Medical office administration is all about expertly handling the administrative aspects of healthcare facilities to ensure their smooth running. Medical office assistants are vital for streaming the whole medical process. They not only keep the facilities running seamlessly but also help with patient care. 

It is a lucrative and self-satisfying career, albeit a bit demanding. Medical office assistants need to be agile on their feet and must have high adaptability to changing scenarios. Let’s dig straight into the subject of Medical Office Administration without further preamble. 

The first question that comes to mind while pondering over this career choice is:

What does a medical office admin do?

For most of us, our first interaction with a medical office assistant or admin is from behind a counter. That’s right! The staff that greets you when you enter a healthcare facility is often more than just a receptionist. They are trained medical office assistants that deal with all sorts of administrative tasks as well as some medical responsibilities. 

Medical office assistants perform a wide range of activities that include booking appointments, managing supplies and even taking patient vitals. These clerical and medical responsibilities provide the necessary assistance to doctors and nurses that enables them to provide quality healthcare to patients. 

The routine job duties of a medical office assistant include the following:

• Receiving patients and helping them assimilate into the system
• Scanning patient documents 
• Updating and managing patient history and medical records
• Booking appointments, screening calls and forwarding callers to relevant people
• Overseeing billing and insurance matters
• Managing supplies and updating the stock database
• Taking patient measurements and vitals before doctor evaluation
• Collecting samples for lab
• Preparing patients for examination and assisting the medical staff during examinations

Medical office assistants need to have a sound foundation in digital literacy to handle the day-to-day tasks of a healthcare facility.

Is medical office administration a good career in Canada?

Medical Office administration is a rewarding career choice that will keep you engaged and will never let you feel bored. If you are the type of person that needs constant activity then this career choice is suitable for you as there will be numerous tasks for you to perform. However, if you do not want to tackle too many work activities, you can still pursue a career as a medical office assistant in smaller healthcare facilities. 

Are you hoping to make a career for yourself in this field? In that case, take a look at the following merits to back your decision:

• Work is somewhat challenging

There is constant change in work activities. Working activities aren’t that repetitive and on the plus side, you will get to meet new people daily. As a medical office assistant, you can acquire new skills and knowledge that will help you to better assist the patients and medical staff. 

You can also benefit from flexible working schedules depending on the type of facility that you work in. For instance, hospitals and emergency rooms specifically have day-round working hours whereas nurseries and other healthcare facilities have 9-5 openings. If you look hard enough then you will come across evening shifts as well. It all boils down to your preference and ease.

What’s more, you can form a small community with your coworkers and enter into a family of sorts that patients will come to rely on. 

• Rising demand

The demand for professional medical office administrators is on a steady incline. This is because each year Canada adds thousands of refugees and immigrants to its population resulting in new communities. It puts a toll on the healthcare department that can only be eased by setting up new hospitals, clinics, nurseries, old-age homes and other facilities. Hence, there will be no shortage of good employment opportunities for graduates of medical office administration programs. 

• Give back to the community

Medical office administration provides you with the chance to give back to the community. By assisting doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff you can ensure that patients receive the best healthcare possible without any hassles. 

Medical office assistants are much more than assisting staff. They are often interacting with old as well as new patients. They are like the representatives of the facility. People associate their behaviour with the overall image of the facility they represent and this has a huge impact on customer satisfaction. Your positive attitude can work wonders for others. Be sure to always greet people with a broad smile!

How do you become a medical office administrator?

Getting into medical office administration isn’t as difficult as it seems at a glance. You can quickly become a medical office assistant by enrolling in a Medical Office Administration diploma program. The programs are short, easily manageable and cheaper than most other diplomas. 

You can enrol in Central College’s medical office administration diploma program here.  

The salaries for medical office assistants vary depending on the location, your experience and the type of facility that you work in. 

The average salaries for junior assistants often touch the $40k mark. Of course, it also depends on the job specifications. You can easily find employment in the following areas:

• Private medical clinics
• Out-patient clinics
• Radiology and emergency departments
• Ward clerk or surgical booking clerk
• Medical transcription department
• Medical supply agencies
• Private veterinary clinics
• Medical insurance companies
• Physiotherapy clinics