medical assistant basics
INTRODUCTION
The scope of practice for a medical assistant is wide-ranging. They’re responsible for performing administrative duties, keeping an accurate record of patient care information and assisting in both surgical and medical procedures. Their purpose is to make the overall experience more efficient and effective by helping to execute the targeted treatment plan these healthcare providers have prescribed. Medical assistants are entrusted with important responsibilities that you can’t afford to ignore.
Patient History
A patient history records the patient’s personal information, current and past medical conditions, medications, allergies and immunizations. This important information is to be stored in a confidential manner. A medication list is also part of the patient history.
Taking an Indepth Patient History
By definition a patient history is the process of gathering pertinent data from a patient. This includes questions about their injury, where it occurred, when, what were they doing before the incident and why were placed in care of this medical facility. The patient history is one of the most important aspects that a medical assistant will ask for. The reason being is it helps to determine the overall health of the patient. The more pertinent information that is obtained from the patient will help in determining whether or not he/she will be scheduled for an appointment.
Room Prep & Clean-up
As a medical assistant you are primarily responsible for preparing rooms for patients and then cleaning them up after each examination. It’s your job to refresh the room with new linens, used sheets and coverings stored in advance and retrieved by you. You are also responsible for maintaining a clean work area that has equipment at the ready to perform each examination. Your ability to speedily accomplish tasks of short duration along with your attention to detail is required when working in this job.
Assisting Patient Examination
Part of completing the medical assistant program is mastering the art of assisting patient examinations. This type of exam enables a healthcare professional to evaluate and diagnose a patient’s physical condition. As a medical assistant, you are an important member of the health care team who plays an important role in gathering and recording patient data.
Medical Assistant Role
A medical assistant is the best individual to work in a dedicated medical facility or clinic. The medical assistant performs a variety of important tasks that help improve the integrity of the health care provider’s practice. Each medical assistant should carry a certain set of characteristics, skills and attributes.
Testicular Exam
There are several important steps you must take when giving a testicular exam. Failure to take these steps may result in testicular cancer not being detected. One thing that is important is to make sure that it’s the right person getting his testicles examined. This helps prevent lawsuits against the medical assistant or doctor.
Breast Exam
A breast exam is the process of a health care professional examining a woman’s breasts for abnormalities or changes in response to disease, medication, or childbirth. It may also include screening for breast cancer and assessing risk of future breast cancer.