Chapter 3

1. The Medical Assisting Profession Chapter 3

2. Medical Assisting • The medical assisting profession • Certifications for medical assistants • Duties medical assistants will perform • Professionalism • Professional organizations for medical assistants

3. Introduction • The medical assisting profession is expected to grow much faster than average for the period from 2006 to 2016. • Offices need flexible medical assistants who can handle both administrative and clinical duties.

4. The History of Medical Assisting • The first medical assistants were probably neighbors lending a helping hand. • The need for both administrative skills and clinical skills emerged as record keeping and other business details became more vital in physician offices. • Schools began offering training programs in the late 1940s. • Medical assistant organizations began developing in 1950, and certifying examinations followed soon after.

5. The Scope of Practice of a Medical Assistant • The most descriptive term for the professional medical assistant is versatile. • Duties vary from office to office and within the same clinic. • Because medical assistants are so versatile, they are able to perform duties in all parts of the medical office. Additionally, they can fill in when necessary if another employee is ill or on an extended leave. • Medical assistants are found in: • physicians’ offices • chiropractors’ offices • podiatrists’ offices • hospitals • surgery centers • freestanding emergency centers

6. The Scope of Practice of a Medical Assistant • Cross-Training • Many medical assistants are cross-trained to handle a variety of duties and to cover for others who may be ill or out of the office for various reasons. • Always be willing to be cross-trained to perform other duties. Not only will this make the medical assistant more valuable, it will expose him or her to more skills that will be useful in future employment and can be added to the resume. • Scope of Practice • “The performance of delegated clinical and administrative duties within the supervising physician’s scope of practice consistent with the medical assistant’s education, training, and experience.” • Medical assistants must always perform only the duties in the scope of practice. This includes only those duties for which the medical assistant has been trained.

7. The Scope of Practice of a Medical Assistant • Medical assistants must be able to perform clinicaland administrativeduties equally well. Administrative Duties Using computer applications Answering telephones Greeting patients Updating and filing patient medical records Scheduling appointments Ordering supplies Billing and collecting Procedure and diagnosis coding Filing insurance Taking telephone messages Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services Handling correspondence and bookkeeping Other duties allowed by state regulation and under physician direction • Clinical Duties • Taking medical histories • Explaining treatment procedures to patients • Preparing patients for examination • Assisting the physician during the examination • Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens • Performing basic laboratory tests • Instructing patients about medication and special diets • Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician • Authorizing prescription refills as directed • Drawing blood • Taking electrocardiograms • Removing sutures and changing dressings • Other duties allowed by state regulation and under physician direction

8. A Career in Medical Assisting • Medical assistants enjoy a flexible career. • There is no mandatory retirement age. • Medical assisting is attractive to nontraditional students. • Computerization and technical advances have made more positions available for medical assistants. • The trained medical assistant is a valuable asset to the physician’s office.

9. Outlook for the Profession • The medical assisting occupation is expected to grow much faster than average as determined by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook. • The outlook for the medical assisting profession is extremely positive. A 35% growth is predicted through the year 2016. Research current salaries on the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (DOL OOH) website. • This growth is projected to continue through the year 2016. • Sixty-two percent of positions are in physician offices. • Statistics and trends in salary and compensation can be found on the DOL OOH website

10. Benefits That May Be Offered to Medical Assistants • Health insurance • Life insurance • Dental and/or vision insurance • Cafeteria benefits • Profit sharing • Stock options • Various discounts • Vacation and sick time • Paid holidays • Membership to credit unions • Many others

11. Professional Appearance Well-groomed medical assistants have a positive psychological effect on patients and influence the public relations image of the entire office. • The medical assistant cannot care for patients when he or she is not functioning at 100%. Adequate sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are all critical for the medical assistant, especially since he or she will be expected to be at work every day and will find the office to be a very busy environment. • Students must be willing to dress conservatively in the medical field so that they will be accepted and trusted by all patients. • Multiple piercings and long, bright nails may be considered unclean, especially by older patients. • The medical assistant must always be fresh and wear clothing that is clean and pressed.

12. Professional Appearance • personal cleanliness • daily bath or shower • deodorant • good oral hygiene • avoidance of cologne and perfumes • conservative makeup • clear or no nail polish • nails at a conservative length • clean hair, neatly styled • attractive uniform or scrubs • sturdy, comfortable, clean shoes • limited jewelry, if any • no facial or tongue piercings • name badge in place • Both during the externship and in the workplace.

