Job Outlook for Certified Medical Administrative Assistants

The healthcare field offers one of the leading areas of opportunities for career growth today. Within healthcare, medical assistants are among the most in-demand professionals. NHA estimates that job openings for medical assistants are increasing by 9-15% each year.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics concurs with the NHA estimate. Its data indicates job opportunities for medical assistants will grow by 23% overall by 2028. This is four times the expected average growth for all jobs.

Medical assistants earn $34,800 per year, or $16.73 per hour on average, according to BLS data.

Objectives

Certified Administrative Professional

Prepare to take the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam

Master multitasking as it relates to scheduling appointments, processing insurance requests, maintaining records, and corresponding with patients

Learn best financial practices for a medical center

Master the fundamentals of medical terminology and ethical best practices

Understand the basics of working with medical documents, medical billing, and coding processes

Curriculum

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Curriculum

BECOMING AN ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANT

Qualities of a medical assistant, working in ambulatory healthcare settings, the healthcare team

MANAGING STRESS AND IMPROVING COMMUNICATION

Types of communication and barriers to effective communication; patient interview techniques

LAW, ETHICS AND HEALTHCARE

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); ethical guidelines for healthcare providers

IMPROVING YOUR MEDICAL OFFICE

The reception area and the medical receptionist; opening and closing the facility

COMPUTERS IN THE AMBULATORY CARE SETTING

Use of computers in the medical office; safeguarding Electronic Medical Record (EMR), Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Protected Health Information (PHI)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND PATIENT SCHEDULING

Patient portal and scheduling methods; dealing with irate patients

MIDTERM

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY: WORD PARTS, PLURALS, ABBREVIATIONS

Importance of medical terminology; understanding word parts: roots, prefixes, suffixes

MANAGING MEDICAL RECORDS

Electronic, paper and hybrid medical records; SOAP notes, Release of Information (ROI) and Personal Health Record (PHR)

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Working with medical documents and records; medical transcriptionist/medical scribe

MEDICAL BILLING AND CODING: AN OVERVIEW

Health insurance terms; code sets: ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT, HCPCS Level II

DAILY FINANCIAL PRACTICES

Improving patient payments; claims denial strategies, accounts receivable and accounts payable

THE ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANT AS OFFICE MANAGER

Qualities of an office manager; Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)

Instructor

Nancy Smith

Nancy Smith has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Her clinical experience includes working as a medical assistant for a network of rural health clinics, and as a medical coder, insurance claims specialist, and medical records auditor. She worked as a medical office manager for ten years, where she recruited and trained all medical assistants. Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree in vocational education and has developed and taught medical assistant programs.

LaTisha Cottingham

LaTisha Cottingham has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has six years of teaching experience in the field of medical billing and coding and Medical Assisting. Currently she is employed as an HIM Analyst for a Long-Term Care establishment that is based out of Alabama. Previously she was employed as the lead instructor for the Allied Health Department for a local career institute. LaTisha’s field of expertise is in the area of physician-based inpatient coding and Emergency Department coding. The certifications that she holds are as follows: a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA). In preparation for ICD-10-CM, LaTisha received her ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Certification from American Health Information Association (AHIMA), where she is currently a member. LaTisha is also a member of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the National Healthcare Association (NHA) where she is a test proctor.

FAQs

WHAT DO MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS DO?

According to NHA, medical administrative assistants primarily work in the “front office” of a medical practice or healthcare facility. Their duties may include coordinating practice correspondence, maintaining files, and scheduling appointments.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT AND A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

Clinical medical assistants primarily deal with clinical procedures and patient care, while medical administrative assistants oversee organizational tasks, such as scheduling, managing records, and checking in patients.

DO MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT NEED CERTIFICATION?

The healthcare environment thrives on professionalism, precision and dedication to patient welfare. Medical assistant certification may be required for many jobs. Earning a CMAA establishes a medical assistant as a caring, responsible professional who has undergone a study and assessment program to validate their credentials.

IN WHAT FACILITIES DO MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS WORK?

Medical assistant commonly work in medical practices, such as physicians’ offices, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities, according to the BLS.

Job Outlook for Administrative Professionals

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the most recent median annual wage for administrative assistants was $39,850.

Among the Office and Administrative Support Occupations listed by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), those that require specialized skills offer the highest levels of pay and future opportunities.

Objectives

Certified Administrative Professional

Prepare to take the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)

Master the CAP body of knowledge

Understand administrative fundamentals including financial responsibilities and project management

Curriculum

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Curriculum

Certified Administrative Professional

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (PART 1)

Communication essentials; interacting with stakeholders and teams

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (PART 2)

Organizational structure and systems; networking, interpersonal interactions and public speaking

BUSINESS WRITING AND DOCUMENT PRODUCTION

Business writing; publishing web documents, hard-copy documents, and meeting minutes

TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION

Researching, gathering, compiling, and analyzing data and information; networks for information distribution and maintaining, backing-up, and storing data

OFFICE AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT

The basics of creating functioning and productive workspaces; obtaining and managing resources for your office and working in a virtual office

EVENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Event and travel management: coordinating virtual meetings; project management, time management and negotiation

HUMAN RESOURCES

Human resources functions, duties, and processes; employee files, records and training

FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS

Organizational finance: budgeting, financial statements, and financial transactions; banking process and the bank statement reconciliation process

WORKPLACE BEHAVIORS

Goal setting and creativity; problem solving, decision making and time management

BECOMING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND ADVANCING YOUR CAREER

Job duties, responsibilities and personal characteristics of administrative assistants

Instructor

Becky Swaim

Becky Swaim has taught since 2000, focusing on Administrative Assistant Fundamentals, Administrative Assistant Applications, and Individual Excellence. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from California State University, Long Beach. Her experience includes managing large staff in medical billing and collections and as a program manager to various medical practices.

FAQs

DO ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS NEED CERTIFICATION?

No. However, as the modern office shifts to becoming more technology driven, having formal training is key to advancing your skill set and staying ahead of the curve. Employers want candidates that can hit the ground running in their organization without further training, which certification proves.

HOW VALUABLE IS THE CAP FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS?

CAP is an assessment-based certification for office and administrative professionals. As an industry-recognized certification, it designates that you understand the duties, responsibilities and knowledge required of an administrative professional in today’s workplace.

HOW MANY EXAMS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CAP CERTIFICATION?

To be eligible for the CAP exam, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• No College Degree – 4 years of relevant work experience
• Associates Degree – 3 years of relevant work experience
• Bachelor’s Degree – 2 years of relevant work experience

WHAT IS RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE?

Relevant work experience includes typical duties for office and administrative professionals including:

• Conducting business communication, including emails and memos
• Overseeing office functions and record keeping
• Managing projects, budgets and meeting schedules
• Coordinating between staff and clients