Healthcare Jobs: Medical Receptionists and Medical Office Assistants

Picture a worried mom who has been up all night monitoring her child’s cough. Does she call her doctor directly? More likely, she calls his or her medical receptionist, who will listen to her concerns as she makes an appointment. In this sense, receptionists are at the front lines of our health care system, acting as a liaison between patients and care providers.rnMedical receptionists have a variety of duties, including: • answering the phonern • taking messagesrn • booking appointmentsrn • arranging bedsrn • greeting and registering patientsrn • answering questions, when appropriatern • filing and retrieving patient recordsrn • calling pharmacists about prescriptionsrn • keeping booksrn • writing business correspondencern • processing insurance claimsrn • preparing forms for lab workrn • sending specimens to the laboratoryrn • keeping track of inventoryrn • interacting with suppliersrn • communicating with maintenance staffrn • relaying messages between doctors and patientsrn • using word processors, spreadsheets and databasesrnIt’s possible to become a medical receptionist straight out of high school, although some applicants prefer to seek additional training at the college level to improve their chances of finding and keeping a good job.rnThose who do seek training can choose to specialize even further, by pursuing certification as a medical office assistant. Graduates of these kinds of programs can take a clinical as well as administrative role in a doctor’s office.rnAdditional Tasks Performed by Medical Office AssistantsrnIn addition to seeing to the normal clerical duties of any office, medical office assistants may be called upon to: • position and drape patientsrn • assist during patient examsrn • teach patients about treatments, conditions, etc. • transcribe doctors’ commentsrn • help disinfect equipmentrn • assess vital signsrn • perform CPRrn • administer basic First AidrnWorking ConditionsrnJob conditions, notably working hours, depend on the place of employment: • doctors’ officesrn • hospitalsrn • other healthcare servicesrnMedical receptionists who work in hospitals may have to work outside of usual business hours, i.e., do shift work, whereas those who work in doctors’ offices may not.rnCould this be the job for you?rnHere are some questions to ask yourself before pursuing receptionist training.rnAre you: • good with people? • empathetic? • independent? • organized? • detail oriented? • a good listener?rnThen you may want to consider seeking receptionist training. Look for a nearby college where you can improve your keyboarding, word processing and telephone communication skills.rnReceptionist training may also cover: • medical terminologyrn • CV writingrn • math skillsrnMedical receptionists have an important role to play in our health system. They are the first point of contact between doctors and patients. They help patients, who are sometimes worried or stressed, access the care that they need in a timely manner.rnContact the Academy of Learning for more information on their medical receptionist program and on their medical office assistant program.