5 Ways Medical Assistants Can Provide Better Patient-Centered Care

5 Ways Medical Assistants Can Provide Better Patient-Centered Care

A medical assistant has a lot of different job duties, and they prepare for these duties through a medical assistant training program. Medical assistants definitely help a doctor’s office run more smoothly. However, medical assistants can also perform different tasks to help improve patient care within a medical facility. Check out some of these tasks they can perform below.

5 Ways MAs Can Help Provide Better Patient Care

Medical assistants perform lots of duties, including basic patient care and administrative tasks. However, there are some things medical assistants can do around the office to provide even better patient care. Learn about five of those below.

1. Work on Outreach for Patients – Medical offices are busy places. There is so much to be done in so little time. Medical assistants can help with this because they can pick up tasks that doctors and nurses may be too busy to perform. One example of this is working on patient outreach. For doctors and nurses, it is important to focus on the patients that are coming into the office, but it is also important to help those who have missed appointments or are overdue for an appointment. A medical assistant can help out by reaching out to patients who have missed an appointment or need a follow-up appointment. This can help ensure that patients are getting the care they need.
2. Improve Efficiency and Streamline Care – There are a lot of things going on at a doctor’s office or hospital. These places can be hectic while doctors try to serve many patients and provide them with the best possible care. Medical assistants can be there to improve patient care by helping make the place more streamlined and efficient. A medical assistant can improve the care a patient gets simply by performing administrative tasks quickly and correctly. This helps so that nurses and doctors can spend more time focusing on the patients. If a medical assistant is handling necessary administrative and behind the scenes tasks, it can help a patient get the care they need from other medical professionals.
3. Translate Medical Terms for Patients – Not all of a medical assistant’s job is about administrative tasks, however. Medical assistants can also help improve patient care by being present in appointments and assisting doctors. A medical professional like a doctor has to know and understand medical terminology so that they can do their job, but it is also important for the patient to understand what is going on. Here medical assistants can be helpful. They can help with translating medical terms and helping patients to truly understand their health issue or their diagnosis. This will help give the patient the information they need, and this can give doctors more time to work on treatment options for the patient.
4. Help with Patient Education and Empowerment – Another thing that medical assistants can do to provide better patient care is to help with patient education and empowerment. The doctor is the person that will perform the diagnosis and tell the patient what they need to do to treat the illness or condition. However, the medical assistant can help the patient better understand the treatment process that the doctor gives. The medical assistant can also help empower the patient to take their health seriously. For example, there are some illnesses or conditions that require medication but can also be improved with certain lifestyle changes like improved diet and exercise. A patient needs to consult their doctor about diet and exercise changes, but a medical assistant can help walk them through different options so that patients have a better understanding of how to implement these changes. A doctor can certainly help with this as well, but if medical assistants help out, it can free up some of the doctor’s time to perform other diagnoses.

5. 

   Be Compassionate Toward Patients – One final way that a medical assistant can improve patient care is simply by being compassionate and empathetic. Doctor’s offices can be scary or overwhelming places for many people, especially if they do not know a lot about the medical field. If a medical assistant is a kind a caring person in the doctor’s office, it can be a little less overwhelming for patients. It can also go a long way to making them feel comfortable. Compassion toward patients can also help them be more honest about their symptoms or issues they may be having, which can lead to better solutions for their health.

As you can see, medical assistants are vital in providing excellent patient care. They are able to perform administrative tasks and medical care so that patients can receive better care. Attending a medical assistant training program can help prepare you to do all the things above and more. You can find a medical assistant training program in Miami with FVI School of Nursing and Technology.

For more information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website:
https://fvi.edu/consumer-information/

Read Also: Differences between a medical assistant and a registered nurse. 

Sources and References:

1. https://www.fvi.edu/medical-assistant-program/
2. https://www.fvi.edu/Blog/medical-assistant-responsibilities/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310730/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4681678/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4717626/
6. https://www.fvi.edu/Blog/growing-demand-for-medical-assistants-why-you-should-become-a-medical-assistant/
7. https://www.fvi.edu/Blog/the-top-medical-assistant-requirements
8. https://www.fvi.edu/medical-assistant-program/
9. https://www.fvi.edu/Blog/medical-assistant-vs-registered-nurse/