With the health of their community in their hands, members of a medical team need to communicate effectively amongst themselves and with every patient they encounter. This is particularly important for medical office administrators, who stand at the frontlines of the healthcare industry, interacting with patients and communicating their needs and information to other medical professionals.
If you become a medical office administrator or administrative assistant, you’ll need to develop the specialized communication skills that help modern offices run smoothly. It’s these skills that will allow you to reach the level of professionalism expected in today’s healthcare field.
Read on to learn four communication skills medical office administrators develop for career success.
1. Effective Communicators Stay Calm Under Pressure
Once you earn your diploma you’ll be eligible for employment in a variety of workplaces, from family practices to walk-in clinics, long-term care facilities, surgical centres, and beyond. It will be up to you to perform the variety of administrative and clinical tasks that keep these spaces running as smoothly as possible. Developing a calm, clear communication style is essential.
Good medical office administrators can kindly and effectively communicate information to patients and the rest of their healthcare team, even in high-stress circumstances. They’re able to manage their emotions and think on their feet, carefully ensuring everything they say is accurate and helpful, and contributes to an environment of secure, quiet professionalism.
2. Medical Office Assistant Training Teaches Computer-Aided Writing Skills
Not all communication in the modern medical office is face to face. Today’s medical office administrators learn to communicate their tone of friendly professionalism through computer-aided technology as well.
Medical office assistant training teaches students how to manage patient databases, digitally file medical records and bills, and create forms and spreadsheets on modern word processing software. Being comfortable with this technology is crucial for medical office administrators, who must use it to clearly document patient information and communicate written information to coworkers (via digital memos and inner-office emails).
3. Good Medical Office Assistants Develop Skills in Assertiveness, Confidence
Experts with a medical office assistant diploma are leaders in their office environments. They have the training, knowledge, and expertise to keep everything under control and in compliance with industry standards.
When you earn your diploma, you too will have the knowledge and experience it takes to keep an office running. It’s essential that you’re confident in your training and assert your expertise when you communicate with patients, physicians, and others in your office.
Confidence and assertiveness improve communication. They allow medical assistant professionals to speak more directly, and with the authority that comes with comprehensive training.
4. Professionals in Medical Office Assistant Careers Set Aside Judgement
Effective medical office assistant training includes a period of hands-on practice. During this important time, you’ll notice how diverse a community of patients you’re called to serve. Medical office assistants must interact respectfully and professionally with people from a variety of ages and backgrounds.
In order to communicate effectively with these patients, you will need to set aside any judgements or opinions you have about them. It is only then when you can actively listen to their needs, and fully understand how you can help them.
You will also learn the importance of maintaining confidentiality. While open dialogue and communication between you and your coworkers will be encouraged, gossiping about patients’ private information will not be.
Developing professional skills for calm, confident (and confidentiality-respecting) communication helps medical office assistants secure long and fulfilling careers. And with the right training, you can join them.
Are you interested in pursuing a medical office assistant career? Visit Stenberg for more information or to speak with an advisor.
