Demonstrate Professionalism

Professionalism Demonstrate Professionalism Professionalism is a must in a health care organization. It must be present in all aspects of the overall environment. Professionalism encompasses the following. • Behaviors • Appearance • Communication • Voice: tone, attitude, and word selection • Written • Work ethic • Relationships All members of the health care team have their own roles and responsibilities that fit together to form a well-organized machine. All team members must be courteous, knowledgeable, and respectful in their presence and approach with the patient. The MA will be one of the first encounters that a patient has in the health care experience, and the first impression is important. Maintain a professional manner with a positive attitude of encouragement and support. These behaviors will help to build a relationship based on trust and respect. Professional Presence Displaying a professional presence is essential for an effective career. Other contributory factors in ensuring a professional environment include work ethic, positive and polite demeanor, willingness to assist, cooperation, and effective time management skills. Personal boundaries are essential within all relationships in the health care organization—personal relationships must be kept outside the work environment. Dress and appearance must be within the professional limits established within the field, and individual health care organizations will have policies and procedures to be followed relating to dress and appearance. When communicating, follow professional standards at all times regardless of the behavior of the other participants in the process. Health Care Systems and Settings The medical field can seem overwhelming. New terminology, legal concerns, direct or indirect patient care, unique processes, and high expectations can contribute to initial apprehension. However, this new role can be better understood through a holistic approach, looking at the health care system from all sides. In addition to understanding the role and scope of practice, it is crucial to understand the importance of the entire health care team. Knowing the skills and responsibilities of the various allied health and specialty providers strengthens the effectiveness and cohesiveness of the health care team. Each team member needs to respect and assist others in providing the best possible care for the patient. Medical Assistant Roles, Responsibilities, Scope of Practice, and Titles MA Roles The role of an MA is primarily to work alongside a provider in an outpatient or ambulatory health care setting, such as a medical office. The MA can be cross-trained to perform both administrative and clinical duties. Administrative duties include greeting patients, scheduling, handling correspondence, and answering telephones. In addition, the MA is often responsible for obtaining medical histories from patients, providing patient education, performing laboratory tests, and preparing and administering immunizations. An MA achieves credentialing by passing a national certification exam. MA Responsibilities The responsibilities of an MA vary based on the setting in which they work. Duties can be primarily administrative, clinical, or a combination. Administrative Duties • Scheduling patient appointments • Patient registration (demographics, payer information, compliance forms) • Updating and working in patient records • Sending claims to insurance • Collecting patient responsibility amounts (copays, coinsurance, deductible) Clinical Duties • Collecting and processing lab specimens • Performing diagnostic testing (EKG, spirometry) • Preparing and cleaning examination rooms • Preparing the patient for evaluation and procedure • Measuring vital signs • Preparing medications and administering immunizations The medical assistant’s role is constantly changing and evolving. In addition to traditional responsibilities, medical assistants are doing more patient navigation and care coordination work. In this role, medical assistants can guide patients as they journey through the health care system—helping them understand what is happening and what steps they need to take and helping them connect to the right specialists. To effectively support the patient in this way, the MA will often need to coordinate with other members of the patient care team, both within the clinic and externally with specialty care teams. The MA may ask questions on the patient’s behalf to nurses and providers within the team to better understand the plan of care and provide the information to the patient in a clear, easily understood way. When coordinating with other teams, medical assistants can provide helpful context about the patient’s social determinants of health and barriers to care, as well as support the patient in being scheduled appropriately and in a timely manner with specialists. Scope of Practice Scope of practice describes the duties delegated based on education, training, and experience. The scope of practice for the MA does not include the practice of medicine. Medical assistants should not perform duties they have not been trained or certified to do. Prior to practice, review the duties and restrictions related to medical assisting, which vary by state. Health care organizations may have stricter policies and procedures that they enforce, but they must comply with state regulations at minimum. Variables for the Scope of Practice Variables that affect the scope of practice for medical assistants include the regulations and policies issued by state medical boards. An MA with appropriate training may safely provide supportive services that are simple, routine medical tasks under the supervision of a licensed physician. In addition, the MA may only provide supportive services set forth by the medical office’s organizational policies. These often include measuring height and weight, measuring vital signs, and performing various diagnostic and laboratory testing. Organizational policies must adhere to state and government guidelines to comply with current laws. Titles Over 50 years ago, medical providers began hiring assistants to support their medical practice. They recognized the need for administrative support. Over time, this turned into the MA role, combining administrative and clinical responsibilities. In 1956, a formal medical assistant association was formed and recognized by 15 states. The profession continued to evolve and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in 1978. At that time, training was completed on the job by the provider and other office staff. This eventually became time-consuming and expensive for providers, at which point formalized training and certification programs arose. Many clinical offices look to hire only those who have completed formal training and certification, ensuring they have the necessary skill set to work in patient care. Offices also follow specific guidelines requiring medical assistants to have current certification to input data regarding government insurance reimbursements into electronic health records. Additional Certifications Medical assistants can further their careers and extend their scope of work through continued education, leading to additional certifications, including the following. Certified medical administrative assistant (CMAA) Certified phlebotomy technician (CPT) Certified EKG technician (CET) Certified billing and coding specialist (CBCS) Certified electronic health records specialist (CEHRS) Provider and Allied Health Roles, Responsibilities, Scope of Practice, Titles, and Credentials Physician Information When most people think of health care providers, they think of physicians, also known as doctors. All practicing doctors must be licensed in the state where they practice. To pursue a license, they must first complete eight years of school—four years of undergraduate college, followed by four years of medical or osteopathic school. Upon graduation, prospective physicians then move on to residency. Residency is a two- to seven-year training period where they receive intensive on-the-job training with the direct oversight of a licensed physician. Finally, physicians must pass parts I, II, and III of