With the current global situation, the demand for health professions is currently high. It is one of the sectors showing the most significant growth. What if you’re not interested in practical medical issues or your skills are more administrative? Have you ever considered working as a receptionist? Keep reading this article to find out if this profession is right for you!
So, What Does A Medical Receptionist Do?
A medical receptionist is an integral part of the health care team. Nurses, doctors and other medical and administrative staff rely on medical receptionists to provide patients with a friendly, well-organised and welcoming service. As a medical receptionist, you’ll be responsible for all administrative matters relating to patient records. You will also be responsible for the smooth running of the reception and waiting area and maximising patient satisfaction. Medical administrative duties may vary from location to location, but in general, medical receptionists may also perform the following tasks:
- Greet and assist patients in person and by telephone.
- Scheduling appointments with patients.
- Answer all incoming telephone calls courteously and professionally.
- Maintaining confidentiality of all information about patients, staff and doctors.
- Issuing invoices to patients.
- Checking stock and inventory in the office.
The Personal Skills and Qualities Required
To work effectively in a medical office, receptionists need to have good interpersonal and administrative skills. A medical receptionist must be professional, discreet, caring, compassionate, and have excellent organisational skills to be successful. Attention to detail is important as they deal with confidential and sensitive information daily. A medical receptionist must be able to multi-task effectively, have excellent time management skills and provide a high level of customer service, whether in general practice, health clinic or hospital.
Breathtaking Professionalism
Receptionists are usually the first person a visitor or patient meets in person or on the phone. They represent the whole clinic in every encounter with the patient. Because receptionists have close contact with the public, they must have a friendly, warm yet professional attitude and provide unparalleled customer service. Greet everyone with a nice word and smile and show that you are ready to help.
Industry Experience
Because medical assistants work in doctors’ offices, health centres or hospitals, these individuals undoubtedly need a basic understanding of the industry and specific software. In general, a course in healthcare administration ensures that they are well versed in privacy laws, medical billing and medical terminology.
Effective Communication
Communication skills are a prerequisite for this professional role. In particular, a receptionist must listen well to find out what the patient needs and then help him or her. In addition to providing accurate information about the clinic, receptionists must make difficult phone calls, handle complex patient situations, and send clear messages and notifications to patients and other healthcare professionals, either verbally or in writing via text message or email.
Interpersonal Skills
Receptionists come into contact with many different personality types in pleasant and sometimes challenging circumstances. They need to be friendly and confident but also discreet and personable. Receptionists in medical offices also frequently interact with healthcare professionals, managers and other staff, and they must be collaborative, accept and give criticism gracefully, and rise above petty office politics. Good interpersonal skills go beyond basic communication skills. Soft skills such as kindness and sympathy are important for the receptionist profession.
Attention to Detail
Good receptionists need to be highly organised and detail-oriented to not forget about daily administrative tasks. After all, they need to keep up to date with information about themselves and perhaps about everyone else. They can find phone numbers and files at a glance and have a neat workspace.
Exceptional Time Management
Receptionists perform various tasks during the workday: scheduling appointments, taking calls, completing office tasks on time, and receiving and forwarding messages. This requires a high degree of multi-tasking and the ability to manage and prioritise time. A medical office assistant must be able to manage stress while performing office tasks quickly.
Technical Skills for Reception
Receptionists mainly use computers and telephones to communicate with staff and patients. They must therefore have basic keyboarding skills. The telephone system will probably have several internal and external lines that must be operated smoothly. You’ll also probably need to be familiar with word processing software packages. All receptionists should be comfortable using photocopiers, printers and telephone systems.
Do you want to work as a medical receptionist? Get in touch with the professionals at Doctors Secretarial Agency (DSA). Drawing on more than 36 years of experience, they offer staffing solutions for medical receptionists and medical transcription jobs.