Are You a Master of Multi-tasking? Try Medical Office Administration

by Jane Smallman
jane.smallman@careerschoolguide.com
Career School Guide Columnist

Without the vital, behind-the-scenes work of medical office staff the whole health-care industry would grind to a halt. Administration is a major part of life in any medical office, and the number and variety of jobs available for specialized medical administrators is on the increase.

Medical Office Jobs Demand Wide-ranging Skills

Medical office administration is a specialized sphere of office work, demanding an in-depth knowledge of a number of subjects beyond that of the ordinary office worker.

As well as a good working knowledge of basic office and administration procedures, equipment such as fax machines and photocopiers, and common software programs like Word, or Excel, you also need to be able to carry out jobs that are specific to the medical office, such as:

• medical records management
• coding and billing
• insurance processing
• practice finances and bookkeeping
• transcription of medical dictation
• scheduling hospital appointments
• typing case histories
• greeting patients

Because medical office jobs involve dealing with people (who are often ill or in pain) as well as paperwork, you need a big store of patience, plus a genuine desire to help. And one more thing—a good grasp of medical terminology is essential.

Learning how to do all this and develop the personal skills to do the job well is a tall order, but there are certification programs in medical office administration that will help you on your way.

Medical Office Administration Certification Programs A typical medical office administration program would cover all the fundamentals of the job, like

• computer applications
• bookkeeping and Accounting
• medical terminology
• medical law and ethics
• medical transcription

After graduation you should be ready for entry-level medical office jobs in doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries, hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and a variety of other healthcare settings.

With the industry in a period of growth, the employment outlook is currently very good, with the number of jobs for medical office staff expected to increase through 2010. So if you want a desk job with a difference, think about going into medical office administration now.

Sources

American Medical Technologists
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Everest College

About the Author

Jane Smallman combines freelance writing with running a mountain-guiding business with her husband. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in the Social Sciences.