There’s no denying it, medical office assistants are often the glue that keeps so many medical centers and clinical facilities operating seamlessly. As essential healthcare staff members, the exceptional qualities of a medical office assistant are on display from the moment a patient walks through the doors.

Sure, the responsibilities may vary; as a medical office assistant, you may be greeting patients, booking appointments, or assisting during medical procedures when they arrive. However, what attributes and characteristics might you possess that can boost your performance and enhance your enjoyment on the job?

Whether it’s your strong communication skills and your ability to flourish in a fast-paced clinical environment… join us as we elaborate on 5 key qualities of a medical office assistant that can help you succeed!

Key Medical Office Assistant Qualities

As a medical office assistant, you’ll engage in a range of tasks that will draw upon a diverse set of personal and technical skills and attributes on a daily basis. While some of the qualities of a medical office assistant may come naturally to you, others can be learned, honed, and mastered with practice and experience.

So, what are 5 qualities of a medical office assistant?

1. Outstanding Customer Service Skills

Almost always, the first requirement on any medical office assistant job description reflects an employer’s desire for someone with outstanding customer service abilities. This might not surprise you, as a medical office assistant is often the first point of contact a patient has with a medical center or facility.

Exceptional customer service skills are one of the valued qualities of a medical office assistant, as they are utilized in every aspect of the role. Whether it’s while answering phones or greeting walk-in patients at the front desk, advising them about upcoming treatments, or providing post-appointment patient education, customer care skills are always highly sought-after.

2. Strong Communication Skills

Another crucial attribute on our list of qualities of a medical office assistant is the need for great communication skills. Not only can this assist with the customer service elements of the work, but also collaborating with your colleagues.

Working as part of a close team, your job as a medical office assistant is to efficiently communicate detailed information to the clinic’s doctors, physicians, and nurses. How does this help? Well, this can enhance the speed of patients’ treatment and their recovery while also minimizing errors.

3. Diligent Attention To Details

Being detail-oriented is another one of the key qualities of a medical office assistant, as it plays a significant function in every aspect of the position. Responsibilities such as accurately documenting and maintaining patient electronic health records and efficiently handling insurance claims can prevent delays in patient treatments.

Furthermore, as a medical office assistant, this can also be applied to the clinical responsibilities of the job. Duties such as maintaining medical supplies are fully stocked and examination rooms are kept clean and remain contamination-free to ensure a consistent quality of care to patients.

4. Demonstrate Compassion

Surprisingly, compassion isn’t often listed in a typical medical office assistant job description; however, it’s a critical attribute to possess. In fact, if you’re wanting to work in the healthcare industry… chances are you may already have these built-in compassionate and comforting characteristics in your skillset.

Empathy and compassion are ultimately indispensable qualities of a medical office assistant. These elements can help when explaining things to patients or working with other healthcare personnel. These are just two examples of where care and compassion are used by great medical office assistants.

5. Thrive in a Fast-paced Environments

Medical facilities and healthcare clinics are generally busy places, with patients constantly coming and going. So, another vital component on our list of medical office assistant qualities has to be the ability to thrive in a fast-paced clinical environment.

For example, you may be answering the phones and booking appointments one minute before being asked a question by a doctor (or other healthcare provider). Shortly afterward, you may be required to file an insurance claim. As a result, as a medical office assistant, you’ll likely always have something to do, but that’s what can make this career so interesting.

Additional Skill Sets of a Medical Office Assistant

After reading this, you may find many of the qualities of a medical office assistant come naturally to you. And even if they don’t, you may search for a “certified Medical Assistant training program” that can help you develop these skills through practice.

However, some additional clinical skills are important to acknowledge too. For instance, signing up for a Medical Assistant program can teach you the fundamental clinical responsibilities of the position, which can include:

• Knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy, physiology, and basic medical procedures
• Taking a patient’s vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature, and pulse rate
• Drawing blood, performing EKGs, and administering injection
• Administering wound care and applying dressings as needed

Embark on a New Career With Dorsey College’s Medical Assistant Training Program

If you’re looking for an opportunity to launch into a new career as a medical office assistant, speak to Dorsey College today. Our Medical Assistant program centers around teaching and enhancing these essential qualities of a medical office assistant through in-class learning and practical training.

Are you looking for medical assistant programs near you? Here at Dorsey College, our excellent campus facilities can allow you to study close to home, as we offer the Medical Assistant program at the following locations:

• Madison Heights, MI
• Dearborn, MI
• Roseville, MI
• Saginaw, MI
• Wayne, MI
• Woodhaven, MI
• Grand Rapids, MI

Our program offers a remarkable opportunity to acquire the essential qualities of a medical office assistant and apply them in a practical, real-world setting first. So, if you want to transform your career within the upcoming year, don’t hesitate to contact Dorsey College today to inquire about enrolling in our exceptional Medical Assistant program.