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The term “rewarding career” can mean different things to different people. For many compassionate people helping others is a big part of what motivates them to get up and head to work every morning. Combine this drive with an interest in healthcare and you have what it takes to find a career as a medical assistant, healthcare office administrator or medical billing and coding professional to be very rewarding.
Find out how these three healthcare careers can help you make a change in people’s lives every day.
Medical assistants have a unique opportunity to directly help people in need every day, whether they are the first person to provide a cooling ice pack or the office expert at calming nervous children. The majority of patients are at a medical facility because they don’t feel well or are about to have a procedure they aren’t looking forward to. Medical assistants are critical in making these patients feel at ease.
Medical assistants are also an important bridge between doctor and patient, breaking down the instructions, explaining terminology in plain English and answering the patient’s follow up questions. A stressed and busy physician may give patient instructions very quickly and with a lot of technical medical terminology. Without a medical assistant the patient could leave feeling confused and uncertain exactly how to treat their burn or what symptoms should trigger a follow-up visit. This is why high-quality medical assisting schools have such a focus on patient relations and personal skills.
Healthcare Office Administrators
Healthcare office administrators may have an administrative role, but every small touch these dedicated professionals put into the office is appreciated by patients. Without a thoughtful office manager, who would put toys in the waiting room to help out a sick mother or finagle a last-minute appointment for a loyal patient in pain? Who would stock the coffee to put a sincere smile on the 7 a.m. receptionist’s face?
In the bigger picture, healthcare office administrators are the ones who keep facilities running smoothly and efficiently. They analyze and forecast medical buying patterns to ensure the facility doesn’t run out of critical supplies and there is room in the budget to replace equipment when it fails. They also manage relationships with insurance agencies to help patient’s utilize the benefits of their policies. Without these administrative professionals medical staff would not have the freedom to concentrate on what really matters: providing expert care for patients.
Anyone who has ever spent a frustrating afternoon trying to correct an inaccurate medical bill can tell you about the difference accurate medical billing and coding can make. Depending on the size of the medical facility some professionals spend all day on the phone with patients and insurance representatives while others specialize in coding and rarely speak directly with patients. Either way a mistake in billing and coding can cost people time and money. Medical billing and coding schools focus on developing student’s persistence, accuracy and organization skills to help patients receive precise and clearly-outlined medical bills.
According to the American Medical Association’s 2013 National Health Insurer Report Card, patients paid an average of 26.6 percent of their total medical bills. Without medical billing and coding, there would be no framework for medical facilities to submit claims to insurance companies for patient coverage and expensive procedures would be out of reach for a large percent of the population. This job function provides a critical link between medical services and patient relations after the visit.
Each of these positions allow professionals to care about their work on a deeper level and know that doing their job to the best of their ability can make a positive change in the lives of others. Whether you’re just starting a medical assisting program or are about to graduate with an associate degree in healthcare office administration, think about how you want to approach each patient and each situation in order to make a difference.
