19.9 million students attend college and university each year. And if you’re reading this article, chances are you’re interested in becoming a medical office administrator.
While it’s definitely normal to be a little confused about what you want to do for a living when entering your college career, it’s good to have a few choices narrowed down.
If you’re interested in a career as an office administrator, then keep reading for further information.
What is a Medical Office Administrator?
Before we get too far into this article, we should take some time to understand what a medical office administrator is.
A medical office administrator is an extremely important role in both hospitals and medical offices. Without an office administrator, nothing would be able to function properly.
While doctors and nurses are the heart and soul of a hospital or a doctor’s office, the person who keeps everything running on a day to day level is a medical office administrator.
But the term itself is relatively broad. A medical office administrator can be responsible for a wide variety of tasks and a wide variety of roles.
While we’re calling it a medical office administrator role, depending on where you’re working, it may be called an admissions coordinator, patient coordinator and anything in between.
For a medical facility to run, it needs to be able to take care of and process paperwork. It also needs to be able to order supplies as necessary, all of which a medical office administrator may be responsible for.
A medical office administrator may work in a variety of settings, but will most commonly be found in hospitals and clinics.
What Does a Medical Office Administrator Do?
As we wrote previously, the title of a medical office administrator can cover a wide variety of roles. We know they hold the office together, but what do they do?
Being a medical office administrator can mean you’ll do a variety of roles. You may do things like answer phones, process paperwork, check patients in, order medical supplies, manage medical charts, process insurance paperwork and transfer lab specimens.
You may also be responsible for things like ensuring the waiting rooms look tidy, and that they’re clean. While you may not be asked to clean them yourself, you may be responsible for hiring people to do so.
As you can see, over your career, you’ll likely wear a variety of hats. But you’ll be able to depend on your skills from solid medical office training.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like the idea of going into the office and doing the exact same thing every day, this might be the role for you. It may also be something to consider if you’re interested in the medical field, but do not want to become a doctor or nurse. This way, you’ll still get to help patients and their families without the demands of the nursing profession or being a doctor.
What Type of Skills Does a Medical Office Administrator Need?
As you’re aware, a medical office administrator is a job that is office-based. As such, you’ll need to have administrative skills that you may need in a variety of similar admin jobs.
In addition to needing things like phone skills and medical transcription skills, you’ll also need people skills. In some admin offices, you won’t be expected to deal with people; not so in this profession. In fact, a large part of your day may consist of speaking to patients, processing their insurance or working with them to pay their bills.
If you work in a hospital, you may be working with patients who have been admitted, and need to speak to patients at their bedside, in some cases.
As such, being a medical office administrator means you’ll need not only mastery of typing and filing, but also some serious people skills.
Many patients are very tense when they come to the hospital or to an appoint, and often for a variety of reasons. As their first point of contact, you’ll want to make sure they feel relaxed and comfortable. You’ll also want to try and make the whole experience as pleasant as possible for the patients.
Are There Lots of Jobs Available for Me?
Once you graduate, you’ll be going into a job that is relatively fast-growing. Unlike other industries, the medical field is always needed, so you’re also looking at job security. Additionally, because the type of job is so in demand, you’ll likely have your pick of offers. This is especially the case if you’re not only great at admin but also a joy for the patients to be around.
What Type of Education Do I Need?
In order to become a medical office administrator, you’ll need a certificate. You won’t need to attend a four-year college and receive a BA, but you will need to obtain a certificate.
Working as a Medical Office Administrator
Going into the career path of a medical office administrator is a fantastic idea for anyone who wants to combine their admin skills with their genuine love of people. It is also a great job for those who don’t like the monotony of the same tasks every single day, and for those who don’t mind wearing a variety of hats on the job.
This is a career path that is quite stable, and you’ll always find a clinic or hospital needing someone in the role at any given time.
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