What is the Description of a Medical Office Receptionist?

Here we will discuss the typical medical office job description. You’ll learn about what being a receptionist entails, potential salary for the job and the training you need to become a medical office specialist in Texas. 

Someone who is interested in working in the medical field and likes helping people is the perfect candidate for a career as a medical office specialist.

Handling communication between a busy doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital and the outside world takes energy and patience. Plus, performing the internal tasks required to keep a medically oriented office running efficiently requires organization.

Ultimately, medical office jobs are the essential backbone to keep things running smoothly.

Here at Southern Careers Institute, we offer a  Medical Office Specialist program online and at the Brownsville, Harlingen, Waco, Pharr, and San Antonio-South campuses.

What is the Job Description for Medical Office Assistants?

The job description of a medical office specialist will vary. For starters, a medical office assistant is usually the first employee a patient or visitor comes in contact with at a physician’s office or hospital ward.

For this reason, a medical office assistant or receptionist, who sets the tone of the office is a friendly person with a professional attitude.

She or he is also the conduit of information and will answer and transfer phone calls, take information, and give direction.

Additionally, a medical office job serves as a safety role. This is because, they give or deny access to the building and sound the alarm when there is a problem.

The  job duties of a medical office specialist include the following:

• answering telephones
• scheduling appointments
• maintaining calendars
• greeting and checking in patients
• getting patients’ personal information and entering it into a database
• directing patients and visitors
• billing patients
• handling insurance claims and forms
• compiling and recording medical charts and reports
• handling incoming and outgoing correspondence

Essentially, the medical receptionist is responsible for having administrative skills, making a good impression for the entire staff and must be professional at all times.

What about work hours? Work hours are generally Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.

Additionally, some hospitals and medical nursing facilities may require night and/or weekend hours.  

What is a Medical Office Receptionist Salary in Texas?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more receptionists are employed in the healthcare field than in any other. Medical office specialists may also work in a variety of offices.

For example, they can work in physician’s offices, dental offices, medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient clinics, and specialty hospitals (such as those dedicated to substance abuse and psychiatric disorders).

In the United States, a typical medical receptionist salary is around $17.83 per hour. That comes to about $37,090 a year.

Furthermore, the lowest percentile earners in this field make about $12.21 an hour ($25,390 yearly).

And higher-paid employees earn as much as $24.95 per hour ($51,890 a year). 

In Texas, the average hourly wage for a medical receptionist is approximately $16.42 an hour.  This means that the medical receptionist salary about $34,150 a year in Texas.

Medical Office Training

Now that you know the typical medical office job and receptionist salary, how do you become one?

In order to qualify for a job as a medical receptionist, accredited Medical Office Specialist training is usually required.

Unlike receptionist positions in other industries, the medical field needs office specialists who have a good working knowledge of medical terms and procedures.

At SCI, students will become skilled at bookkeeping, billing and collections, patient data collection, and records management.

In the program, students receive training in appointment scheduling, telephone techniques, written correspondence, keyboarding, and word processing, as well as human anatomy.

Required coursework includes the following:

• Anatomy and Physiology I & II
• Electronic Health Records I & II
• Customer Service 
• Medical Billing I
• Word Processing
• Medical Law & Ethics 
• Spreadsheets 
• Medical Practice Management 
• Application Presentation and Sharing
• Medical Terminology
• Keyboarding I
• Medical Office Specialist Externship
• Office Procedures I 
• Career Readiness
• Communication

It is also important to note that students who enroll full-time can complete the program in as little as 30 weeks.

Certifications for Medical Office Assistants 

Once training is complete, graduates of the medical office assistant program at SCI are eligible for a number of certifications.

Certifications are important because they provide opportunities for higher pay and job growth. 

The following are possible certifications for medical office assistants:

• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
• Microsoft certifications in Word, Excel, Outlook Pro, and Powerpoint

Starting a Medical Office Career Path

So how do you get started? If you are ready for a fresh start and a new career, contact Southern Careers Institute.

Our professional and attentive admissions staff can help you not only get enrolled but assist you in learning about how to apply for financial aid.

Overall, at Southern Careers Institute, our priority is helping students grow, learn, and gain confidence in their desired careers.

So, what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Sources

• https://www.bls.gov/oes/2018/may/oes436013.htm
• https://www.bls.gov/oes/2018/may/oes436013.htm#st
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm#tab-2
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm#tab-3

Blog Disclaimer: Information stated in this blog is for general information purposes only. SCITexas.edu does not assume or guarantee income earning potential or salary expectations based on the programs offered at Southern Careers Institute. Career and program information stated in this blog does not guarantee that programs and specifics are offered at Southern Careers Institute.