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Medical Assistant Career and Certification Guide!

 

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Medical Assistant Scope of Practice

 

 

Laws that Regulate Medical Assistants

When it comes to medical assistant's duties, their employers and the public have very specific exptectations. On the other hand, when medical assistants provide services and patient care they must realize that there are specific laws as to what they can and cannot do that may vary from state to state.

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Essential Duties of Medical Assistants

We often receive questions whether a specific patient health care task or procedure is within the medical assistant's scope of practice or permitted in their state. The questions often involve the use of certain equipment, the administration of medications, or types of invasive and non-invasive health care procedures. However, we do not maintain a specific “task lists” and do not respond to questions that require specificity as to a particular task.

Laws That Govern The Medical Assistant Profession

It is not possible to provide a comprehensive and exhaustive list of laws that govern the medical assistant professon, however, it can be said, that Medical assistants in the USA are required to work under the direct supervision of a licensed healthcare provider, such as practicing medical doctor, or physician, licensed nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant whenever they provide direct patient care.

Medical assistants must practice ONLY methods and procedures that are allowed by law within their particular state. And all medical assistants must adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. 
    Some states require that medical assistants who draw blood for lab tests to be certified and have passed a practical examination in phlebotomy.
    Some states require medical assistants to have a special license from their state to expose patients to X-rays.
    Other states may mandate special training before medical assistants can administer certain types of needle injections, or tests such as allergy testing, or PPD/Mantoux skin tests.
     

    Document, Document, Document!Medical assistant typing!

    Complete and careful record keeping is critical.

    Each aspect of the medical encounter: personal and family histories, allergies to medications, medications administered and prescribed, physical exam findings, imaging and lab test results, discussions with patients, including specific advice given, procedures performed during course of the visit should go in the patient record, along with the date and initialed by the provider, nurse, or medical assistant.

     

     

     

     

    Disclaimer:
    The above is not an exclusive itemization of the technical supportive services a medical assistant can or cannot perform. Medical assistants must ALWAYS adhere to state and local laws and regulations! As an integral part of the allied healthcare team medical assistants must demonstrate practice consistent with legal standards and state regulations that may apply. Since all fifty (50) states vary in their regulations as to the definition, training standards and scope of practice of the medical assistant, specific state requirements for practice must be identified and met by the concerned individual within the state they work!

    Nationally recognized credentialing bodies for medical assistants, however, may further define and regulate the role of the medical assistant. Medical assistants working in a medical office setting must adhere to the rules, regulations and requirements mandated by their state in which they practice as well as those imposed by their credentialing body/certification association.