The Role of a Medical Assistant in a Clinic

Medical assistants are an important part of a clinic or a doctor’s office. Their primary role is to ensure that the office of doctors or the medical centers where they are employed runs without any glitches or hindrance. Their role can keep on changing depending on the place where they are employed or the need of the situation prevailing at that point in time.

In small offices or clinics, a medical assistant usually performs a variety of duties both clinical and administrative. In a larger set-up however, where there are many medical assistants at work, they may be assigned specialized tasks. Generally, the job of a medical assistant can be classified as Clerical, Administrative, Clinical and Specialists.

Duties that are repetitive but crucial for the smooth running of a hospital or clinic are often performed by a clerical medical assistant. Their job involves answering or making phone calls, scheduling appointments, checking mails and type memos and letters as dictated by the doctors.

An administrative medical assistant usually handles tasks that pertain specifically to medical therapy and administrative part of it. They handle medical claim forms, manage and update patients’ files, schedule appointments and tests, arrange for admission to the clinic or hospitals and also look after the billing and book-keeping of the clinic.

Clinical medical assistants work according to the laws of the specific state. Their role is more medical related than that of an administrative or clerical medical assistant. Their work includes preparing the patients for diagnosis, taking the medical history of the patient and assisting the physician during the examination. Their role includes explaining the medical procedures to the patient, call pharmacies for prescription, collect samples for lab testing and ensure that all clinical equipments are sterilized properly. Experienced medical assistants can also draw blood, remove sutures and take readings on the electrocardiograms if needed.

Specialized medical assistants are those who have gained expertise in a particular field. Their role in the hospital or clinic signifies their expertise. For instance, a medical lab assistant is expected to perform duties that are lab specific such as testing and documenting species. Those who have expertise in the field of ophthalmology will work in close coordination with optometrists in testing the eyes of the patient, instruction on various aspects of eye care and proper use of eye lens.

Job opportunities for medical assistants are immense and growing every year. With health care facilities expanding rapidly and the enormous growth of outpatient treatment facilities, more jobs are being created for medical assistants every year.

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