Online Medical Administrative Assistant Degree Program Info

Medical administrative assistants help maintain the business office of a health care practice, and their responsibilities include scheduling, billing, records management and transcription. Online degrees offer training in office management skills and protocols as well as a background in medical terms and procedures. Graduates of an associate's degree program are prepared to assume entry-level medical office positions.

Online Medical Administrative Assistant Associate's Degree Overview

Associate's degree programs for students looking to become medical administrative assistants cover the business skills required of an office administrator as well as the medical knowledge needed to function effectively in a health care environment. Medical administrative assistants deal directly with patients and perform reception, checkout and scheduling functions.
A high school diploma or equivalent is required to enter associate's degree programs for medical administrative assistants, and some familiarity with medical science would be helpful. Online programs are readily available, and may be described as medical administration, medical office management, health care administration and health care management.

Program Information and Requirements

Distance learning medical administrative assistant programs can generally be completed in 18-24 months, depending upon the student's pace and course availability. Most programs are fully online, although some electives may require visits to the school's campus or a short internship in a medical office near the student's home.
Students will need access to a computer with multimedia capabilities as well as a fast Internet connection in order to participate in online classes, communicate with instructors, submit assignments and take exams. Distance learning students may find that their online computer experience helps prepare them for using computer applications in medical office scheduling, medical records, transcription and billing.

Course and Class Information

Online medical administrative assistant associate's programs generally require one quarter of the students' course load to be in general education classes, with the rest in business, technical and medical subjects. Typical courses include:

Medical Terminology Course

The ability to understand medical terminology is important to a medical administrative assistant. This course acquaints students with basic anatomical and physiological terms, as well as symptoms, diagnoses, procedures, therapies and pharmaceuticals.

Document Processing Course

Students review common word-processing software applications, as well as manual and digital methods of document filing and retrieval. Different handling may be required for separate document types, including text files, images and database records.

Health Care Reimbursement Course

The accurate capture and processing of billable visits and procedures is vital to a successful medical practice. Students in this class learn about different health insurance providers and procedures. Basic concepts in billing and accounting are also reviewed.

Medical Records Management Course

The management of medical records is governed by medical necessity, billing needs and government legislation. Students receive a background in the different types of medical records, the data required by each for medical, billing and legal purposes, and the rules governing the storage and handling of medical documents.

Privacy Regulations Course

The release of medical information is extremely sensitive, and subject to strict federal regulation. Students learn proper procedures for handling and disseminating medical information.

Career Information for Medical Administrative Assistants

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) projected that job opportunities for medical assistants, including medical administrative assistants and clinical assistants, will grow by 34% between 2008 and 2018, as the health care industry continues to expand. Medical assistants with formal training and certification are expected to have the greatest job opportunities. The median annual salary for medical assistants was $28,650 as of 2009.

Continuing Education and Certification Information

Medical administrative assistants frequently have the option to apply most, if not all, of the credits from their associate's degree toward a bachelor's degree in health care administration or a related degree program. On-the-job training and continuing education are other common ways for medical assistants to stay current and improve their employment opportunities.
Several professional organizations award exam-based certification to medical administrative assistants, including the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and Association of Medical Technologists (AMT). Certifications are valid for 3-5 years, depending upon the certification agency, and can be renewed through a combination of industry-related work and continuing education credits.