Learning Objectives for the Professional Medical Assistant
Typical Responsibilities and Roles:
Discuss the standard duties assigned to a medical assistant.
Describe the specific function of the medical assistant serving as a patient navigator.
Professionalism and Image:
Identify the essential attributes of a professional medical assistant.
Project a professional image within the ambulatory care environment.
Demonstrate show of respect for individual diversity among patients and staff.
Legal and Ethical Frameworks:
Differentiate between the "scope of practice" (what one is allowed to do) and "standards of care" (how well one does it).
Organizations and Education:
List and engage with professional medical assisting organizations.
Evaluate personal learning preferences and understand how learning styles influence academic and professional success.
Practical Skills and Success Strategies:
Integrate effective study skills into daily routines.
Design test-taking strategies to maintain control over academic outcomes.
Incorporate critical thinking skills and reflection to build mental connections during the learning process.
Medical History and Context:
Summarize the history of medicine and its specific relevance to the medical assisting profession.
Healthcare Professionals and Facilities:
Summarize various types of medical professionals, allied health professionals, and the diverse landscape of healthcare facilities.
Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH):
Define the PCMH model and discuss its five core functions and attributes.
Workplace Ethics and Teamwork:
Explain why professionalism is vital in the medical field.
Describe work ethics and emphasize the importance of cooperation.
Prioritization and Crisis Management:
Apply time management strategies to prioritize a medical assistant’s responsibilities as part of a healthcare team.
Respond appropriately to criticism and utilize problem-solving skills.
Identify common obstacles to professional behavior and define principles for maintaining self-boundaries.
Responsibilities and Roles of the Medical Assistant
Clinical Skills:
Assisting physicians and practitioners during physical examinations.
Performing patient screening procedures.
Executing diagnostic and emergency procedures, including ECGs, phlebotomy, first aid, and rigorous infection control.
Administrative Skills:
Answering telephones and managing scheduling for patients.
Maintaining accurate and detailed documentation within patient health records.
Managing facility correspondence and ensuring adherence to legal and ethical principles.
The Medical Assistant as a Patient Navigator:
The medical assistant functions as a patient advocate, helping guided them through the healthcare system.
The concept of care coordination originated from patient navigator programs.
In modern practice, these positions are frequently titled "care coordinators" and are located in both ambulatory care settings and hospitals.
Customer Service and Professional Attributes
Customer Service Definitions:
Customer: Defined as one who purchases goods or services.
External Customers: In the healthcare context, patients are considered external customers.
Internal Customers: These are the individuals one interacts with within the work environment, such as colleagues and supervisors.
Service Definition: Any action taken for customers to improve their overall experience.
Core Professional Characteristics:
Professionalism and a professional appearance.
Courtesy, respect, and respect for individual diversity.
Empathy, compassion, tact, and diplomacy.
Honesty, dependability, and responsibility.
Scope of Practice, Standards of Care, and Organizations
Scope of Practice: This refers to the range of responsibilities and practice guidelines that determine the boundaries within which a healthcare worker practices. Medical assistants are and must remain dependent practitioners, meaning they are not independent practitioners.
Standards of Care: A legal term referring to whether the level and quality of service provided to a patient is the same as what another healthcare worker with similar training and experience would provide in a similar situation. Failure to meet these standards may result in charges of professional negligence.
Professional Organizations:
AAMA: American Association of Medical Assistants.
AMT: American Medical Technologists.
NHA: National Healthcareer Association (Note: The NHA is not involved in program curriculum standards or program accreditation).
Continuing Education:
Necessary to stay current with new medications, treatments, and diagnostic tests.
Options include reading professional journals, visiting reputable health websites, attending on-the-job educational conferences, and participating in local, state, or national conferences.
Educational Success and Critical Thinking
Learning Styles:
The first step in learning is perceiving information; the second step is processing information.
Stage 1 Learners: Concrete reflective style.
Stage 2 Learners: Abstract reflective style.
Stage 3 Learners: Abstract active style.
Stage 4 Learners: Concrete active style.
Study and Test-Taking Skills:
Utilize memory techniques, active learning, and "brain tricks."
Effective note-taking involves coming to class prepared, requesting slide copies before lectures, and creating mind maps.
Manage test anxiety by preparing adequately and controlling negative thoughts.
Critical Thinking Process:
1. Sort out conflicting information.
2. Weigh existing knowledge against new info.
3. Ignore and let go of personal biases.
4. Decide on a reasonable belief or action.
The Medical Professional Landscape
Historical Context:
Hippocrates: Known as the "Father of Medicine," associated with the Hippocratic Oath.
17th Century: European academics and societies began providing structure to medicine.
Evolution of Medical Assisting: As physician practices became more complicated and administrative work became time-consuming, the need for help grew. The first medical assistants were trained on-the-job in individual physicians' offices.
Medical and Allied Health Professionals:
Common practitioners include MDs (Doctors of Medicine), DOs (Doctors of Osteopathy), Chiropractors, Hospitalists, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Physician Assistants (PAs).
Eye Care Specialist Distinctions:
Ophthalmologist: A medical doctor specialty that performs medical and surgical procedures.
Optometrist: Performs eye examinations and applies some prescriptions for contacts or glasses.
Optician: Ensures the physical fit of glasses.
Allied Health Professionals: Those who act only under the authority of a licensed medical practitioner. Includes two categories: Technicians (assistants) and Therapists.
Healthcare Facilities:
Hospitals provide primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care.
Ambulatory care includes physician offices, group practices, and multispecialty groups.
Other facilities include diagnostic laboratories and home health agencies.
Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and Workplace Dynamics
Five Core Functions of PCMH:
1. Comprehensive care.
2. Patient-centered care.
3. Coordinated care.
4. Accessible service.
5. Quality and safety.
Time Management and Prioritization:
Spend approximately 10minutes writing down tasks for the day.
M (Must): Tasks that must be completed that day.
S (Should): Tasks that should be completed that day.
C (Could): Tasks that could be done if time permits.
Communication and Problem Solving:
Use "I" statements instead of "You are…" statements to avoid defensiveness.
Remove emotion from conflict resolution; follow the chain of command for serious issues like theft, confidentiality breaches, or harassment.
Barriers to Professionalism:
Negative attitude and procrastination.
Bringing personal "baggage" or problems to work.
Engaging in gossip, excessive personal communication, or dating coworkers.
Self-Boundaries: Necessary to establish realistic limits that protect professional relationships with patients.