What is the career path for a medical assistant?

The career path for a medical assistant includes jobs as a medical assistant, medical biller, and medical records coordinator. There are many different medical administrative roles available on the medical assistant career path.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has stated that the employment of CMAs may increase by 16% from 2021 through 2031. This figure is more than double the national average for all positions, which means you may have many different job opportunities if you choose this career path.

Here are some areas to focus on in the medical assistant career path:

• Education

You should seek to attend an accredited Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) program to excel in this field.

During this program you will cover the basics in the following areas:

• Medical care

• Anatomy

• Physiology

• Administrative duties

You can also seek to specialize in one specific field of medicine, such as radiology. You will also have to pass a CMA certification exam at the end of your schooling, making you a Certified Medical Assistant.

• Other Certifications

Many then choose to further their careers by obtaining jobs in the medical records and coding fields.

A Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is a certification in medical coding that proves that an individual has skills in reviewing medical documentation, assigning codes according to documentation, and understanding of coding guidelines.

This certification is administered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). This certification is best for medical coders and others that work in the medical coding field. To obtain this certification you must meet the following requirements:

The course includes medical terminology, diagnostic coding (ICD-10), procedural coding (CPT), and HCPCS coding.

Here are some other job opportunities for medical assistants that want to transition into medical coding and records:

• Medical biller

They usually have a good amount of knowledge about health insurance and specific medical services and procedures. Common tasks include going over patient bills, setting up payment options and plans, and appealing dismissed insurance claims.

The average salary of a medical biller in the United States is $31,260 per year.

• Medical records coordinator

Medical records coordinators are senior professionals in medical coding. They are tasked with managing and maintaining confidential and sensitive patient records.

They often work with doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel to make sure they are recording, organizing, and maintaining patients' records appropriately.

Medical records coordinators are also responsible for the upkeep of specialized software used to manage and store patient information and data.

The average salary of a medical records coordinator in the United States is $37,800 per year.

• Coding Specialist

Coding specialists deal with the creation of medical codes that contain an overview of a patient's records and medical visits. These are used by medical billers when they submit claims to health insurance companies.

Codes that a specialist uses contain information on a patient's symptoms, diagnosis, therapies, prescribed medications, surgeries, and other medical procedures.

They most often work with doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and other medical billers to make sure a patient's visit overview and other important information is accurately translated to avoid discrepancies that result in insurance problems.

The average salary of a coding specialist in the United States is $48,334 per year.