Considering a career as a medical office administrator or assistant? If so, then you’ll need to acquire the technical skills needed to succeed in this type of role, such as proficiency in electronic health records (EHR), the use of scheduling software, and the application of medical billing codes. On the other hand, technical and clinical skills alone may not be enough to truly thrive as a medical office administrator. You’ll need some important soft skills as well.
What are soft skills? These simply refer to the interpersonal skills you need to do a job well, such as basic communication, patience, problem-solving, and the like.
What Soft Skills Are Essential in Medical Office Roles
So, why do soft skills matter so much in the modern medical office? The simple answer is that technical proficiency is important, but it can only take you so far as a medical office assistant. If you’re lacking in critical soft skills, you may not be able to handle common obstacles as they arise or even collaborate well with your fellow team members.
So, what are soft skills, and what are the most important soft skills for medical assistants, medical billers/coders, and other healthcare administration professionals?
Communication Skills
Medical office administrators need to have solid verbal and written communication skills because they come into regular contact with many different people. This includes not just other office workers and healthcare professionals, but potentially patients and their families as well.
Empathy and Compassion
When working in a medical office of any kind, having a strong sense of empathy and compassion for others is a must. Many patients visiting a medical office may be going through complicated health problems or other personal issues that require office workers to maintain a calm, empathetic, and understanding presence.
Organizational Skills
Organizational skills are among the most vital soft skills for medical billing and coding specialists, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. When it comes to important soft skills for medical billing and coding professionals (and other medical office workers), organizational skills and time management are a must. These workers tend to deal with large amounts of paperwork and other documents on a daily basis, and misplacing even one form could create lasting problems.
Adaptability and Problem-Solving
No two days in a medical office are exactly alike, which is why these administrative workers need to be prepared for just about anything the day could bring. A sense of flexibility, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving abilities can go a long way when it comes to overcoming obstacles and keeping things running as smoothly as possible.
Teamwork and Collaboration
While the job of a medical office assistant may seem solitary, it often involves a great deal of teamwork and collaboration with others, including other office staff and healthcare workers. Being a team player is a must if you want to succeed in this kind of collaborative setting.
Conflict Resolution Skills
As with any workplace, conflicts do arise in your typical medical office. Ideally, medical office workers will have the conflict resolution skills to de-escalate problems as they arise and work towards finding a happy medium between all parties involved. Being able to handle conflict in the workplace can help medical office administrators maintain harmony and keep things running efficiently at all times.
Benefits of Cultivating Soft Skills
By working on your soft skills, you can set yourself up for success while helping the patients and people you serve.
Enhanced Career Opportunities
When you have all the soft skills needed to excel in your work, you may be more readily recognized and identified for career advancement opportunities that rely on those skills. For example, while you may start off in a medical coding and billing specialist position, you could move up to become an auditor, billing manager, or other advanced role when you have the right skills and designations.
Improved Patient Outcomes
Furthermore, possessing the soft skills needed to perform your medical office job well can also improve patient outcomes, even though you may not be working directly with patients. For example, with excellent communication between you and other healthcare workers (such as nurses and medical assistants), you can ensure they have the information they need to provide the highest standard of care possible. This indirectly improves patient outcomes and the overall patient experience, which is a win for everybody involved.
How to Develop Soft Skills for Medical Office Work
There are many ways to develop and strengthen your soft skills in preparation for a medical office job, ranging from formal workshops to on-the-job practice.
Training and Workshops
Some workplaces may offer occasional training or workshops on soft skill development, so be sure to take advantage. Even if your workplace doesn’t offer this training directly, you may be able to find a local workshop that your employer will cover the costs for you to attend.
On-the-Job Practice
Ultimately, building up your soft skills as a medical office assistant is something that takes time, persistence, and practical experience. The more you work and grow comfortable in your medical office role, the more opportunities you’ll have to practice your skills and improve upon them over time.
Feedback and Self-Reflection
Being conscious about your own strengths and weaknesses can also go a long way. If you know you need to work on your organizational skills, you might ask fellow coworkers for tips and feedback that could help you improve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can soft skills be learned, or are they innate?
Although soft skills can be innate in the sense that some people can be considered natural communicators or natural problem-solvers, the reality is that all skills can be learned and developed through proper education and training.
What are the most critical soft skills for new medical office workers?
The most critical soft skills for new medical office administrators to possess include communication skills, compassion, problem-solving, and collaboration.
How can I showcase my soft skills during a job interview?
A job interview can be an excellent opportunity to showcase some soft skills. Verbal communication skills (including speaking and active listening) can be demonstrated in the way you answer interview questions and interact with the person interviewing you. Likewise, you can showcase other soft skills by providing concrete examples from your previous experiences. For instance, you might describe a time when you put your creative problem-solving skills to use in a previous job.
Learn More in the Right Degree Program
As you can see, medical office assistants need many soft skills to perform their jobs confidently and successfully. These, in addition to the right technical proficiencies, can help you thrive and advance in your chosen career path while making a real difference in the healthcare field.
If you’re serious about learning the foundational skills needed to succeed as a medical office worker, the medical office administrator diploma program through Medix College may be right for you. Designed to be completed in less than a year, this career-focused program prepares students to tackle real-world administrative tasks and challenges in fast-paced medical settings. Learn more about this program by getting in touch with our admissions team today.
