that fail to go paperless by 2016 face cuts in their
Medicare payments as a penalty
Question’s
Produced by Pamela Christianson, CMA
(AAMA), CPhT (PTCB), BS
And AAAMA.