Medical Assistant Job Description
Where Do Medical Assistants Work?
The majority of medical assistants work in medical clinics and offices. They may also work in other healthcare settings.
Top Employers of Medical Assistants
Type of Medical Facility | Examples | % of Employment |
Physicians’ Offices | Ambulatory Health Services: Clinics & Doctors’ Offices | 15.61 Percent |
Surgical & General Medical Hospitals | State, Local Government, and Private Hospitals | 1.9 Percent |
Other Healthcare Practitioners’ Offices | Offices of Chiropractors; Optometrists; Mental Health Practitioners; Audiologists, Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapists; and other medical specialties. | 6.29 Percent |
Outpatient Care Centers | Outpatient Mental Health & Substance Abuse Centers | 6.21 Percent |
Assisted Living Facilities & Retirement Care Communities for the Elderly | Residential Care, Board & Care, Congregate Care. Independent Living Units & Personal Care Units. | 1.10 Percent |
Medical Assistant Duties
Since they may work in the front and back of medical facilities, medical assistants often receive cross-training in office work and clinical tasks.
Clinical Duties | Administrative Office Duties |
Assisting with Electrocardiograms (EKG) | Digital Recordkeeping |
Assisting with Radiographs (X-Ray) | Data Entry |
Drawing Blood & Preparing Laboratory Tests | Billing & Coding |
Providing First Aid | Scheduling Appointments |
Preparing Patients for Exams | Managing Insurance Claims |
Assisting with Surgical Procedures | Computing |
Sterilizing Instruments | Using Software Programs |
Preparing and Providing Medication under Doctor Supervision | Providing Customer Service |
Measuring Vital Signs | Arranging Laboratory Services & Hospital Admissions |
Medical Assistant Work Environment
Medical assisting can be stimulating, hands-on work. These professionals generally have full-time, fast-pasted schedules. They may work in the front or back of the medical office or go back and forth between these areas throughout the day to complete their job responsibilities.While the daily work experiences of medical assistants may be somewhat different depending on the work environment and location, many perform similar tasks.
Working in the Medical Industry
SOURCES
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-2
http://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-assisting/what-is-a-medical-assistant#.Wo2v8xPwYlk
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_621100.htm
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_621300.htm
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_621400.htm
https://eldercare.acl.gov/public/resources/factsheets/assisted_living.aspx
https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/continuing-care-retirement-communities
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319092.htm
https://www.deltatechnicalcollege.com/programs/medical-assisting-training/
https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-9092.00
https://www.thebalance.com/list-of-medical-assistant-skills-2062435
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-3
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm#tab-4