What is a medical assistant?
A medical assistant is a health professional that performs a wide variety of administrative and clinical tasks within a physician’s office. What does a medical assistant do? Medical assistant jobs vary from office to office, but in general, these health care workers will greet patients, update and file patient and medical records, fill out insurance forms, schedule appointments and handle billing and accounting procedures. In addition, a medical assistant takes patient medical histories and vital signs, prepares patients for examination, collects blood specimens by both capillary or veripuncture technique, gives injections, removes sutures, performs basic laboratory tests, sterilizes equipment, authorizes and phones in drug refills, perform EKGs, prepare patients for X-rays, and explains treatment procedures to patients. Where do medical assistants work? In 2002, medical assistants held about 365,000 jobs in this country. Sixty percent were employed in physicians’ offices and 15 percen
A medical assistant (MA) is an unlicensed person who assists in the medical practice under the supervision of a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner and performs delegated procedures commensurate with the MA’s education and training. An MA does not diagnose, interpret, design or modify established treatment programs or perform any functions that would violate any statute applicable to the practice of medicine.
The medical assistant is a wonderful addition to any medical office and adds real value to any doctor’s practice. Medical assisting, as a profession, has been around since the 1950s. It is one among the many allied health professions in which a person can grow and be a proud contributor to their community, no matter where they are.
A medical assistant is a health professional who assists with a variety of administrative and basic clinical tasks in a medical setting. Depending on the office and regional requirements, a medical assistant may be licensed or unlicensed, although in both cases, some education is required for the job. Employment prospects in this field tend to be excellent, as many doctors in private practice rely heavily on the work of their medical assistants, considering them to be extremely valuable and important employees. Clerical and administrative tasks performed by medical assistants can include things like managing patient charts, making appointments, phoning prescriptions into pharmacies, instructing patients on administration of medications, greeting patients when they enter the office, handling billing, and managing payroll for the staff. Often, a medical assistant will head the office, using clinical knowledge and administrative skills to keep the clinic running smoothly so that the medic
