Guide to Becoming a Medical Office Specialist
| Update: September 05, 2024
Medical Office Specialists are the face of the medical office or healthcare facility and the first point of contact for anyone entering the office. They spend their time greeting patients, scheduling appointments, completing check-in procedures, and ensuring paperwork is filled out correctly. It’s a great career for anyone who dreams of working in a professional office, loves providing excellent customer service to patients, and would enjoy a stable career in the medical field.
If a career in the medical field has always appealed to you, consider enrolling in UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Program to train for an entry-level position in as few as ten months.
What is a Medical Office Specialist?
A Medical Office Specialist, sometimes called an administrative medical assistant, provides non-clinical support to a medical office, clinic, hospital, dental office, or healthcare facility. They work in the front office of a healthcare facility, offering a welcoming smile to anyone who enters the building, completing scheduling, patient intake, and general administrative tasks that help keep the office running smoothly.
A Medical Office Specialist is trained to interact with patients, complete billing and coding tasks, manage and organize medical records, schedule appointments, and communicate well with patients, doctors, and nurses. This position requires excellent organization and communication skills to do the job well. The great thing about this program is that the training can be completed through UEI College in as few as 10 months.
What Careers Does UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Program Prepare You For?
Although a formal university degree is not necessary to find work in an entry-level medical office specialist position, obtaining training through a vocational college may bolster your resume and give you an edge over other applicants in a competitive job market. Hiring managers like to know that applicants are entering the field with the skills to do the job.
UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Program prepares you for a fulfilling career working in a medical office. With training from UEI College, you will be prepared to work in the following positions:
#1. Billing Coordinator
Medical Billing Coordinators help submit insurance claims to ensure patients receive the services they need and healthcare professionals are paid in a timely manner. They may also perform other bookkeeping tasks like sending invoices, tracking payments, and updating records. This position requires great attention to detail and patience to handle the red tape of working with insurance companies and government departments.
#2. Health Unit Coordinator
A Health Unit Coordinator ensures patients are properly admitted, transferred, and discharged from a facility. They provide essential communication to patients and their family members and update electronic medical records to reflect that communication.
#3. Medical Office Specialist
Medical Office Specialists provide general non-clinical support to an office. Their exact duties may vary from one office to the next, but they generally handle scheduling, answering calls, greeting patients, and keeping records in a hospital, private practice, or any healthcare facility.
#4. Patient Coordinator
Patient Care Coordinators ensure the patient’s needs are being met. They meet with the patient and provide a compassionate listening ear, explain diagnosis and treatments to them, and help keep the lines of communication open between the doctor and the patient. They also keep meticulous records about the patient’s needs for the doctor.
#5. Unit Secretary
A Unit Secretary, or Unit Support Representative, offers support in a nursing home, hospital, or healthcare office. They may help with scheduling, answering calls, and admitting patients. They also coordinate with other medical offices to schedule tests, receive test results, and keep records up to date. This position requires a good working knowledge of medical terms and procedures.
#6. Ward Clerk
A Ward Clerk is another title for Medical Secretary. These professionals provide administrative support in a hospital, clinic, or ward with admitting patients, managing records, and answering questions.
#7. Physician Office Specialist
Physician Office Assistants typically work in private practice to provide administrative support. They answer patient questions by phone or email and handle the office’s mail as well. They may also help with scheduling and billing.
#8. Admin Coordinator
Medical Coordinators or Admin Coordinators handle scheduling, manage inventory within the office and help support patients by answering questions over the phone.
A career as a Medical Office Specialist provides the opportunity to support patients, work in an office, and be a part of a medical team. You can be prepared to work in many medical settings with proper training, providing necessary administrative support to patients and physicians.
What Are the Duties of a Medical Office Specialist?
The duties of a Medical Office Specialist may vary from one office to another, but our training will prepare you to handle each task with confidence. Common duties of a Medical Office Specialist include:
- Answering phones and emails and directing patients to answers
- Scheduling appointments and services for patients
- Collecting and sorting office mail
- Greeting patients as they enter the office
- Sharing lab results with patients
- Calling prescriptions into pharmacies
- Confirming a patient’s arrival and updating their insurance and contact information
- Verifying insurance coverage and submitting claims
- Sending invoices and managing basic bookkeeping tasks
- Communicating with patients about the cost of services and next steps
- Managing office inventory
- Updating a patient’s records prior to transfer or discharge
Medical Office Specialists may be asked to take on a variety of administrative tasks, but their main objective is ensuring patients receive the best customer service and that they feel their questions are answered in a timely manner. This requires a good working knowledge of medical terms and procedures and a knack for bringing positivity to any situation.
What Skills Do You Need to Become a Medical Office Specialist?
Medical Office Specialists are responsible for a variety of administrative tasks in a healthcare office setting. These tasks require a good working knowledge of how a medical facility runs, medical terms, and medical procedures. With proper training, you can gain these skills and more:
Hard Skills:
- Knowledge of medical terms
- Ability to check insurance eligibility and file claims
- Ability to check patient vitals
- Knowledge of necessary medical office paperwork and files
- Knowledge of office computer software used for scheduling and billing
- Ability to organize and add to Electronic Medical Records
Soft skills:
- Positive and outgoing personality: Medical Office Specialists are the first point of contact for more patients and their loved ones. This job is a great fit for someone who considers themselves a people person as you’ll be interacting with people from all different backgrounds on a daily basis.
- Excellent communication skills: Medical Office Specialists will be responsible for communicating by phone, email, or in person with medical personnel and patients. The information shared is often confidential and should be handled with the utmost professionalism.