13. Education and Training • The ideal medical assistant must be able to perform both administrative and clinical duties. • One medical assistant should be able to substitute for another medical assistant in the office. Cross-training can only make the medical assistant more valuable. • Medical assistants who can perform multiple skills with a high level of enthusiasm and expertise are much more valuable to the physician/employer.

14. Classroom Training Training in the medical assisting profession is usually obtained at: • private career institutions • community colleges Most programs lead to one of the following: • a certificate • a diploma • an associates degree Most programs offer theory and administrative and clinical education during the course of a day of training.

15. Externships This phase of medical assistant training is designed to offer the student a chance to put skills to work with real patients, providing valuable experience before graduation. • The externship site will provide a supervisor, and this person should be the first point of contact for the extern throughout the time at the site. • The externship supervisor should be treated like the instructor at school, and even more important, should be treated like the supervisor at an actual workplace. The supervisor must be treated with respect. The externship is the first reference that the new medical assistant will be able to use for their job search.

16. Externships The extern should… • be open to constructive criticism • take initiative and be a team player • treat the externship as if it were the probationary period for a new job • be open to learning skills or techniques that are different from what was taught during classroom training

17. Externships General rules to remember… • The extern must gain the trust of those at the site. • General duties may be assigned before more difficult duties are. • Read the job description for medical assistants at the site, and abide by it. • Ask the supervisor whenever questions arise. • Stay busy and active performing meaningful tasks. • Ask for additional duties if assigned duties are completed. • Show responsibility and dependability

18. Externships Never… • pursue romantic relationships with co-workers and/or patients • breach patient confidentiality • use any drug samples without express permission • borrow from petty cash • expect the physician to treat family or friends • ask for a prescription from the physician

19. Continuing Education The professional medical assistant must continually learn about the medical profession and the newest trends and information that affect the medical assistant profession. • Includes: • reading literature related to the area in which the medical assistant is employed • attending educational seminars • attending meetings and conventions for medical assistants • taking advantage of CEUs • The AAMA requires that CEUs be completed every 5 years. The AMT requires that they be completed every 3 years. Explore their websites to determine the number of credits needed to renew certification.

20. Continuing Education • Continuing education is not just receiving CEU credit. Reading an article in CMA Today or The Professional Medical Assistant will provide information that is valuable to the medical assistant. • Hospitals often offer seminars and classes that physician’s employees may attend. • Watch newsletters and local websites for information, with the intent of being constantly open to learning new skills and information that will be useful in the workplace.

21. Professional Organizations Professional Organizations can help the medical assistant: • grow personally and professionally • keep abreast of current trends • demonstrate seriousness about the career • promote the profession • receive benefit offers • gain CEUs

22. American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) • Formally organized in 1956. • State associations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. • National headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. • Established a national certification program for medical assistants. • Offers the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination. • CMAs can recertify either by reexamination or through CEUs. • The CMA examination can be taken almost every day of the year.

23. CMA Pin

24. American Medical Technologists (AMT) • Began offering a certification examination for medical assistants in the 1970s. • Offers other certifications for which medical assistants may qualify: • COLT: Certified Office Laboratory Technician • RPT: Registered Phlebotomy Technician • RMA examinations may be taken almost every day of the year. • AMT Events is the publication targeted toward medical assistants and other disciplines certified by AMT. • National Headquarters are located in Park Ridge, Illinois.

25. RMA Pin

26. National Healthcareer Association Certifications available include: • Certified Medical Administrative Assistant • Certified Clinical Medical Assistant • Certified Billing and Coding Specialist • Certified Medical Transcriptionist • Virginia Society of Medical Assistants - http://www.virginiasocietyofmedicalassistants.org/

27. Differences between CMAs and RMAs CMA • AAMA fees are somewhat higher than AMT fees. • Requires CEUs to recertify every 5 years. • CMA examination approved by the National Board of Medical Examiners. • Assigned a 90-day period during which the medical assistant can schedule the examination at will. • Annual membership fees in AAMA are between $67 and $97, depending on the state. RMA AMT fees are less than AAMA fees. Requires CCP to recertify every 3 years if certified after January 1, 2006 or reinstating after 3 years. RMA examination approved by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Can schedule certification examinations almost every day of the year. Annual membership fees are $48.

28. Closing Comments • Skills and knowledge alone do not guarantee success • Personality and professional appearance are critical to the medical assistant’s success • Join professional societies • Participate in continuing education • Realize that medical assisting is a journey of life-long learning

29. Summary of Scenario • Set goals for classwork and attendance • Plan for obstacles that might arise and prepare several solutions in advance • Devote equal attention to administrative and clinical studies • Develop a good relationship with instructors • Ask for help when needed • Plan to perform well on the externship