The moment when you decide to become a medical office assistant is the moment when you decide to join a profession determined to help those in your community. Medical office assistants can be found working in a number of different settings, including mental health facilities, doctor’s offices, hospital admitting departments, research facilities, and more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on many different healthcare services. Some have already experienced a spike in demand, while other services, like mental health services, are predicted to soon be in increased demand.
Medical office assistants have an important part to play in the fight against COVID-19. How has their work adapted to these new circumstances? Here’s a look at just some of the ways medical office assistant careers have been impacted.
COVID-19 Has Changed the Scheduling of In-Person Visits
In-person visits are an important and necessary part of healthcare. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, some doctor’s appointments such as vaccinations, pre-natal check-ups, and more still need to be conducted in person.
However, this isn’t to say that nothing has changed when it comes to scheduling in-person appointments. Medical office assistants are now making sure to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms before their check-up. This could be done over the phone, as patients are asked if they have a cough or fever. Important notices about office policies can also be communicated by mass email so that even before booking an appointment, patients know to monitor and report their symptoms.
Depending on the nature of the appointment, other changes might also be made. Some offices might try scheduling home visits if possible, in order to limit staff exposure. Whether working from home or in the office, one thing is for sure though; professionals with a medical office assistant diploma are working hard to keep services running smoothly.
Screening patients can help to reduce risk and limit the spread of the virus
Professionals with Medical Office Assistant Careers Are Now Scheduling Many Virtual Appointments
If you’re organized, a great communicator, and want to help others, you could be ideally suited to a medical office assistant career. Those qualities will serve you well throughout your career. They’re also qualities that top professionals are using now to provide creative solutions to the challenges brought on by the pandemic. In fact, many appointments are also being done virtually rather than in the office. This is helping to make sure that patients still get the care they need, while also avoiding any unnecessary risk. However, it means that careful communication and a few changes to scheduling need to be made to ensure that everything runs smoothly. For example, medical office assistants might want to make sure that patients have the necessary video conferencing app to conduct their appointment virtually.
Through their hard work, medical office assistants are helping to limit the spread of the virus and make sure that patients can access the healthcare they need. With the help of medical office assistant courses, you can join these dedicated professionals and also make a difference too!
Are you passionate about helping others?
