What does a Medical Secretary do?
Published 3 min read
A medical secretary is responsible for providing administrative support to a medical office. This may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, and billing patients. The medical secretary may also be responsible for answering phones and greeting patients.
Medical Secretary job duties include:
- Answering and routing phone calls
- Scheduling appointments
- Handling patient inquiries
- Filing medical records
- Preparing correspondence
- Maintaining schedules
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- Billing and coding insurance forms
- Transcribing medical reports
- Coordinating office activities
Medical Secretary Job Requirements
A medical secretary typically needs at least a high school diploma, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, and most secretaries complete on-the-job training. Although certification is not required, some medical secretaries choose to earn voluntary certification to demonstrate their proficiency in the field. Medical secretaries typically need several years of experience working in a medical office before they are able to work independently.
Medical Secretary Skills
- Medical Terminology
- Transcription
- Medical Billing
- Coding
- Insurance Verification
- Appointment Scheduling
- Patient Correspondence
- Record Maintenance
- Filing
- Data Entry
- Chart Preparation
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How to become a Medical Secretary
A medical secretary is a key administrative role in a healthcare setting. They provide secretarial and clerical support to medical staff, which includes doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Medical secretaries are responsible for a range of tasks, from answering phones and scheduling appointments, to preparing patient files and handling billing and insurance paperwork.
Becoming a medical secretary requires completing high school or equivalent education, as well as completing on-the-job training. Many medical secretaries have postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree in medical office administration. Those with previous experience working in a medical office or healthcare setting may have an advantage in securing a position as a medical secretary.
The duties of a medical secretary can vary depending on the size and type of healthcare facility they work in. However, there are some common duties that all medical secretaries perform. These include answering phones, scheduling appointments, preparing patient files, handling billing and insurance paperwork, and providing secretarial support to the medical staff. Medical secretaries must be able to multitask and be organized in order to keep the medical office running smoothly.
If you are interested in becoming a medical secretary, it is important to have good communication skills and be detail-oriented. You should also be able to work well under pressure and have strong organizational skills. If you have these qualities and are interested in working in a healthcare setting, then a career as a medical secretary may be right for you!
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