Variety to Choose

For those who are interested in the Medical Administrative Assistant, it is important to mention the different position available on this career, and look for the area of your preference to work in this field.

As mentioned in some of my other post, there is a variety of different positions in this field. You have the opportunity to certify and go for Medical Coder, or Medical Transcription. You can also work for the Medical Records, Medical Receptionist, Medical Billing Clerk (you may need experience from coding), Medical Secretary, Medical Office Manager, or choose just to work in the administrative area.

As you see, there are several positions that you can go for. They all have different wages some more other

less, depending on the position that you choose to apply. Does not matter which one you decide to choose, but I can assure you that it is a good opportunity to work in the medical field. Review each and one of this position on any of the hospital or clinic of your choice and look into the positions and requirements. If you are interested in this career, take the chance and move forward and reach your goals. It is a wonderful career and it will be a great experience.

Ordering Supplies

Supplies are important to a medical facility like in any other place. It is Important that supplies are updated. When talking about supplies, I am referring for all the medical equipment necessary to attend a patient.

We need to sort all the necessary items on each room where patients are attended. From flu vaccines, treatment supplies, pens, papers, furniture, accessories, and much more. Every item is important and who is charge, needs to make sure that supplies needs to last prior to the next shipment.

Although the importance of all equipment that physicians needs to utilize when attending a patient (stethoscope etc.). Look for good brand to provide the best equipment should be important as well. Also having medication for emergency case is very important to have, especially for those that does not have any type of insurance or no income to pay for their medication. Keep in mind that patients are the priority, and they deserve the best care and supplies are also part of the service in a medical setting.

Technology Knowledge

Technology is what work most effective now days. Knowledge in technology is very important to have in the medical office setting. Computers, is the number one tool that is being use in an office on a daily basis. It is important to know how to manipulate the computer and the system that is used at the office.

There is different type of software in a medical office; not all medical office uses the same software. Anyone who works in the medical office needs to keep update on new software that pertains to their jobs. There will be lots of changes periodically in technology, while changes keep arriving. The medical office staff needs to nurture their knowledge, and keep growing to be professional and knowledgeable on what they are doing in the facility.

Courses are always available for new tools in the medical office setting, to keep improving technology skills like word, excel, power point, and much more that would help for any other duties that an office has to perform. Being knowledgeable is important and learning for new things is the potential on continuing on what you do on a habitual day at the office.

Organizational Skills

Organizational skills are important in the office setting. This refers of how everything needs to work together, in completing all tasks on a daily basis. How the office is manage and organize base on team works. Also is the ability of how to resolve any situation that arrives, what priorities comes first to take care and how to handle them.

You planned ahead of the entire task that needs to be completed daily. You put them in the order that needs to be done. You delegate responsibility to the team work, to help work the office run smoothly and with effectiveness. It helps the office be in shape with no difficulty and work on an ease pace.

Listing all the chores to be done daily is the most accurate and precise thing to do. That way you check every task that are done and what the next one would be; this is from read-through e-mails, faxes, important calls to return or make, etc. Managing your time to make everything works proficiently, is something that anyone working in an office setting needs to meet, to make the office setting work in good standing.

Knowledge in Medical Terminology and Anatomy and ICD-10

When talking about medical terms and anatomy, you figured that these terms only apply to physicians, nurses, therapists, and anyone who works directly with a patient. However, these terms also apply to the Medical Administrative Assistants as well. Their job is not only based on computers, updating patient’s information, filing etc. Being in the medical field, is important to understand all this terms. This position has a variety of different departments that require certification. On a future post, I will talk about what other position the medical administrative assistant can do, and medical terminology knowledge is required. 

Medical terminology and anatomy is a very interesting material, where you learn all different types of physiology and diseases. You learn to identify parts of the body with different terms and how they work. It is important to keep updated on all this information to comprehend any type of diagnoses and procedures.

Furthermore, you learned how to work with the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10), where describes all coding information based on diseases, diagnoses, and procedures. This book is where all physicians referred to. It has lots of information on vessels, muscles, nerves and more intersting information about the human body.

Supporting Physicians

Another role of being a Medical Assistant is supporting the physicians. Physicians should only focus on each patient they wait on, knowing that the office is working in a proper manner. Making sure the flow of the office is under control is a way to support them. Have schedule precisely done with enough time to meet with their patient is important. Ensure the patient information are well manage and in order.

In the office setting there is also other task that needs to be done. A Medical Assistant also takes care of phone calls for the physicians, these needs to be conduct in a proper manner. They need to make sure how the physician wants their calls to be handle.

Meetings are important and needs to be accordingly set up on a convenience time that does not interfere with the physician working time at the office. They also need time break and after meeting with the patients, they need extra time to write all diagnoses and follow up that needs to be done prior to wait on the next patient. These are some other tasks that a Medical Assistant can do to support the physician, to work competently and with no hassle; in combination with all staff that are part of the medical office setting.

Working as a Team

Medical office setting is one of the places where teamwork needs to be in effect. Working as a team is very important because it is the ability to work together with our coworkers.

