Medical administrative assistants are an essential part of the healthcare system, especially when it comes to keeping daily operations running smoothly. Responsibilities typically include maintaining appointment schedules, processing bills, and updating patient records.

Some job listings might refer to the role as medical receptionist or medical office assistant, but no matter what you call them, medical administrative assistants are important to providing high-quality patient care.

Where Medical Administrative Assistants work in Iowa

Iowa offers a variety of potential workplace settings for medical professionals, including administrative assistants, such as:

• Hospitals and medical centers: Nearly every hospital needs administrative pros to maintain their operations, and Iowa hospitals like Broadlands Medical Center in Des Moines, Fort Madison Community Hospital, and Mercy Iowa City are no exception.
• Specialty clinics and private practices: Smaller clinics, including those with a specific specialization and more generalized private practices alike, rely on medical administrative assistants to help manage unique challenges like specialized patient care.‍
• Healthcare systems: Most Iowan medical administrative assistants will likely find employment at one of the state’s largest healthcare systems, such as MercyOne, UnityPoint Health, and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Medical Administrative Assistants don’t need to be certified to work in Iowa, but according to the NHA, 84% of employers nationwide require or encourage certification for medical administrative assistants.

Why? Passing the CMAA exam proves that you’re ready to take on all of the important responsibilities entrusted to Medical Administrative Assistants, and gives you leverage to negotiate a higher starting salary.

In order to be eligible to take the CMAA exam, you’ll need to have a high school diploma or GED and meet one of these two requirements:

• Completed a medical administrative assistant training program in the last five years
• Performed one year of supervised work in a medical administrative assistant field within the last three years, or two years of supervised work experience in a medical administrative assistant field within the last five years

According to the Iowa Society of Medical Assistants, Medical Admin Assistants in the state are required to work under the supervision of a physician, and cannot perform medical tasks on their own. That still leaves plenty of crucial responsibilities that Certified Medical Administrative Assistants can tackle, including:

• Patient communication: As the person usually picking up the phone and greeting in-person guests, medical administrative assistants are often the first point of contact for a new patient.
• Maintaining patient records and schedules: Confirming patient appointments and recording any services performed is a key part of the workday for medical administrative assistants.‍
• Billing and insurance: Likewise, these assistants are entrusted with billing patients’ insurers accurately and promptly, ensuring providers get paid and patients receive the care they need.