PERSONAL QUALITIES IN A MEDICAL ASSISTANT
Most of us have had the help and support of a Medical Assistant while visiting a hospital, or a physician’s office. However, in order to become a successful medical assistant, there are some basic qualities that a candidate should possess. Communication Skills Among most important medical assistant qualities are communication skills, as these are the basic characteristics for this profession. He/she should listen to the patients without interrupting them while they explain their concerns. But at the same time, he/she should still ask appropriate questions to the patients and get the suitable answers from them. These are some diplomatic ways to obtain the essential information from the patients in order to help the physician to treat the patients efficiently. Communication skills also involves clearly narrating the vital instructions given by the doctor to the patients. Also, a medical assistant should answer the questions of the patients effectively and unmistakably. Compassionate Besides being a good listener, it is very important that a medical assistant is compassionate to the patients. A medical assistant should try to understand the worries, happiness and other emotional states of the patients by discussing with them. Dealing the patients in a compassionate way will help them to feel more comfortable and relaxed at the time of their health assessment. Handling stress A physician’s office or a hospital is full of activity. The workplace can make a medical assistant feel quite stressed out. A medical assistant will have a lot of administrative and clinical duties to perform every day. At times, all of these work related stresses can contribute to the confusions and anxiety. On the other hand, patients visit a health care facility for appropriate care and treatment. It is the responsibility of the medical assistant to help them in a better way. So, a medical assistant should have the capability to overcome his daily stress level. He/she should be a tolerant and strong person in order to handle any stressful situations that he come across in his job. Reliability A medical assistant is expected to be a reliable person since the physician, the healthcare group associates and the incoming patients depends on the medical assistant to be reliable. Hence, a medical assistant should be punctual, career-focused and should value the conventional code of behavior. Honesty Among medical assistant traits, ‘honesty’ is the best policy for this lifetime career. The personal information that a medical assistant collects has to be maintained as a confidential in a healthcare setting. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)’s confidentiality rule need vigilance and care in maintaining the patient’s fitness information. However, it is also considered as a courteousness to behave trustworthy to the patients while receiving their health or personal information (even during informal conversation). Each and every medical assistant will be introduced to circumstances where they need to prove their ethical and moral characteristics on a daily basis. Hence, honesty is the chief quality to become a professional medical assistant. Willpower and Politeness Sometimes, there is a possibility to act in response to a tiring physician who is bursting with questions or to a disturbed patient who is under a lot of pain and ache. However, having strong willpower towards your personal feelings and dealings in a health care environment while still remaining polite is the unique medical assistant trait that is necessary for you as a good professional. If you possess the above-mentioned traits, then go ahead and join in a professional medical assistant training program that will give you all the essential courses required to become a successful medical assistant. Are you thinking about a new career as a medical assistant? If so, contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for our spring classes and cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more. -ALLEN SCHOOL