What does a healthcare assistant job entail?

Answer 1

The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.

Medical assistants who perform administrative tasks have many duties. They update and file patients' medical records, fill out insurance forms, and arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services. They also perform tasks less specific to medical settings, such as answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping.

For clinical medical assistants, duties vary according to what is allowed by State law. Some common tasks include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting physicians during examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens and sometimes perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They might instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

Medical assistants also may arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.

Ophthalmic medical assistants, optometric assistants, and podiatric medical assistants are examples of specialized assistants who have additional duties. Ophthalmic medical assistants help ophthalmologists provide eye care. They conduct diagnostic tests, measure and record vision, and test eye muscle function. They also show patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses, and they apply eye dressings. Under the direction of the physician, ophthalmic medical assistants may administer eye medications. They also maintain optical and surgical instruments and may assist the ophthalmologist in surgery. Optometric assistants also help provide eye care, working with optometrists. They provide chair-side assistance, instruct patients about contact lens use and care, conduct preliminary tests on patients, and otherwise provide assistance while working directly with an optometrist. Podiatric medical assistants make castings of feet, expose and develop x rays, and assist podiatrists in surgery.

A medical assistant is a responsible person. They must be reliable for the pre-medical care and also administrative jobs in a hospital.

Work environment. Medical assistants work in well-lighted, clean environments. They constantly interact with other people and may have to handle several responsibilities at once. Most full-time medical assistants work a regular 40-hour week. However, many medical assistants work part time, evenings, or weekends.

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Answer 2

Medical Assistants help physicians in a medical office. They are usually trained in a variety of tasks that would be needed in an office and/or clinical setting such as answering phones, setting up appointments, preparing charts, taking histories, taking vitals, giving shots, removing sutures, applying bandages, and assisting patients. They are similar to Medical Secretaries, but usually more highly trained for a clinical setting rather than office setting.

Answer 3

A healthcare assistant would need vocational skills like washing and dressing the patient, helping the patients to the restroom, and bed making. You don't have to go to college or university to work as a healthcare assistant. You can take a short training class and begin working.

Answer 4

A health care assistant is an important part of the health care system. A health care assistant takes vitals and medical information from a patient and gets them ready to see the doctor. There are many other important things that an assistant does as well.

Answer 5

Clerical Medical AssistantsThere isn't much that separates a clerical medical assistant from an administrative assistant. They perform basic office duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, sorting mail and greeting patients. Although the job duties of clerical medical assistants are not specific to the medical field, they are vital to the function of every medical office. Administrative Medical AssistantAdministrative medical assistants usually perform all of the clerical duties as well as administrative duties specific to the medical field. Besides answering phones and scheduling appointments, they maintain medical records, submit insurance claim forms, handle billing and book keeping. They are usually the ones who schedule medical tests, lab-work, and out-patient procedures for patients. Again, the smaller the practice, the more work will be required of them. Clinical Medical AssistantClinical medical assistants assume much of the workload that was once assigned to nurses and physician assistants. Having been trained in basic medical procedures, such as taking blood pressure, they are well-equipped to work directly with patients.

Their tasks may include recording vitals, preparing the exam room, explaining medical procedures to patients and assisting the physican with medical procedures.

They will often collect and prepare specimens, such as stool and urine samples, and may even remove stiches and sutures. More qualified clinical medical assistants can draw blood, take x-rays and perform EGKs.

Specialized Medical AssistantsThe beauty of working as a medical assistant is that you have so many options available to you. In fact, medical assistants are one of the most versatile health care professions! Much like doctors, MAs can choose to specialize in a certain field of medicine.

For example, a podiatric medical assistant works in a podiatrist's office. They make foot castings and assist the physican during examinations and surgeries. Optometric assistants help optomotrists with eye tests and examinations and show patients how to use contact lenses. Medical lab assistants help pathologists and lab technicians in preparing and testing specimens.

Answer 6

Clerical Medical AssistantsThere isn't much that separates a clerical medical assistant from an administrative assistant. They perform basic office duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, sorting mail and greeting patients. Although the job duties of clerical medical assistants are not specific to the medical field, they are vital to the function of every medical office. Administrative Medical AssistantAdministrative medical assistants usually perform all of the clerical duties as well as administrative duties specific to the medical field. Besides answering phones and scheduling appointments, they maintain medical records, submit insurance claim forms, handle billing and book keeping. They are usually the ones who schedule medical tests, lab-work, and out-patient procedures for patients. Again, the smaller the practice, the more work will be required of them. Clinical Medical AssistantClinical medical assistants assume much of the workload that was once assigned to nurses and physician assistants. Having been trained in basic medical procedures, such as taking blood pressure, they are well-equipped to work directly with patients.

Their tasks may include recording vitals, preparing the exam room, explaining medical procedures to patients and assisting the physican with medical procedures.

They will often collect and prepare specimens, such as stool and urine samples, and may even remove stiches and sutures. More qualified clinical medical assistants can draw blood, take x-rays and perform EGKs.

Specialized Medical AssistantsThe beauty of working as a medical assistant is that you have so many options available to you. In fact, medical assistants are one of the most versatile health care professions! Much like doctors, MAs can choose to specialize in a certain field of medicine.

For example, a podiatric medical assistant works in a podiatrist's office. They make foot castings and assist the physican during examinations and surgeries. Optometric assistants help optomotrists with eye tests and examinations and show patients how to use contact lenses. Medical lab assistants help pathologists and lab technicians in preparing and testing specimens.

Answer 7

A health care assistant entail communicating with the patients, working well as a team, flexible, use your own initiative and making sure the patients are well looked after.

Answer 8

The different duties that is involved in a medical assistant job is to assistant the doctor with all different aspects of medical, administrative and other duties.