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.
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.
3. Translate Medical Terminologies for Patients
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.
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. Improve Efficiency & 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.
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.
5. Perform Varied Responsibilities
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.
Medical assistants who have fully completed the medical assistant program in Florida 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
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.
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.
Start Your Medical Assistant Training In Miramar or Miami Today!
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 or a medical assistant training program in Miramar with FVI School of Nursing and Technology. Contact us today to jump start your Florida medical assistant career today!
Are you thinking of becoming a medical assistant? It starts by going through a medical assistant program in a reputable medical assistant school. FVI School of Nursing and Technology’s medical assistant program will give you the necessary skills to become a qualified medical assistant. We offer our MA program in two locations in Florida. Learn more about the program by contacting us or apply now to jump-start your medical assistant career today.
Sources & References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310730/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4681678/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4717626/
