Medical Assistant Description
Description of the Profession of Medical Assisting
“Medical assistants are multiskilled health professionals specifically educated to work in a variety of healthcare settings performing clinical and administrative duties. The practice of medical assisting necessitates mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both formal education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into the profession . (Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Medical Assisting, 2022).
Administrative medical assistant duties may include…
- Using computer applications
- Answering telephones
- Greeting patients
- Updating and filing patient medical records
- Coding and filling out insurance forms
- Scheduling appointments
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping
Clinical duties may include…
- Taking medical histories
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Assisting the physician during the exam
- 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
What duties may be delegated to a medical assistant in the state of MI?
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA, chief executive officer and legal counsel for the American Association of Medical Assistants, has written his legal opinion regarding the duties within the medical assistant’s scope of practice that may be delineated to medical assistants practicing in Michigan and has provided additional resources to help answer this frequently asked question.
Additional information regarding state-specific scope of practice laws can be found on the AAMA website. If you are still not able to find answers, there is a contact form at the bottom of their web page that allows you to send a query to Donald Balasa, JD, MBA.
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