Front and Back Office

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	Front and Back Office

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Front vs Back Office Mindset:

In most cases the responsibilities of the medical office staff is shared, however, it may appear as if the medical office is divided into two areas, especially in larger offices. Since working together as a team is so important it is best to completely eliminate the "front and back office mindset" right from the start.

Focus on Working As A Team:

Medical assistants should be able to work in all areas of the medical office, and see the front office, which includes the reception area adjacent to the waiting room and the office's administrative areas and archives, as well as the back office, which includes the clinical areas, the patient examination rooms and all treatment areas as one whole area that works together.

The Administrative Medical Assistant:

Administrative medical assistants work in the front office and reception area where they are usually the very first members of the medical office staff the patients get to see when they arrive for their appointments. They are often also referred to as the, medical secretary, receptionist, or simply the front desk medical assistant. Administrative medical assistants must have excellent interpersonal skills as they greet the patients, verify their appointments, make copies of their insurance cards, check referrals and then ask them to take a seat in the waiting area.

Front Office Medical Assistant:

They register new patients and assist with form completion, retrieve charts, enter patient data and demographics into a computer database, perform various typing requests, maintain and file treatment records, prepare schedules, call patients with appointment reminders, answer phones and route messages, call the pharmacy for prescription order refills and arrange for a patient's hospital admission. They also make sure copies of lab test results are mailed to patients, handle billing and bookkeeping procedures and must demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks.

Typing, keyboarding and computer skills and knowledge of the Corel or Microsoft Office applications, thorough knowledge of medical terminology, efficient filing skills, basic grammar, spelling and arithmetic, knowledge of the scheduling, registration, or admission process and excellent customer services skills are essential to do this job!

The Clinical Medical Assistant:

Clinical medical assistants, on the other hand, work in the back office along with other clinical staff members and the physician where a wide array of healthcare services for the patient is performed, such as: physical exams, health screening, immunizations, infection assessment, advise on health conditions, medications and sometimes diet.

More:

Another important aspect of the administrative medical assistant's job is to create and maintain an efficient filing system, which requires an investment of time and effort.

A well maintained filing system not only conveys a polished and professional image, but it also enables every medical assistant to effortlessly retrieve patient records and documentation whenever needed.

Personal computers or computerized healthcare information systems are used in the performance of many of the above listed record-keeping tasks.

If the administrative medical assistant is employed in a group practice or clinic where several doctors work then he/she will deal with all the patients that call and come in, whereas the clinical medical assistant in the back office only takes care of the patients of the doctor he/she is working under!

Rarely will you see the clinical medical assistant interact with patients up front in the administrative office or reception area, except for those brief moments, when they call the next patient in from the waiting area. From there the patients are directly taken to the back office where the patient's demographics, vital signs, height, weight, the reason for the visit, allergies and current medications are recorded into the patient's chart and assures that previous lab work results are attached to the chart in chronological order.

Readiness in an Emergency:

It is also of important that all medical assistants, whether assigned to the front or the clinical areas are ready to assist with any emergency situation, or life-saving procedure should such a serious incidence occur anywhere in the office.

A patient may arrive at the medical office with a serious injury, burns, poisoning, or may suddenly suffer an asthma attack, serious allergic reaction, or unexpectedly faint. Such crises involve danger to the patient and require immediate action and cooperation among available medical office staff that is present!