Medical Administrative Assistants keep daily operations running smoothly at hospitals and clinics across the country by maintaining appointment schedules, processing bills, updating patient records, and performing other essential tasks.

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

Where Medical Administrative Assistants work in New Mexico

New Mexico offers a variety of potential workplace settings for medical admin assistants, such as:

• Hospitals and medical centers: Nearly every hospital needs administrative pros to maintain their operations, and New Mexico hospitals like San Juan Regional Medical Center 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.‍
• Healthcare systems: Many New Mexican Medical Administrative Assistants are employed by the state’s largest healthcare systems, such as Lovelace Health System and Presbyterian Healthcare Services.

Typically, medical admins are required to work under the supervision of a physician, and cannot perform medical tasks. That still leaves plenty of crucial responsibilities that Certified Medical Administrative Assistants can handle, including:

• Billing and insurance: These assistants are entrusted with billing patients’ insurers accurately and promptly, ensuring providers get paid and patients receive the care they need.
• Maintaining patient records and schedules: Confirming patient appointments and recording any services performed is a key part of the workday for Medical Administrative Assistants.
• 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.

According to the NHA, 84% of employers nationwide require or encourage certification for Medical Administrative Assistants.

Passing the CMAA exam not only gives you leverage to negotiate a higher starting salary, but also proves that you’re ready to take on all of the important responsibilities entrusted to Medical Administrative Assistants.

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