Medical Office Administrators are a key part of running a successful medical practice. Because of their important work, doctors and other medical staff need to focus on providing optimal healthcare to patients. They need Medical Office Administrators to take on the important tasks that keep an office running, so they can handle their care.
Debunking Misconceptions about Medical Office Administrators
The similarity in clerical duties required from both medical office administrators and receptionists might make some mistakenly equate the two positions. However, the full scope of a medical office administrator’s duties is much broader.
A receptionist’s main responsibilities revolve around the front desk and clerical work. While a medical office administrator might have to handle answering phones and greeting patients, they’re also frequently called upon to handle medical records, insurance billing and coding, working with doctors to help with basic patient treatment and liaise with other healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive optimal care.
Medical Office Administration Jobs: Responsibilities
The exact responsibilities of a medical administrator vary depending on the facility where they work. However, they generally play a major role in ensuring the facility runs smoothly. To achieve this, they may perform any, if not all, of the following work:
- Scheduling patient appointments
- Answering phone calls and responding to emails
- Collecting patient histories
- Acting as the go-between between doctors and nurses
- Stocking and allocating office supplies
- Managing patient charts
- Receiving patients and checking them in
Medical Office Administration Jobs: Employment and Salary Outlook
Advancements in healthcare delivery have led to increased specialization among healthcare professionals. This specialized nature of work means that medical office administration jobs are projected to grow by 28% in the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There will be a demand for candidates who can take over some administrative work for healthcare staff. Also, a large segment of the population is aging and needs healthcare assistance, further driving growth in all healthcare-related fields. Currently, salary for medical office administration jobs is at an average of around $58,000 in the United States and should increase as demand for personnel grows.
Becoming a Medical Office Administrator
For individuals interested in training for medical office administration jobs, the first thing you should do is make sure you meet the educational requirements. Employers mainly require a high school diploma or its equivalent, as well as a certification from an accredited medical office administration training program. The training takes a little over eight months and will equip you with the technical skill set to be of comprehensive value to healthcare staff and the facilities in which you work in the future. You can also choose to get a 2-year Associates of Science Degree to impress employers even further.
If you’re ready to start your journey to being a Medical Office Administrator, we have the perfect program to get you started here at Interactive College of Technology (ICT). ICT’s medical office administration program will prepare you to work in different healthcare facilities, as well as equip you with real-world medical office administration experience through a 135-hour school externship. We also offer a range of different tuition payment options that will ensure you stay on track with your education. Take the first step and contact us to learn more about the program.
