The Medical Assistant Job

Competencies of a Medical Assistant

Since this person is the hospital’s first connection with patients, they must meet certain requirements. Despite having so many tasks to do, it is best to be as well trained as possible. Below is a list of the requirements that a Medical Assistant must meet:

• Skills to relate to people: As we said before, the medical assistant is the one who relates first-hand with patients. So knowing how to communicate well with them is of vital importance since, given the type of service, the patient should feel calm and comfortable.
• A medical assistant has to be detail oriented: It is necessary that he/she manages a certain level of concentration since he/she must follow very well the instructions given to him/her.
• Organized and with good time management: In a health care area, disorder cannot exist. Therefore, the personnel who perform their functions in the health center must comply with the same standards of order. In addition, you cannot be late in completing your tasks.
• Ability to analyze and resolve conflicts: Conflict resolution in the medical sector must be fast, so staff must have this ability. In addition to being in charge of reading medical prescriptions and important files, you must stop the ability to understand them and give an immediate response.
• Administrative Capacity: From writing files to database management. You must be able to accomplish all tasks assigned to you.
• An ethical professional: The medical assistant can handle confidential and sensitive information, so this must be a discreet person.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

The Medical Assistant is an almost multidisciplinary staff in a health center, performing various functions in different areas.

• Schedule, confirm appointments and surgeries
• Serves and registers patients: Receives them and registers them in a book where the patient record is kept for security.
• It is responsible for accompanying patients to treatment rooms and medical evaluation.
• Manage the inventory of health center supplies.
• Clarifies the concerns of the patients: In the event that they have a problem or doubts regarding a service, this is the one in charge of looking for a solution and resolving the doubts.
• Make medical records and carry out billing

Areas in which a Medical Assistant is trained

The training that a medical assistant receives can last approximately 2 years. In which they receive the knowledge to be able to function in any area. This training can be received at a University or Vocational Training Center.

They may decide to perform their functions in any of these areas:

Administrative area: It is the first to have direct contact with the patient, write, file and update medical records. In general the basic activities of a medical office.
Clinical Area: Make the patient feel as comfortable as possible, for that they require a sense of empathy. Attend and be aware of the vital signs of patients, in addition to drawing blood.
Practical Area: This training takes place in health centers and provides students with certificates in order to endorse their training.