Six Ways Medical Assistants Improve Patient Care

Health care providers are looking for better ways to improve patient care to achieve absolute patient satisfaction. The level of patient care is determined mainly by the efficiency of operational systems and personnel competence.

Included in the competent and dedicated personnel are medical assistants. They are necessary to have a patient-centric health care facility. Medical assistants help doctors and nurses with basic medical procedures like checking patients’ weight and height, filing, and updating patients’ medical histories, among other duties. Here is how they help improve overall patient care:

1. First Point of Contact

In most cases when you get to a doctor’s office, the first person that attends to you is not the doctor. This person is a medical assistant whom doctors rely on to be welcoming, warm and efficient to set a suitable environment for the whole process.

They also document all the vital information the doctor requires for accurate diagnosis. For instance, they help take a patient’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse oximetry and more. Medical assistants also update the patient’s chart with their medical history and add all clinical visit information.

2. Liaison between Patients and Healthcare Team

Medical assistants help coordinate the healthcare processes. They act as liaisons between patients and the rest of the healthcare team. As much as patients understand the need for medical care, they are typically more concerned about the cost of the procedures. Medical assistants explain the need for every test, which helps ease the patient’s mind.

3. Translate Medical Terminologies

Medical assistants help patients adhere to doctor’s instructions by translating medical terminologies into language that is easy to understand. They instruct patients on the proper treatment and answer any questions.

4. Streamline Patient Care

When it comes to health issues, immediate procedures and exam visits are a must. Medical assistants help schedule routine appointments, procedures, follow-ups and additional tests where necessary. They also collect insurance data and electronically record medical information.

5. Perform Varied Responsibilities

Medical assistants who have fully completed the medical assistant program can take on many duties that nurses perform. They check in patients, collect fluid samples and assist in documentation and organizing charts. This helps free up doctors and nurses, enabling them to pay more attention to individual patients.

With their many responsibilities, medical assistants help with the flow of practice to leave no patient unattended.

6. Compassionate Presence for Patients

When a patient’s quality of care is reduced due to low compassion and empathy, this leads to lower patient satisfaction. Healthcare providers know the importance of medical assistants as a compassionate presence for patients. Since they have more direct interaction with patients, medical assistants’ compassionate care comforts patients who may feel stressed or afraid.

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