What is Medical Office Assistant (MOA)?
Medical Office Assistants perform a variety of administrative tasks and some medical duties to help medical facilities run smoothly and efficiently. Medical Office Assistants are the first points of contact between patients and the facility; therefore, they are required to perform a variety of administrative tasks in their day-to-day work. The job responsibilities of a Medical Office Assistant range from setting up doctors’ appointments, arranging clinical procedures, composing coordinate referrals, conducting lab test reviews, to managing facility data updates, handling insurance reimbursements and other clerical functions in order to assist the physicians’ work and keep everything in order for the facility. They are also responsible for performing some medical duties such as measuring blood pressure, giving injections as directed by doctors, preparing blood for laboratory testing and help with medical exams while under the supervision of health practitioners.
The overall responsibilities of Medical Office Assistants vary according to the size of the facility and the specialty of the physician. They may also be in charge of billing and bookkeeping and keeping track of office inventory, ordering medical and office supplies if necessary. It is crucial for Medical Office Assistants to obtain outstanding customer service and interpersonal skills in order to create a welcoming and friendly environment for all patients at the facility.
How do I become a Medical Office Assistant?
Although many employers prefer to hire candidates with an associate’s degree or vocational school training, a high school diploma or graduation equivalency degree should be sufficient for most entry-level Medical Office Assistant positions with further on-the-job training from the hiring physician or a more experienced assistant.
Vocational school training normally includes theoretical and practical trainings in laboratory procedures, medical law and ethics, medical insurance and billing, clinical assisting, patient care and communication, electrocardiography, the digestive system and nutrition. At Academy of Learning Career College, the Medical Office Assistant program is designed to provide employment-ready, comprehensively trained graduates. Successful graduates will be eligible to achieve the CMAP© – Certified Medical Assisting Professional designation in addition to their diploma. Medical Office Assistant graduates are fully qualified to work in a hands-on administrative/clinical support capacity in any medical field.
How’s the current employment situation for Medical Office Assistant?
According to PayScale Canada, A Medical Office Assistant earns an average wage of C$15.98 per hour. A skill in Medical Terminology is associated with high pay for this job. Entry level MOAs can earn up to $39,740 with less than 1 year of training. The average total pay for Medical Office Assistants range from $25,308 to $45,428 with extra pay for overtime. They could also receive a yearly bonus and could earn vacation time right away depending on the employer.
There is a wide range of further career development paths for Medical Office Assistant. a experienced Medical Office Assistant could choose to become a Medical Secretary or a Office Manager at a Medical Office. Further than that, they could also advance their career towards the direction of managerial and administrative positions, such as Medical Office Administrator, Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant, or Administrative Medical Staff Secretary.
What’s the career outlook for Medical Office Assistant?
With the aging population, the tremendous increase in technology, and our demand for the best quality of life, the healthcare industry is facing a growing shortage of well-trained personnel. Additionally, healthcare workers themselves are aging and retiring, creating a strong demand for qualified young job seekers. Throughout the North American healthcare industry, there is an acute need to increase the size of the workforce, as well as to raise the skill level of that workforce.
The employment outlook of Medical Office Assistant is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job seekers who want to work as a Medical Office Assistant should find excellent job prospects. A very large number of new job opportunities appears in the field of Medical Office Assistant due to the increasing needs for healthcare professionals as well as the need to replace workers leaving the occupation. Candidates with formal training or experience, particularly with certification, should have the best job opportunities.
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