Medical Assistant Net—Areas of Responsibility
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Areas of Responsibility
Medical offices, clinics, and hospitals need medical assistants MORE than EVER! Join the "Community of Caring" by starting a rewarding career as a medical assistant! We provide important resources, such as career and self-study guides, certification and scope-of-practice info, active message boards, schools, and job listings in every state to help you get started.
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Areas of Responsibility
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Medical Assistant's Responsibilities
Anywhere there are people and a need for medical attention and health services there are medical doctors with their medical assistants as their closest staff. These medical assistants help them in all areas of patient care and keep the daily office routine going at a steady pace.
Medical Assistant "Can I Do That?" Check List
Statistics show that over 70 per cent of all working medical assistants are employed in physician's private offices and group practices. Another large group of medical assistants work for ophthalmologists, podiatrists and chiropractors and other healthcare providers. Their daily routine consists of frequent interaction with doctors, other medical office staff, and patients in the front and back office areas. The following are only examples and general guidelines to assist medical assistants and their supervisors to locate answers to questions that arise from time to time about the medical assistant's areas of responsibility. More what Medical Assistants can and cannot do is here!
 Medical Assistants Can Do This...
Under the direct supervision of a doctor, or other licensed healthcare practitioner, medical assistants can do clinical and administrative tasks to keep the workflow going.
 Medical assistants can determine the acuity of a visit and the visit-length for appointment scheduling purposes using an office protocol provided by the supervising physicianCan measure and record vital signs (cardinal signs), i.e. height, weight, temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressureCan record patient demographics, and basic information about the presenting and previous conditionsCan use medical terminology and accepted charting abbreviationsCan escort patients to the exam room and prepare them for an examCan use scientific methods to solve problems and choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problemsCan convey clinical information on behalf of the physicianCan arrange examining-room instruments and equipmentCan change wound dressings and obtain wound culturesCan remove orthopedic splintsCan remove sutures or staples from superficial incisions or lacerationsCan operate diagnostic equipment to record ECG's, simple spirometry, or plethysmography tests, except full body plethysmography; but NOT interpret them!Can provide patient information and instructions (patient education)Can provide a single dose of oral medication as orderd by the physician to a patient for immediate self-administration under observationCan administer medications topically, sublingually, vaginally, rectally and by injectionCan assist patients in ambulation, positioning and with transfersCan perform CPR and render First Aid in an emergencyCan prepare patients for examination, including draping, shaving and disinfecting treatment sitesCan perform aseptic procedures s.a. wound careCan prepare a patient for gait analysis testing, or muscle strength assessmentCan collect blood specimens via capillary- and venipuncture techniqueCan obtain specimens by non-invasive techniques, such as vaginal and throat cultures and nasal smears limited to the opening of the nasal cavityCan preserve specimens for testing, including urine, sputum, semen, vomitus and stoolCan perform simple laboratory and screening tests customarily performed STAT in a medical office, such as urinalysisCan perform ear lavage to remove impacted cerumenCan perform hearing testsCan administer different types of cryotherapy to reduce pain or swellingCan do filing and bookkeepingCan process insurance claimsCan transcribe medical dictation for medical recordsCan call in prescription orders or refills to the pharmacy, but ONLY as ordered and approved by a physician (MD), nurse practitioner, physician assistant (PA). |
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Medical Assistants in Ophthalmology
Medical assistants with a doctor, healthcare practitioner, or optometrist present in the treatment facility:
 Can perform simple non-invasive testing of visual acuity using vision chartsCan perform automated visual field testingCan show patients how to insert, remove and care for contact lensesCan perform ophthalmic photography and digital imaging, tonometry, lensometryCan administer cycloplegiacs, mydriatics and topical anesthetics that are not controlled substances, for ophthalmic purposesCan perform pachymetry, keratometry, A scans, B scans and electrodiagnostic testingCan irrigate eyes to flush out irritants or foreign objectsCan fit prescription lenses, or use any optical device in connection with ocular exercises, visual training, vision training, or orthopticsCan apply eye dressingsCan maintain optical and surgical instrumentsCan assist the ophthalmologist in surgery Medical assistants are NOT allowed to chart pupillary responses! Nor are they allowed to read, interpret or diagnose symptoms or test results.
REMEMBERMedical Assistants Cannot Do This...
Medical Assistants cannot independently perform telephone triage (medical assistants are not legally authorized to interpret data or diagnose symptoms!)
Other tasks that medical assistants are NOT allowed to do are...
 Cannot independently diagnose or treat patientsCannot independently prescribe medicationsCannot independently give out medication samplesCannot independently refill prescription requestsCannot independently do triageCannot perform arterial puncturesCannot inject medications into a vein (most states) unless permitted by state lawCannot start, flush, or discontinue IV's (most states) unless permitted by state lawCannot insert urinary cathetersCannot provide medical treatment, analyze, or interpret test resultsCannot advise patients about their condition, or treatment regimenCannot make assessments or perform any kind of medical care decision makingCannot administer any anesthetic agent (except topical numbing agents such as EMLA cream)Cannot perform tests that involve the penetration of human tissues except for skin tests and drawing blood as provided by lawCannot interpret the results of blood or skin testsCannot operate LASER equipmentCannot administer chemotherapy or make an assessment of the patient receiving chemoCannot practice physical therapyCannot place splints or casts to injured digits or limbsMay need special permit and training to do x-rays, bone densitometry (e.g. Florida) |
Medical assistants will never expose themselves, the patients, or their employer to unwanted trouble, reprimand and a possible malpractice lawsuit! Professionalism and knowing what medical assistants can and cannot do is very important.
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