Careers in Medical Office Administration
When you think about healthcare, you might evoke images of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who administer clinical services directly to patients. However, healthcare organizations are businesses, too — and if their business operations fail or become inefficient, patients will inevitably feel the impact. For this reason and more, the work of medical office administrators is essential.
What Is Medical Office Administration?
Encompassing a range of support and managerial roles within a medical office, medical office administration involves the responsibilities of overseeing the practice’s day-to-day operations. Roles under this umbrella may include medical receptionists, administrative assistants, records and billing clerks, and more.
Where Medical Office Administrators Work
Medical office administrators may work at medical facilities including emergency centers, doctor’s offices, and nursing homes. From hospitals and surgical centers to physician’s offices and outpatient facilities, all kinds of medical providers need secretaries and administrative assistants. In fact, you can find medical office workers nearly everywhere that you find health and wellness care.
Popular Medical Office Administration Jobs
Working in a variety of healthcare settings, professionals might hold any number of specific job titles in the realm of medical office administration. Below are just a few of the most prevalent:
Medical Office Administrator/Healthcare Office Administrator
Highly valuable (if not vital) for a broad spectrum of health and wellness organizations, medical office administrators, otherwise known as healthcare office administrators, might perform diverse administrative tasks and functions. From welcoming patients, answering phones, and generally working the front desk of a doctor’s private practice to transcribing medical documents and managing health records for a large hospital or urgent care facility, the professional purview of the medical and healthcare office administrator is wide-ranging.
Medical Records Clerk
In modern healthcare contexts, it is crucial to keep current and accurate health services medical records for every patient. Therefore, many healthcare organizations employ specialized medical records clerks to ensure that all patient records are up to date, properly sorted, logically organized, securely stored, and easy to retrieve. Electronic
health records (EHRs) involve the use of digital files and computer systems to boost both the effectiveness and efficiency of medical record management.
Medical Office Receptionist
When placed at a front desk, a medical office receptionist will ideally greet patients as they walk through the door, check them in for their scheduled visit, and answer any questions patients might have. Additionally, they commonly answer phones, schedule appointments, and handle matters related to billing, insurance coverage, and co-payments for service.
Insurance Coordinator
No healthcare organization could remain in operation for long without effective insurance filing and billing processes. As specialized medical office administrators, insurance coordinators help determine and/or confirm various insurance benefits that are available to a given patient. They generally work with a number of insurance companies to determine coverage, review that coverage with patients, and submit appropriate claims for payment.
Medical Office Administration Job Duties
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical secretaries and administrative assistants “perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures.” Their specific daily duties might range from conducting patient correspondence to filing official reports. Here are a few more essential tasks typically performed by medical office workers:
Managing Patient Records
Medical office administrators often create, update, file, organize, and retrieve records that contain relevant patient information and reflect evolving patient conditions. They also respond to requests for these records for diagnostic, treatment, and referral purposes.
Scheduling Appointments
Scheduling appointments and managing appointment schedules are primary responsibilities for many medical office administrators. Beyond booking patient/physician examinations and consultations, these professionals are commonly in charge of scheduling necessary tests and procedures.
Managing the Front Desk
Working at the front office, a medical office administrator is positioned to schedule and confirm appointments. Front desk workers also respond to patient inquiries, handle referrals, make supply orders, and generally serve as a public face for the office.
Billing and Coding for Insurance Claims
Under the direct supervision of a manager, administrative specialists may also help with invoicing and soliciting payment from patients and/or their insurance providers. This requires a solid understanding of insurance codes for various healthcare services.
Communication With Patients and Healthcare Professionals
Medical office administrators might spend more time with providers and patients than they spend with each other. Thus, they serve as a critical link in the overall healthcare communication chain and should be proficient in collaborating among different teams in their organization.
How Much Do Medical Office Workers Make?
Compensation in the world of medical office administration can vary significantly depending on variables ranging from geographical location to the healthcare sector. Of course, administrators with higher levels of skill and experience tend to command better pay and benefits than their less skilled and experienced colleagues.
Acknowledging this, the BLS has identified an average medical office administrator salary for workers in the U.S. Based on its latest calculations in May 2023, the BLS cites the mean annual wage for medical secretaries and administrative assistants as $43,380. (This translates to an hourly wage of $20.85.)
Why Pursue a Career in Medical Office Administration?
Contributing to smoother operations and procedures in healthcare is only one of many reasons to pursue a career in this field. For one, getting the training you need to become a medical office administrator is relatively straightforward and affordable. A high school graduate who commits to the right educational program can generally secure qualifications to begin working as a medical office administrator in less than a year.
In addition, the employment prospects for medical office administrators are also quite promising; professionals in the field are in steady high demand and enjoy solid job security. Specifically, BLS projections show an estimated growth rate of 9% for medical records technicians through 2033. This is more than double the estimated growth rate for U.S. occupations altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What degree do I need for a career in medical office administration?
Although there is no official educational barrier to entry into the field of medical office administration, most employers expect or prefer either a college degree or diploma (like the medical office administrator diploma from Medix College).
Are there entry-level positions in medical office administration for recent graduates?
As the need for healthcare continues to grow in the United States and around the world, so does the need for quality medical office administration. In September 2024, “medical administrative assistant” was ranked highly among a list of “top healthcare administration jobs to get your foot in the door.” Indeed also mentions medical and administrative assistants on its list of entry-level jobs in healthcare administration.
How can I advance my career in medical office administration?
Pursuing a relevant college degree, certificate, or diploma is the best way to establish yourself as a medical office administrator, supplement your current experience and education, or build relevant specialized skills as a working professional.
Pursue the Path Toward Medical Office Administration
Do you see yourself making a difference as part of a healthcare team? At Medix College, our medical office administrator diploma program is offered in a range of online, hybrid, and in-person options to suit your lifestyle and learning preferences. Students will receive a well-rounded education in topics related to billing, office management, medical procedure and knowledge, and more — as well as gain hands-on experience through an externship. Request more information about this certificate or diploma program today.
