Medical assistants are professional healthcare employees and can work in all kinds of healthcare settings. They play a vital role in making sure that medical office operations run smoothly. A medical assistant can find job opportunities in a variety of clinical environments, including cancer treatment centers. Medical assistants working in oncology can gain a strong combination of clinical and administrative experience. Here, Prism Career Institute discusses what medical assistant responsibilities at a cancer treatment center may include.
What is a Cancer Treatment Center?
Unlike a hospital or a family medical center, a cancer treatment center is a medical office specifically dedicated to serving patients with cancer. A cancer treatment center is often staffed by a team of oncologists who may specialize in different types of cancer, such as melanoma, prostate cancer, or thyroid cancer. They may also have expertise in various types of treatments, such as immunotherapy or radiation oncology. Cancer center teams highly benefit from the work of medical assistants, who aid in the coordination of patient care.
How Can Medical Assistants Support Cancer Patients?
When a patient is undergoing cancer treatment, they are likely to interact with a wide range of healthcare professionals. Here are just a few of the ways medical assistants can provide supportive care to cancer patients:
- Laboratory work and phlebotomy: Patients at a cancer care center may need regular blood work. Medical assistants help doctors and nurses with collecting and preparing specimens for testing.
- Recordkeeping: When cancer care centers need to coordinate with other providers, medical assistants ensure that patient records are up to date and are shared appropriately.
- Patient education and navigation: Patients undergoing cancer treatment are likely to encounter a range of new medical terms. Medical assistants can help make information more accessible to the patient. For example, they may go through instructions for post-surgery care.
In addition, medical assistants may be responsible for clinical tasks, such as taking a patient’s temperature, pulse rate, or respiration rate. They also provide administrative assistance by scheduling patient appointments and taking notes during physical exams. By working alongside doctors, nurses, and other clinicians, medical assistants can help ensure that oncology patients have a positive experience during an already overwhelming time.
Career Prospects for Medical Assistants
If you’re passionate about supporting patients throughout their cancer treatment, you may be thinking about a job as a medical assistant. It’s always a good idea to look at industry trends before committing to a program of study. Luckily, jobs in the healthcare field are projected to grow by 16% between 2020 and 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before choosing a training program, you’ll also want to look at their reported job placement rates and externship opportunities to make sure it’s a good investment.
Learn More About Medical Assisting Through Prism Career Institute
Are you interested in learning more about medical assistant responsibilities at a cancer care center? A career in healthcare may be a good fit for you. At Prism Career Institute, we can help you identify an education program that best suits your interests, and our dedicated faculty can help you prepare to work in specialized areas like cancer care. To find out more about our Medical Assistant program and our campuses in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ, contact us today.