5 Things Medical Assistants Learn on the Job
Medical assistants play a crucial role in healthcare teams. While a medical assistant (MA) degree program covers various clinical and office tasks, here are five important lessons that MAs can gain through hands-on experience. Medical assistants, or MAs, acquire essential skills during their schooling, but their learning continues and deepens while working. These professionals engage in administrative and clinical responsibilities across outpatient clinics, hospitals, ambulatory settings, and doctors’ offices.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 16% growth in MA jobs from 2021 to 2031, a rate significantly higher than the average for all professions. The elevated demand for MAs is linked to an aging patient demographic requiring more medical services.
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How to Become a Medical Assistant
In most states, there are no strict prerequisites for becoming a certified medical assistant. Individuals can secure a position with a high school diploma and receive training on the job. Alternatively, certificate programs lasting about a year can equip candidates with fundamental skills. Additionally, postsecondary medical assistant degree programs at community colleges offer associate degrees in approximately two years. Yet, formal training should be supplemented with practical experience to consolidate classroom or lab-acquired skills.
During an MA program, individuals learn both technical skills, such as utilizing medical equipment, recording vital signs, and collecting blood and specimens, and soft skills encompassing effective communication and interpersonal interactions. Continuous practice enables skill refinement. MAs enhance their abilities through interactions with medical professionals and patients, leading to improved problem-solving, patience, critical thinking, and self-assurance.
Certified Medical Assistant Exam Guide
While educational programs equip MAs with technical and soft skills, on-the-job experiences are instrumental in reinforcing and enhancing these proficiencies. Below is a list of technical skills typically acquired through work experience:
1. Phlebotomy and Specimen Collection
Phlebotomy, or venipuncture, involves extracting blood by inserting a needle into a vein or capillary. This clinical skill is taught during medical assistant training. Post-education, MAs can pursue further education and certification, which is often mandatory for those working in medical laboratories or hospitals. Being skilled in phlebotomy can enhance an MA’s earning potential. Hospitals often seek medical assistants with phlebotomy certification to perform blood sample collection from patients.
D’Vaughn House, a medical assistant at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Division of Infectious Diseases, is well-versed in the role of medical assistants in procuring body fluids, swabs, and specimens.
“In addition to collecting specimens, you will likely start [intravenous lines] and administer immunizations like hepatitis B and pneumonia,” he explains.
2. Clinic and Biohazard Safety
It might not be immediately evident, but clinic and biohazard safety is integral to the responsibilities of medical assistants. Biohazards encompass substances hazardous to humans, animals, or the environment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies biohazards into distinct categories, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, toxins, carcinogens, and allergens. Most hospitals maintain a biosafety office to assist healthcare professionals in adhering to safety regulations and maintaining a secure environment.
Upon commencing their medical assistant role, the specific skills acquired depend on the work environment and the supervising doctor or nurse. House began his career in a research unit where he acquired the expertise to obtain informed consent, collect specimens, and handle them safely.
“Regardless of the task, an MA will learn principles of empathy and motivational interviewing techniques to ensure safety and data accuracy,” he remarks.
3. Administrative Follow-up Skills
Medical assistants assume a vital role in outpatient settings, utilizing their administrative prowess. They leverage their knowledge of medical terminology and principles to schedule and confirm patient appointments accurately. Additionally, they might be responsible for tasks like:
– Billing
– Processing payments
– Managing insurance claims
– Drafting reports
– Handling correspondence
However, many medical assistants have versatile roles. For instance, in cases of staff shortages, an MA might relay lab results to patients if the physician or provider has reviewed and approved them.
House operates within a level 1 trauma center, where MAs acquire the skills to make these calls and translate medical terminology into easily understandable language for patients.
4. Electronic Medical Recording
Hospitals utilize electronic medical records (EMR) to document patients’ medical information. This software can be seamlessly integrated with billing systems, simplifying interactions with insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid.
MAs receive training on using electronic medical record systems during their schooling. However, each hospital employs its own EMR software, necessitating MAs to familiarize themselves with the specific software used by their employer. Accurate recording of medical procedures and communications is imperative. In the context of a medical malpractice lawsuit, if an action was not recorded, it’s considered incomplete.
The EMR might also facilitate external communication, such as email correspondence between patients and doctors, automatically logged in patients’ medical records. Medical assistants contribute to managing these communications as well.
“In their first year, MAs learn how to collect specific data points like weight, substance abuse history, and medications,” House shares. “Upon a patient’s arrival, the MA will create new medical records or update previous encounters.”
5. Efficient Medical Supply Inventory Management
Hospitals, doctors’ offices, and outpatient clinics must maintain an inventory of medical supplies. Neglecting proper monitoring can disrupt organizational efficiency and overburden staff. Mismanagement can lead to shortages of medications, excess supplies, or improper disposal of expired medications. Ensuring that supplies are readily available is crucial when a physician orders a test. Medical assistants are responsible for maintaining supplies and monitoring expiration dates. Larger healthcare facilities may utilize medical inventory software to enhance patient safety. Smaller offices might rely on a single supply closet. Effective supply management also helps prevent theft, particularly in offices and outpatient clinics that handle controlled substances.
House underscores the importance of efficient supply management skills, whether a medical assistant works in a surgical operating room, primary care office, or outpatient clinic. This becomes even more critical during disruptions in the supply chain.
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