Career Profiles Medical Secretary
A medical secretary is a career with a good future, as they are in great demand at this time. It is a specialized secretarial position. The job description of the medical secretary has been in evolution over the past number of years, since it was first introduced in the medical office. What has promoted this is the advance of technology within the health-care field. The various places available for employment, besides a private medical office, are clinics, home health agencies, and government health agencies. Theresponsibilities,the core duties, encompass the coordinating the administrative side of health-care office, and organizing the communication between the staff and hospitals, insurance companies as well as the patients.
Specific skills needed:
Some medical secretaries will do mainly transcription, email, preparing reports, articles as well as conference proceedings. They may be involved in the taking of medical histories, arranging hospital admissions. Of course, knowledge of insurance, and billing is needed. Specialization can be done in the fields of gynecology, optometry or podiatry.
The knowledge of computers is a must. Different fields of medicine often have their own specialized software. The ability to use software that includes spreadsheets, project management, data entry, as well as handling written communication via email, phones, and through various computer networks is expected.
Then there is the face-to-face communication. Proper phone and personal etiquette with patients, different medical offices, hospitals and other medical facilities is of great importance.
In a large office:
In a large office, these duties are often distributed between several medical secretaries, according to specialization. Some will work at the front desk while others will work in specific areas such as insurance, billing or medical records. Tasks, such as keeping charts in order, insurance information updated, and making copies as needed to be sent to other medical facilities, as well as direct communication between various offices and facilities, are all in a days work.
In a small office:
In the smaller office, a top-notch well-rounded medical assistant will be jack-of-all trades, doing a bit of everything, from dictation, taking basic medical histories, arranging hospital admissions, keeping the office functioning smoothly and ordering supplies.
Workweek:
Being a medical secretary, usually means putting in a 40-hour week, but some are self-employed, do freelance or work in a job-share situation. It is also a job that can mean sitting for long periods, often doing repetitive motions.
Personal qualities needed:
A candidate must process people skills when on the phone or in person. They must know how to deal with those who are not feeling well or are upset over family situations. Compassion, and caring are necessary elements of the individual candidate’s emotional make-up. Being able to relate to others, understanding the confusion that arises under difficult circumstances. A medical office can be a hectic place, but the personal touch must always to be present. This is a job that requires adaptability, discretion, good judgment and tact. It is a career that can give a person a great deal of satisfaction for a job well done.
Upward job possibilities:
With experience behind them, a wellqualified individualcan move up to executive secretary, office manager or even employment as a pharmaceutical, medical software or medical equipment sales representative.
