Occupation Profile for Medical Secretaries

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Perform secretarial duties utilizing specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.

Signficant Points

  • This occupation is expected to be among those with the largest number of new jobs.
  • Opportunities should be best for applicants with extensive knowledge of software applications.
  • Secretaries and administrative assistants today perform fewer clerical tasks and are increasingly taking on the roles of information and communication managers.
 

Tasks

  • Core — Answer telephones, and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  • Core — Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
  • Core — Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries and medical consultations.
  • Core — Operate office equipment such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, and other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories and medical records.
  • Core — Receive and route messages and documents such as laboratory results to appropriate staff.

Activities

  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.