Celebrating National Medical Assistants Recognition Week for 2008
Submitted by Pam Christianson, MA Program Coordinator
The celebration week is October 20-24th. The recognition day is October, 22, 2008. This is a week to celebrate Medical Assistants and their accomplishments in the clinical setting. Medical Assistants are a multiskilled allied health professional who can perform a wide range of tasks with skill, dedication, and loyalty in a clinic setting. Medical Assistants have successfully become the mediator between the doctors and their patients, which makes them a vital importance in the health care field. This week is an opportunity for clinics to recognize the importance of Medical Assistants and to award them for all the hard work they do. The AAMA website is promoting Medical Assistant week as “Medical Assistants are the heart of health care.”
What is a Medical Assistant and Why Do Employers Hire Certified Medical Assistants?
A Certified Medical Assistant, according to the State of Minnesota, “performs routine administrative and clinical type tasks to keep health care delivery settings running smoothly and reports to a licensed health care practitioner. Work is performed according to established rules and procedures with day-to-day supervision by a licensed medical professional on duty.” Under the Allocations Consideration paragraph in the Class Specifications of a Certified Medical Assistant by the State of Minnesota it states the difference between an LPN and a Certified Medical Assistant. The LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses) work primarily in hospitals and nursing centers where as the CMA customarily work in clinics. A Certified Medical Assistant is trained to work in all aspects of a clinic setting. Some examples of their duties are phlebotomy, run CLIA waived lab tests, minor x-rays, take vitals, obtain medical histories, prepare and administer medications/immunizations as directed, call in prescription refills, prepare and assist the doctor with minor procedures, administrative duties such as coding, billing, answering phones, scheduling appointments, and greeting patients. The AAMA reports that 60% of CMAs are working in a clinic setting, 14% are in hospital setting, and 10% work in other offices such as chiropractors.
So why do clinics hire CMAs? The AAMA website has an article called “Why more employers are hiring CMAs” by Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA, AAMA Executive Director and Legal Counsel. In his article, he talks about the importance of why doctors want their MAs to be certified, his reply was because of the increase in malpractice suits. Having a CMA on board will decrease the challenges that the patient may have on the quality of care they are getting, by knowing that the facility has licensed staff. Another issue is health care costs, having a CMA on board can reduce costs by limiting unnecessary staff, since CMAs are trained in all aspects of a clinical setting. Employers feel that a CMA shows competence and is also favored by organizations such as OSHA, CLIA, JCAHO, NCQA to have the professional credentials.