A strong team has knowledge of their roles; each and one of them know what they need to do

on a daily basis. The team needs to be well managed and organized, having meetings for updates or new information to discuss. It is important to know how to solve a problem when a situation arrives, know what to do; or if the situation cannot be resolved, then escalate it to the next level. Have a constructive feedback; give someone a positive criticism for his or her professional growth. Communication is always important for the team. The team needs to provide new ideas, and listen to others. One of the most important things is respecting one another.

Working as a team should not only be a friendly environment is also like a family place. It makes our day work with ease and help one another when is needed. It is an enjoyable place when you have passion of what you do, and when a team works together, it brings a good atmosphere.

Creating Statements

When claims are processed and accepted, health insurance covers their part of payment. The remainder is patient’s responsibility. An assistant is in charge to create a statement with all the procedures that was process along with the prices, and the amount that health insurance covered. There is a description of all the information and it is called patient day sheet. This sheet has all patients’ information along with the charges, they are divided accordingly to be prepared and printed out to be sent out to the patients.

Depending on the type of software that medical office setting works with; there is a variety of statements that offices has to work with, and descriptions of each statement may differ from other medical offices. This is a daily routing in the medical office setting. Statements need to be process on a daily basis and be mailed on a time frame.

After all co-pay, deductible, co-insurance, and insurance coverage is paid, there may be some outstanding balances for some patients, depending on their health insurance coverage. Payment plan are accepted, when patients cannot pay in full. There is a 30. 60, and 90 days for collection time frame before it goes to a collection agency.

Process Health Insurance Claims

 

Health insurance claims is where payment is process from your provider to your health insurance. This is why is so important to make verification first, and assure that medical insurance is cover by the provider. Claims have information such as: patient’s diagnoses, procedures, and charges. This is called claim management.

A form called Health  Insurance claim (CMS-1500) is what is use to process a claim. As I explained on other post previously, gathering the proper information is very important in order to process everything accordingly. Coding (diagnoses and procedures) which will be explained at a later post needs to be properly filled. The majority of the process now days are electronically; payments will automatically pre-fill in the system once coding is typed in the system.

One of the things an administrative assistant will be doing when creating a claim is verify, edit, and/or change the status of a claim. There will be certain step to follow up when transmitting a claim. The last thing you do once everything is confirmed is transmit the claim electronically. Supporting data (other documentation needed) verification will be necessary at time, depending on the diagnoses of the patient. You can print claims, reprint and delete claims as well.

Maintaining Health Records

Maintaining health records if one of the most important thing to do at the medical office setting. It is important to have everything accurate and in order. A health record is divided by sections for each patient. This is called a file with all the information necessary  from personal, health insurance, chief complaint, progress notes, consultation and more. This applies to electronic records and paper records.

Some medical offices have files stored in a cabinet, this means that medical records are still process on papers and they are kept in a confidential storage. No matters how is process, everything needs to be strictly confidential. They have it sort it by index order units. In the majority medical office setting they file by numeric storage systems,and others are by alphabetic storage systems. This is the information that they work with, when patients are schedule, and files records are set in a place early in the morning to have it ready when patient arrives to the office.

Electronic records have the same information as mention before; however, it is more beneficial because it can be electronically transfer to a doctor’s office.  It is more efficient storage and retrieval. It can be stored with a backup in case of a disaster so that data can be accurately safe and intact. It is paperless and has other beneficial sources.

Answering Patient’s Phone Calls

Answering phone calls is an everyday job a medical office setting has to deal with. Answer machines are available in most offices to better serve the patient, and return their calls in case the assistants are helping other callers or patients at the office. When handling a phone call, one of the things we need to keep in mind is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Confidentiality is very important and some information cannot be discussed over the phone.

The assistants handle patient's scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation over the phone. They need to get the proper information (name of the patient, date of birth and telephone number) to be retrieved from the system; any changes needs to be updated in the system accurately. Furthermore when a patient is ill and calls the office to request to be seeing by the doctor, the assistant takes information from the patient, and have a triage nurse return patient’s call.

Referrals are important and specific information is necessary. Most office has an answering machine where they asked the patient to provide their personal information along with the doctor’s referrals information. Patient needs to call a couple days prior the appointment date, and make the request. If any other information is needed, an assistant will call the patient on behalf of their referral request to gather more information.

Assisting Patients

Assisting patients is one of the main things I need to focus on my career. The first thing I need to assure is that they sign the log sheet as they come inside the office. The patient is called to confirm appointment or if they are a walk in for illness. I gather information from the patient; name, date of birth, address, and telephone number to pull up their data from the system. Once the information is confirmed, I get the chart and make sure everything is accurate. Patient needs to be authenticating, whether he or she is the patient or guardian person.

Consents and other necessary papers need to be sign by the patient. Every patient who comes to the office for the first time, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) is provided to them, to read and sign. This document explains their privacy and how confidential information is handled.

Insurance information needs to be taking, documented, and copied if is not updated in the chart. Once everything is verified, sign, and copies are taking, they are encourage to have a seat and wait until a medical assistant person calls them to be attended.