Job openings for trained medical assistants are growing, as are the responsibilities carried out by these important healthcare professionals. With the detailed classroom foundation and hands-on experience gained in the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute, graduates can become ready to become key players in modern healthcare teams. Prism Career Institute serves students at campuses in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City Township in New Jersey and Philadelphia, PA. Here, we discuss why medical assistants are in higher demand than ever before.
Medical Assistants Adopt New Roles in Dynamic Healthcare Sector
While medical assistants have worked in a variety of roles and specializations previously, today’s healthcare settings are requiring an increased level of medical assistant responsibility. Government legislation has created more patients by providing more access to health insurance. And now that electronic health records are required, medical assistants are using their training in medical coding career paths and computer skills to code patient data. This data is vitally important to public health, as it is used to track medical treatments and outcomes, which in turn sets cost standards for insurance companies, modifies treatment protocols, and aids researchers.
Medical assistants also are being asked to take on specialized job functions, such as those featured in the medical assistant program learning unit on phlebotomy career paths. Previously, important skills like these may have been performed by nurses, physician assistants, and medical technicians. But today, medical teams are being asked to treat an increased population of patients, and so each practitioner is encouraged to provide care at the highest level of their training.
For example, a nurse practitioner (NP) on the team may be required to spend more time writing prescriptions for medications, a task for which the NP is specially qualified. This frees up time for the physician, who can diagnose more illnesses or perform surgeries. The NP in this scenario might have less time to educate patients on how to care for their illnesses. This task is taken up by the medical assistant. In medical assistant programs, training includes patient communications, physiology and anatomy, and clinical laboratory. So, not only is the medical assistant well qualified for this task but adopting this role helps other members of the team provide patient care that demands their specific certifications and qualifications.
Medical Assistants Benefit From Changes in Healthcare Economy
How do these changes in the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy impact the medical assistant profession? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 18 percent from 2020 to 2030. That’s a higher growth rate than other healthcare support occupations, and much higher than the total for all occupations. The aging baby boomer population impacts the profession in several ways. Not only are some older workers ready to retire, creating job openings, but this large generation also needs more preventive medical services, usually performed by physicians. According to BLS, this means more medical assistants are needed to support this emerging model of care.
Medical assistants are in high demand, and trained medical assistants offer healthcare employers the ability to create more efficient teams for patient care. Graduates of medical assistant programs have shown a dedication to the profession and the ability to learn, two valuable attributes. In addition, the Prism Career Institute curriculum requires the completion of an externship with local healthcare employers, providing its graduates with hands-on experience and the opportunity to develop a network of professional references.
Enroll in Our Comprehensive, Time-Efficient Medical Assistant Program
If working in healthcare appeals to you, it’s time to embark on a new career as a medical assistant. With a strategic investment of your time and resources, you can graduate from our program in as few as ten months. Take advantage of the outstanding staff and quality education offered at Prism Career Institute. What’s more, after graduation and completion of the required externship, Prism Career Institute provides study resources and pays the fee for students who have registered to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam.
Don’t wait. As soon as you get started on a career as a medical assistant, you will find out just how much you love taking care of patients, working as part of the healthcare delivery team, and continuing to learn on the job. With the excellent education, real-world experience, and support of career services at Prism Career Institute, you’ll be ready to grow right along with the modern healthcare system, taking on new responsibilities as a trained medical assistant. Contact us for more information about our three campus locations in Cherry Hill, NJ, West Atlantic City, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA.