MA Scope of Practice

Increased employment of medical assistants into various positions has sparked many discussions among employers, supervisors, and employees that revolve around their scope of practice.

Most asked question: What are medical assistants allowed to do?

Post after post in the medical assistant web forum proves that not only medical assistants, but also their employers and supervisors, are often confused about what the medical assistants can and cannot do.

Duties of the Administrative Medical Assistant

Among other things, administrative medical assistants often are the first person they see when they arrive for their appointment. They must know how to gather patient info, deal with various health insurance plans, claim forms, electronic insurance claims, financial bookkeeping, patient billing procedures, fundamental medical office accounting procedures, receptionist duties, appointment scheduling, medical records management, charting, supplies and equipment management, and medical office computer applications. They also might be asked to call patients with their lab results. When doing so, it is always a good idea to make sure the patient understands that the message is coming from the doctor by saying: The doctor has gone over your tests and asked me to call you. The doctor wants you to... ".

Duties of the Clinical Medical Assistant

Clinical medical assistants often get involved with maintaining exam rooms, setting up sterile fields, cleaning equipment and sterilizing instruments, disinfection and asepsis, blood pressure, pulse, respiration measurements, physical examinations, patient history information, clinical pharmacology applications, minor surgery, specimen collection, therapeutic modalities, CLIA waived laboratory testing, phlebotomy and venipuncture, specimen cultures, electrocardiography, ECG monitoring on Lead II, emergencies and first aid procedures, and many more.

 Disregard of Professional Standards

Medical assistants who don't know, or disregard established professional standards may attempt to perform procedures that lie beyond their capabilities, or scope of practice. They are in danger of exposing themselves, supervisors, and the medical office to serious consequences and possible liability issues should someone get hurt as a result.

Consequences

When a medical assistant has acted outside the scope of practice, and violated any rules or regulations, and something goes wrong, medical office supervisors immediately resort to drastic measures. The medical assistant may be immediately reprimanded and suspended, or worse, dismissed (as in fired!) without any second chances. The fear of damaging the medical office's reputation and looming malpractice law suits is overwhelming reason to act fast and without hesitation.