Career summary

Details for Medical Secretaries


Description

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.

Tasks

  • Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
  • Compile and record medical charts, reports, or correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
  • Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  • Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
  • Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
  • Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
  • Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
  • Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
  • Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
  • Perform various clerical or administrative functions, such as ordering and maintaining an inventory of supplies.
  • Arrange hospital admissions for patients.
  • Transcribe recorded messages or practitioners' diagnoses or recommendations into patients' medical records.
  • Perform bookkeeping duties, such as credits or collections, preparing and sending financial statements or bills, and keeping financial records.
  • Complete insurance or other claim forms.
  • Prepare correspondence or assist physicians or medical scientists with preparation of reports, speeches, articles, or conference proceedings.
  • Schedule tests or procedures for patients, such as lab work or x-rays, based on physician orders.

Interests

  • Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Education and Training -Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Computers and Electronics -Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Clerical -Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Skills

None found.

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