Working in a medical group practice means that you will be working with at least two doctors, who may have different specialties. Balancing your job between doctors and the services they provide can be confusing at times, so it is good to know some basics on how to keep everything in order and running smoothly. Here, Prism Career Institute shares a few helpful tips to keep in mind during a busy day when you’re running back and forth between responsibilities.
Know Your Role
At the start of each day, it’s important to know where you are needed and expected to be. Depending on the practice at which you work, your day could skew towards tasks in one of two categories:
- Clerical Work: This type of work will mostly be done in the front of the practice and involves greeting patients, having them sign in and fill out insurance forms and updating medical records. You may also be asked to answer phones and assist with scheduling new appointments.
- Clinical Work: These responsibilities deal more with administering care to patients and will have you working closely with doctors and nurses. This can include taking vitals, recording symptoms, administering vaccinations and medications and more.
Make sure that whatever tasks you are responsible for at any given time have your full attention. You may enjoy one type of work more than the other, but each is vital to the operation of the practice and requires your best effort.
Open Up the Communication Lines
It can be easy for things to fall through the cracks when people aren’t communicating with each other. This is especially important when dealing with a patient’s health, which should be the number one priority. Many of the tasks described above involve clear communication with your coworkers, such as relaying a patient’s symptoms to the doctor or knowing which medicine and how much to administer. In this environment, it is helpful to always be alert and an engaged listener, in order to not miss any information being given. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially when you are first starting on the job. If you’re unsure how to do something, it’s always better to seek clarification than to make mistakes that could affect patient well-being and satisfaction.
Find Ways to De-Stress
When a day has been extremely busy or overwhelming, stress can build up and immobilize you, making it harder to maintain your normal level of work. There are a few methods you can try in order to counteract this stress, including:
- Take a deep breath: When there’s a lot going on and you feel overwhelmed, take a few moments to take some deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth to center yourself.
- Take a walk: If a patient has been difficult or you’re feeling frustrated with how the day is going, take a lap around the block (or just around the clinic) to cool off. Staying calm and collected is essential when handling medical care.
- Make a list: When the number of tasks you have to complete seems to keep growing and growing, keep track of it all by making a to-do list. The list will help keep your priorities organized, and checking off each assignment you complete is so satisfying.
Stay in Control
Your job as a medical assistant in a group practice can pull you in a lot of different directions, and it can be tough to keep up. But by communicating well, alleviating stress and knowing where you’re needed most, everything can be handled with ease. The Medical Assistant program at Prism Career Institute will help prepare you for this environment with an in-depth curriculum and an externship program that provides real-world experience so you can gain a better understanding of working in a medical group. To learn more about the program, be sure to contact us with any questions you may have.