Medical administrative assistants are essential to the daily operations of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems nationwide. These professionals, who are sometimes called medical receptionists or medical office assistants, use their skills to keep accurate patient records, manage billing and insurance, maintain day-to-day schedules for providers, and help patients access their care.

Where Medical Administrative Assistants work in Oregon

In Oregon, Medical Administrative Assistants can choose from a variety of workplace settings, including:

• Hospitals and medical centers: Mid-sized hospitals and medical centers like Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls offer medical admins a stimulating but not overwhelming work environment.
• Specialty clinics and private practices: For those administrative assistants who welcome unique challenges, specialty clinics such as Oregon State Hospital in Salem could be a great fit.‍
• Healthcare systems: Large healthcare systems like Oregon Health & Science University and Legacy Health employ many capable Medical Administrative Assistants to coordinate their vast operations.

As a Medical Administrative Assistant, you won’t handle medical tasks like drawing blood or running tests, but your work will still include key responsibilities, 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 medical admins.‍
• 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.

You don’t need a special license to be a Medical Administrative Assistant in Oregon, but you’ll improve your chances of locking down a high salary at a quality healthcare institution if you take the time to earn your 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