- Flexibility: Medical Office Specialists are often juggling several tasks at one time and need to have the ability to switch between tasks without becoming flustered.
- Warm and welcoming personality: Medical Office Specialists are often the first ones to greet patients when they enter the office and set the tone for how the visit will go. It’s important to have the ability to make someone feel welcome.
- Attention to Detail: Medical Office specialists play an important role in ensuring patients get the care they need and that their records are organized and clear. It’s important, when dealing with someone’s medical records that you have the ability to notice small changes that can have big consequences.
UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Training Program offers the opportunity to learn and practice these skills in a hands-on environment under the supervision of experienced instructors. Through a combination of online learning, in-classroom instruction, and hands-on labs, you will learn the best methods for performing these duties well.
Do You Need a College Degree to Become a Medical Office Specialist?
You do NOT need a college degree to become a Medical Office Specialist. Most job descriptions only require a high school diploma, but the more experience and training you can list on your resume, the better your chances of securing a position may be.
A diploma from UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Training Program will show potential employers that you’ve put effort into learning the skills necessary to do the job and are prepared to get started right away. This could give you an advantage when it comes time to find a position.
An accredited training program will help you learn the medical terms, duties, and functions of a Medical Office Specialist and will provide opportunities to practice these skills. You’ll also have the opportunity to work in an office during an externship and see firsthand how an office operates. With this knowledge and hands-on practice, you’ll be able to jump into an entry-level position as soon as you graduate. More training and certifications may lead to even more opportunities for growth within the field.
How Long is the Medical Office Specialist Training Course?
The Medical Office Specialist Training Program at UEI College can be completed in as few as as 10 months. Our training is set up on a hybrid model. Students attend live lectures online and complete assignments online through any device. Twice a week, students come to campus for in-person classes where skills and concepts are put into practice. Students have the opportunity to role-play with other students, to handle/use equipment, and ask questions of our experienced instructors. You do not need to wait for a new school year to get started! With ongoing enrollment, you can begin your training on the next class start date—usually within a month of enrolling.
What Do You Learn in the Medical Office Specialist Program?
In UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist Program, you can gain all the fundamental skills and knowledge needed for an entry-level career in the medical field. With in-person, hands-on lab experiences, students will have the opportunity to practice working in a real medical office environment.
Through eight courses, students will learn:
- Professional behavior for an office environment, including abiding by federal regulations
- Interviewing patients and collecting vital signs
- Managing electronic health records
- Maintaining paper files and filing systems
- Telephone etiquette
- Scheduling appointments
- Medical terminology
- Dental anatomy and terminology
- Insurance processing
- Bookkeeping fundamentals
- Handling emergencies in a medical office
Courses include:
- Healthcare fundamentals
- Medical Record Management
- Medical Office Reception
- Dental office procedures
- Medical insurance
- Medical office finance
- Office management and emergency procedures
- Externship
The final module in the Medical Office Specialist Training Program is an externship out in the community. We’ll help identify an opportunity to work alongside medical professionals in a health facility in your community. Externs perform the job of a Medical Office Specialist and put their skills and knowledge to the test. This hands-on learning ensures you have the experience to work in an entry-level position.
Should You Become a Medical Office Specialist?
If you want to work in the medical field but do not want to perform the clinical tasks of a Medical Assistant, becoming a Medical Office Specialist is a great solution. This career allows you to be part of the team and providing administrative support that keeps the office running smoothly.
The benefits of a career as a Medical Office Specialist include:
Growth Potential.
An experienced and competent Medical Office Specialist is an asset to a medical or dental facility. With the right training and work ethic, you could continue to grow in the field and find opportunities in this field.
Train Quickly.
UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist program can be completed in as few as ten months. In less than a year, you can get started in an entry-level position for a stable, fulfilling career.
Work In An Office Environment.
Yes, this made the cons and the pros list. Some people don’t enjoy working in an office, but if you do like organizing and communicating by phone, email, and mail, and making people smile when they enter a healthcare facility, then a career as a Medical Office Specialist could be very exciting.
Some possible disadvantages of being a Medical Office Specialist include:
Competitive job market.
In smaller offices, the duties of a Medical Office Specialist may be covered by a medical assistant or a medical billing professional. It’s necessary to demonstrate you have the skills to benefit an office and become a valuable part of the team from day one. It’s also a good idea to continue learning so that you’re up to date with the latest knowledge.
Odd hours.
Some medical facilities may have odd hours, including evenings and weekends. Medical Office Specialists may be asked to work during these odd hours to help greet patients and direct their inquiries.
Tedious work.
Working in an office is not for everyone. If you struggle to sit and work on a computer or talk on the phone, this career might not be a good fit for you.
What Should You Look for in a Medical Office Specialist Program?
If you’re considering training to become a Medical Office Specialist, you should look for a program that gives you a good foundation of understanding that you can build on for years to come. Look for a program that teaches professional communication, medical terminology, interviewing patients, managing electronic health records, and insurance processing.
In addition to just teaching concepts, look for a program that offers hands-on experiences to practice the skills necessary to find an entry-level position in the field. Take a tour of the campus, ask about the equipment used and get to know the instructors who will be teaching the course. UEI College’s Medical Office Specialist program was designed with the real world in mind. Each module features hands-on experiences to practice what you learn.
A good training program will also offer support outside of the classroom. UEI College offers tutoring, open lab time, and mentoring to students who need it. We also help students update their resumes and find job postings in their area.
Beginning a career as a Medical Office Specialist can be overwhelming, but with training and support, you can enter the field with confidence in your skills and knowledge.
