Medical office administrators are responsible for keeping things around a healthcare facility running smoothly and staying organized. They take care of administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and dealing with billing.
All you need to become a medical office administrator is a high school diploma or GED, but many people choose to become certified. Becoming a certified medical administrative assistant will make you a more competitive job applicant, help you earn more money, and give you confidence as you begin your career.
This guide will go over what medical office administrators do, where they work, required skills, average salaries, and more.
What Medical Office Administrators Do: Common Responsibilities
Medical office administrators have many different responsibilities and can work in a variety of locations. Even though they can work in different environments, the job description is similar across locations.
Before moving on, it’s worth noting that medical office administrators often have different titles, such as medical administrative assistant, medical secretary, medical receptionist, medical office assistant, and medical office specialist.
Common medical office administrator responsibilities include:
- Schedule appointments. Medical office administrators spend a lot of their time on the phone, helping patients make appointments and managing physician schedules. They also help keep things running on time throughout the day.
- Keep track of inventory. A medical office cannot function if they run out of supplies. Medical office administrators have to keep track of office and medical supplies to ensure that there are enough of both to last until the end of each day.
- Take phone messages. Patients often call doctors' offices and hospitals with questions for their doctors or requests for medication refills. Medical office administrators have to organize phone messages and know which need to be urgently relayed to the physician.
- Clean the office. While medical office assistants are generally in charge of administrative tasks, they may have to do some light cleaning to keep the office looking and feeling fresh.
- Greet patients. Medical office administrators are often the first people that patients see when they enter the building. They can help nervous patients feel better by being welcoming and empathetic to everyone.
- Coordinate care. Physicians often have to work with other healthcare providers for imaging, testing, therapies, or specialty services. The medical office administrator can help patients find specialists or schedule appointments for X-rays or CT scans.
- Contact insurance companies. Because working with insurance companies for reimbursement of services is such a big part of the job, many medical office administrators get special training or certifications in billing and coding.
- Take payments. When services are not covered by insurance, medical office administrators work with patients to take payments or create payment plans.
- Follow up after appointments. Medical office administrators often call patients a day or two after their appointments to make sure they were able to get their prescriptions or are feeling well after a procedure.
Where Medical Office Administrators Work
Medical office administrators can work in any kind of healthcare organization, such as:
- Offices of physicians. Offices of physicians are the most common workplace for medical office administrators. Working in a physician's office typically means working during daytime hours and helping patients deal with routine checkups and non-emergency conditions.
- Outpatient centers. Outpatient centers often treat patients who need mildly invasive procedures or same-day surgeries. Medical office administrators working in these facilities often spend a lot of time calling and checking on patients from the previous days or weeks.
- Mental health clinics. Mental health clinics may include pediatric behavioral health centers, substance abuse clinics, crisis centers, or inpatient mental health facilities. Employees of these organizations may need special training in how to help someone having a mental health crisis or how to de-escalate situations.
- Surgical centers. Surgical centers can be inside hospitals or stand-alone facilities. They may specialize, such as cosmetic surgery centers, or handle many different kinds of patients. Medical office administrators working in these centers often have to coordinate with the offices of physicians and rehabilitation centers.
- Hospitals. Medical office administrators working in hospitals have to be prepared to deal with emergencies as well as routine visits. They may have to complete special training in how to respond to patient emergencies or crises.
How to Become a Medical Office Administrator: Requirements & Steps
If you are interested in becoming a medical office administrator, you can follow these steps to make sure you have fulfilled all the requirements and considered all the options.
1) Obtain High School Diploma or GED
All medical office administrators have to have a high school diploma or GED. If you choose to get a certification, you will have to submit proof of your high school diploma before enrolling in a training program.
If you did not graduate from high school, you may be able to earn a GED in as little as a few weeks.
2) Decide Whether You Want to Get Certified
Medical office administrators are not required by law to have any kind of certification. However, most healthcare organizations prefer to hire those who have a certification.
In addition, earning a certification can help you get a higher starting wage, become eligible for promotions, make you a more competitive job applicant, and give you confidence as you enter the workforce.
If paying for certification is an issue, look for a company that offers training reimbursement programs for their employees.
3) Choose a Certification Program
When choosing a training program, consider cost, length of the program, what type of certification you’ll be prepared for and graduation/certification rates.
A program that is expensive, lengthy, or has low certification rates may not be a great choice for most medical office administrators.
Medical office administrators should look for programs that prepare them to take the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant exam offered by the NHA.
Here at Stepful, we have an Online Medical Administrative Assistant Program that only takes 3 months to complete and comes with career coaching and job search support.
4) Complete Your Training
Medical office administrators will need to complete courses in basic medical terminology, appointment scheduling, customer service, healthcare law, ethics, and protecting patient health information. Training programs usually last a few weeks to months.
5) Take Your Certification Exam
The CMAA exam contains 110 questions covering topics like healthcare law and medical billing. Students must score at least 78% to pass and earn their certification. Exams must be taken either at a testing center or with an online proctor.
6) Maintain Your Certification
After you work so hard to earn your certification, make sure you remember to keep it up to date. CMAAs have to renew their certifications every two years by paying a membership fee of $185 to the NHA and submitting proof of continuing education courses.
Skills Required to be a Successful Medical Office Administrator
Besides earning a certification, there are several important skills you should develop if you want to be a successful medical office administrator:
- Empathy. Working with patients all day can be physically and mentally exhausting. However, it is important to remember that people coming in for medical care are often nervous, tired, or even frightened. Being empathetic towards the patients you serve can make things easier for everyone.
- Organization. Organization is one of the most important skills that a medical office administrator can have. Organizing supplies, medical equipment, and patient schedules is essential to a medical office administrator's job.
- Communication. Medical office administrators spend a lot of their day talking to patients on the phone, communicating with physicians, and sending messages to insurance companies. They have to have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Time management. Most medical offices stay busy all day, and there are a lot of tasks to juggle and prioritize. Medical office administrators have to know what to do first, what can wait, and how to get things done efficiently.
Medical Office Administrator Salaries
Medical office administrators earn an average of $43,380 per year or $20.85 per hour. The lowest 10% of them earn $31,900 per year, and the top 10% earn $58,340 per year.
Of course, this varies considerably based on experience, where you work, and other factors.
