Medical administrative assistants (MAA) help keep a medical office organized and well-run. They play an important role in ensuring that patients get the care they need and that the office receives proper reimbursement for the care they provide.
They also make sure that the office is well-stocked and organized, that appointments begin and end on time, and that patients receive important reminders that they need for medication renewals or follow-ups.
If you’re wondering if you would make a good MAA, you’re in the right place. This article goes over the skills you need to be a successful medical administrative assistant, plus some information about common responsibilities.
Medical Administrative Assistant Skills List
If you are hoping to become a medical administrative assistant, these are some of the skills you should work on:
- Organized. One of the most important skills medical administrative assistants need is to be well-organized. They have to restock supplies, maintain schedules for both employees and patients, keep accurate medical records, and track billing and reimbursements. Without good organizational skills, the entire medical office suffers.
- Detail-oriented. In addition to being organized, MAAs must be extremely detail-oriented. Subtle differences in billing codes or medical diagnoses can make a big difference for patients and healthcare providers. MAAs have to be able to catch and correct little mistakes and recognize subtle differences to keep patients safe and prevent medical errors.
- Effective communicator. Medical administrative assistants spend their days communicating with others in person, through email, and over the phone. They must have excellent verbal and written communication skills. This is especially important because MAAs often discuss sensitive information and may have to deal with patients receiving difficult or distressing news or who are having trouble paying their bills.
- Proficient on the computer. Healthcare organizations across the nation rely heavily on computer systems. Medical office assistants often have to understand basic computer programs like Excel for tracking supplies as well as more complex systems like Cerner or Epic, usually used to record medical information.
- Good customer service skills. MAAs spend most of their time interacting with patients and their families. It is essential that they understand how to keep interactions with customers positive, handle complaints or special requests, and escalate concerns to medical providers or supervisors.
- Time management. Nobody likes waiting for a long time at the doctor’s office. Medical administrative assistants have to be able to manage their own time as well as help other providers and employees stay on schedule. MAAs must manage their own tasks while paying attention to the flow of patients, exam room turnover, and physician emergencies.
- Knowledgeable in medical terminology. Medical administrative assistants need a working knowledge of medical terminology. They have to be able to accurately describe medical conditions to providers, patients, and insurance companies using the correct terminology.
- Ethical. Medical administrative assistants deal with sensitive information every day. Discussing these issues outside of the workplace is not only unethical but also violates the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to disclose health information to anyone not strictly allowed to have it.
- Team player. Medical administrative assistants work as part of a large healthcare team. They may have to work and cooperate with many different healthcare employees including clinical medical assistants, physicians, nurses, surgeons, office administrators, and more.
- Adaptable. While maintaining a schedule is an important part of a medical administrative assistant job, they also have to be flexible and adaptable. Providers and patients may have unexpected calls or emergencies come up throughout the day, and medical administrative assistants have to understand how to manage those changes.
- Good at managing stress. Medical administrative assistants have busy schedules, and their work can be demanding. It is important for MAAs to be able to remain calm when things around the office get chaotic.
Specific Duties of Medical Administrative Assistants
Medical administrative assistants use these skills to complete their daily tasks and keep up with their responsibilities. These include:
- Scheduling appointments. When scheduling appointments, it is important to keep in mind how long each different type of appointment will take, how much time the physician needs in between appointments, how long it will take to clean rooms between patients, and what type of follow-up visit the patients may need.
- Medical coding and billing. Medical coding and billing are some of the more challenging parts of being a medical administrative assistant. Some medical administrative assistants get additional training and certifications specifically for medical coding and billing.
- Maintaining patient records. Patient records must be succinct and accurate. Most healthcare organizations use specific charting systems, and medical administrative assistants also need to know how to access and interpret information from all different systems. Patient records must be kept confidential, and caution should be used with all physical copies of information and passwords.
- Using the phone (making calls and receiving). Although it seems simple, medical administrative assistants need to master the art of making and receiving phone calls. Using good phone etiquette, speaking clearly, and asking for repeat information are all vital to the success of an MAA.
- Welcoming patients. Patients are often nervous when coming into the doctor’s office. If the first person they interact with is polite, and comforting, and makes them feel welcome, it can help them feel much more comfortable and ease their anxiety.
- Communicating with patients. When patients need to change their appointments, have a concern, or need to ask a question, the medical administrative assistant is the first person they usually speak to.
- Keeping things organized & stocked. MAAs work hard to keep everything in their office organized and stocked. They are usually in charge of ordering supplies and keeping track of inventory.
Think You Would Be a Good Medical Administrative Assistant? Check Out Our Online Program
If you think you would be a good medical administrative assistant, our MAA training program here at Stepful can help you get there.
Our program prepares you to test for your CMAA certification and enter the workforce feeling confident.
It only takes 3 months to complete the classes that prepare you to take the exam, and we offer part-time options for students who need to work or care for their families during their training.
In addition, we offer one-on-one career coaching to help you build a resume, prep for interviews, and find a job.
