What are Popular Careers in Medical Administration?
The medical administration field encompasses a variety of healthcare careers that focus on the business and administrative side of the medical industry, including medical office secretaries, medical office managers, medical transcriptionists and medical records technicians. Read on to learn more about these careers.
Medical Administration Career Options
There are a number of career options available to those who would like work on the administrative or business side of health care. The education requirements for these careers range from an undergraduate certificate to a master's degree, depending on the job. Read on to learn about some options for a medical administrative career, including their education requirements and average salary.
<table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Medical Office Manager or Administrator </th><th> Medical Office Secretary </th><th> Medical Transcriptionist </th><th> Medical Records Technician and Coders</th></tr>
<tr><td> Entry-Level Education </td><td> Bachelor's degree </td><td> High school diploma </td><td> Certificate program or associate's degree </td><td> Post-secondary certificate and/or associate's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td> Key skills </td><td> Leadership, verbal and written communication </td><td> Communication, attention to detail, problem-solving </td><td> Listening, research, writing and editing </td><td> Coding, interpersonal</td></tr>
<tr><td> Projected Job Growth (2021-2031) </td><td> 28% </td><td> 8% </td><td> -7% </td><td> 7%</td></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $101,340 </td><td> $37,350 </td><td> $30,100 </td><td> $46,660</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---MedicalOfficeManagerOrAdministrator">Medical Office Manager or Administrator</h3><p>Medical office managers provide a high level of support to the physicians and office staff in medical facilities, such as clinics, hospitals, physicians' offices, dental offices, insurance firms or government health agencies. Their duties may require knowledge in medical ethics and laws, patient records management, medical billing and insurance, scheduling or laboratory procedures. In a small office, medical office managers assume the duties of the office secretary in addition to managerial duties. In a large facility, they may be responsible for a specific department or area, or the entire facility.
</p><p>While a bachelor's degree is typically the minimum education needed to secure a position as a medical office manager, a master's degree may be needed for some positions.
</p><h3 id="section---MedicalOfficeSecretary">Medical Office Secretary</h3><p>A medical office secretary manages the front office and reception area of a medical facility. Individuals may begin their medical administration careers as medical secretaries before moving on to managerial positions. Duties include greeting visitors and patients, answering phones, ordering supplies and scheduling appointments.
</p><p>It is possible to secure a job as a medical secretary with only a high school diploma; however, some employers may prefer to hire those who have completed an industry-specific training program or courses in medical terminology.
</p><h3 id="section---MedicalTranscriptionist">Medical Transcriptionist</h3><p>A medical transcriptionist needs specialized knowledge in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, healthcare procedures, treatments and basic pharmacology in order to understand and record dictated reports. This training can be found in 1-year certificate and 2-year associate's degree programs in medical transcription.
</p><p>Medical transcriptionists learn specific standards and styles for transcribing. While some use traditional methods of transcribing, others review and edit documents that are transcribed using speech recognition technology.
</p><h3 id="section---MedicalRecordsTechnicianAndCoders">Medical Records Technician and Coders</h3><p>Medical records technicians are specialists in receiving and handling a patient's medical records. They are responsible for organizing and evaluating records for accuracy using computer software programs developed specifically for medical record management. Medical coders apply a code to patients' medical records for insurance purposes. Each diagnosis' or procedure's unique code is used by insurance companies to determine reimbursement amounts. Medical coders need knowledge of health care procedures, treatments and diagnosis, as well as the coding systems.
</p><p>Also known as health information technicians, these individuals often have a certificate or associate's degree in health information technology or medical billing and coding. Some employers may also require applicants to have industry certification, such as The American Health Information Management Association's Registered Health Information Technician credential.
</p><p>There is expected to be a high demand for workers in this field due to the aging population, especially for those with industry certification.</p>