Medical Administrative Assistants use organizational and communication skills to keep accurate patient records, manage billing and insurance, and maintain day-to-day schedules. That makes these professionals, who are sometimes called medical receptionists or medical office assistants, essential to the daily operations of clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems across the nation.

Where Medical Administrative Assistants work in Kansas

In Kansas, medical administrative assistants can choose from a variety of workplace settings, including:

• Hospitals and medical centers: Mid-sized hospitals and medical centers like Stormont Vail Health in Topeka and Wesley Medical Center in Wichita offer Kansan medical admins a bustling but not overwhelming work environment.
• Specialty clinics and private practices: For those administrative assistants who welcome unique challenges, specialty clinics and private practices such as the Specialty Hospital of Mid-America in Overland Park and the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita could be a great fit.‍
• Healthcare systems: Large health systems like the University of Kansas employ plenty of capable medical administrative assistants to coordinate their vast operations.

There are no licensing agencies for future medical admins in Kansas, so you don’t technically need to get certified to start working. That said, you’ll strengthen your chances of locking down a high salary at a quality healthcare institution if you take the time to earn your medical administrative assistant certification.

In fact, the NHA reports that 84% of employers nationwide encourage or require certification for medical administrative assistants.

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 Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, medical assistants of all types must work under the direct supervision of a licensed healthcare professional (such as a physician or nurse practitioner). As a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, you won’t handle medical tasks like taking vitals or drawing blood, but your work still includes key responsibilities essential to smooth operations, including:

• Billing and insurance: Administrative assistants are usually tasked with communicating with insurers and submitting accurate claims.
• Maintaining records: Keeping an accurate record of the care each patient receives and all upcoming appointments is one of the many vital assignments entrusted to administrative assistants.‍
• Working with patients: From walking patients through their paperwork to answering questions via email and phone, medical administrative assistants often serve as the helpful face of the hospital or clinic they work for.