Tag Archives: health

The Ins & Outs of a Medical Office Assistant

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What Does a Medical Office Assistant Do?

Regardless of location, size, or specialty, every medical office needs a medical office assistant — and most often, they need more than just one. Despite the already large and consistently growing need for medical office assistants, there’s still some confusion about what these professionals do on a day-to-day basis. Let’s take a closer look at the everyday role of a medical office assistant.

 

What Is a Medical Office Assistant?

The first person to greet a patient when they enter a medical facility, such as a clinic or private practice, is almost always a medical office assistant. Sometimes referred to as medical office specialists, medical administrative assistants, or patient coordinators, medical office assistants essentially perform the tasks needed to keep a healthcare center functioning effectively. Helping to deliver the best healthcare experience possible, these professionals may handle everything from administrative assignments to clinical ones.

 

What Does It Take to Become One?

Multitasking abilities, strong organizational skills, exceptional communication, and attention to detail are all essential to a succeeding as a medical office assistant. These professionals must be up to date on the latest record-keeping technologies and able to quickly and accurately input information. While many locations only require medical office assistants to have earned a high-school diploma, certain facilities may require them to obtain CMAA certifications or RMA registrations.

What Are Their Day-to-Day Responsibilities?

Medical office assistants wear multiple hats. While their responsibilities will vary depending on which type of medical center they work at, there are some job functions that remain the same just about everywhere.

 

Once a patient arrives, for example, medical office assistants may help by:

  • Helping them check in
  • Taking vitals
  • Measuring height and weight
  • Recording contact details and medical history information
  • Escorting them to the examination room

 

In between assisting patients, medical office assistants perform a range of tasks, such as:

  • Cleaning and sanitizing equipment
  • Cleaning and sanitizing examination areas
  • Scanning files and transcribing records
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Billing patients and accepting payments
  • Receiving and sorting inventory, mail, etc.
  • Responding to emails

 

Starting Your Career as a Medical Office Assistant

The role played by medical office assistants is critical to healthcare facilities small and large. If you’re interested in becoming one and connecting to the clinics, hospitals, or other medical offices with opportunities that match your professional goals, join the HealthCare Support talent network. Our healthcare recruiters will help you put together a professional resume, find relevant job postings, and ace interviews. To take the next step in your healthcare career, contact HealthCare Support today at 407-478-0332.

 

31 Ways to Be Ambitious This August

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August 1st – “Do something nice for someone.” Not only will it make them feel good, but it will make feel good too!

August 2nd – “Make someone laugh – it’s Friday!” A big stress reliever is laughing and a study shows that people will like you more if you make them laugh.

August 3rd – “Go sit in the sun and absorb some Vitamin D.” Vitamin D promotes bone growth, reduces depression, promotes weight loss, and fights diseases! Why wouldn’t you want to be lounging around in the sun with all those health benefits? But, don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

August 4th – ” Look at yourself in the mirror. Give yourself one compliment.” You can either be your own biggest fan or your own biggest enemy. By complimenting yourself, builds confidence and positivity within yourself.

August 5th – “It’s the first Monday of the month! Dress for success.” Dressing professionally demands respect and it also builds your self-confidence. It’s also fun to know you look great!

August 6th – “Excercise for 30 minutes.” This can be going for a walk during your lunch, going to yoga, and everything in between! Get up and be active – there are so many health benefits to working out.

August 7th – “Call someone close to you – someone you love. Express your gratitude towards them, tell them you love them or thank them for being there for you.”

August 8th – “Write a nice note on someone’s desk.” This brightens up people’s day and freshens up the office environment.

August 9th – “Bring in some treats for the company.” Get your ‘Martha Stewart’ on and bake some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes! Or bring in some yummy carbs and goodies for everyone to chow down on.

August 10th – “Clean up your friends’ list on social media” Still friends with those annoying, popular girls from high school? Just unfollow them – you’ll feel less anxiety logging on without seeing all their posts about “joining their pyramid scheme”.

August 11th – “Wash your car.” There’s nothing better than a squeaky clean ride! Just cross one more thing off of your list.

August 12th – “Meditate ten minutes before coming into work” Get your mind focused and relax before the worries of work sink in.

August 13th – “Schedule a lunch date.”

August 14th – “Organize your desk – sanitize too!” You should be organizing and ridding your desk of germs, at least, once a month. Not only does this help you avoid illnesses, but it also reduces stress by not having to deal with a messy desk. Messy desks make for messy minds!

August 15th – “Go into the office early or stay late.” Think of all the work you can get done by spending a little more time in the office.

August 16th – “Organize your folders on your desktop.” Get rid of folders or documents you don’t need anymore to clear space up on your computer.

August 17th – “Buy yourself something nice – you deserve it!” Everyone deserves a little splurging every now and then.

August 18th – “Make a to-do list for the week.” Reach out to this partner on Monday, clean your bathroom on Tuesday, finish that project by Wednesday… Write down everything you want to get done within the week – personal and professional.

August 19th – “Ask three coworkers about their weekend.” And actually listen.

August 20th – “Learn something new.” Knowledge is power!

August 21st – “Read a career article.”

August 22nd – “Make your bed, you lazy bones!”  Navy Seal William H. McCraven, commander of the forces that led the raid to kill Osama bin Laden, told the 2014 University of Texas graduates, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.”

August 23rd – “Introduce yourself to someone new.” The more friends the merrier!

August 24th – “Clean your home.”

August 25th – “Meal prep your lunches for the week.” Start your week off right with healthy lunches!

August 26th – “Turn off your cell phone today.” Don’t let the hundreds of notifications distract you from your work.

August 27th – “Get a full nights rest.” A whole eight hours of sleep? Unheard of! Well, not tonight…

August 28th – “Compliment five coworkers.” Compliments are nice to receive but even better to give. Tell someone how much you love their hair or their outfit! You could turn around someone’s awful day to somewhat bearable.

August 29th – “Help a coworker with one of their projects or responsibilities.” Help out some of your coworkers that are stressing over certain projects, they’ll appreciate it.

August 30th – “High-five 10 coworkers.” August is over, time to celebrate the coming of a brand new month.

August 31st – “End the month doing three of your favorite things you did this past month from the list above.” You’re ending the month & starting the new month as productive as ever!

Are You Engaged at Work?

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This info graphic explains some great ways you can ensure you are remaining engaged at work. With 2/3 of the American working population disengaged we couldn’t help but share some tips!

statistics: CBS News

How to Fall Back in Love with Your Job

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Throughout the course of our professional career, we fluctuate between loving our job and despising it. When you first start a job, you start a new chapter in your life. You’re financially supporting yourself, you’re starting to make new friends, and you’re working for a company that chose you out of hundreds of people – overall, it’s a fresh feeling. But sometimes these feelings seem to evaporate over time. In fact, every year, 5.6 million people leave their job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Falling out of love with your job happens to millions of people so, in order to overcome this, you should figure out if you want to move on and find new opportunities or learn how to fall back in love with your job. If you choose the latter, here are a few easy ways that can help you:

  1. Rearrange your desk or your office. You’ve been at the same desk for a long time now. Freshen things up by rearranging it or buying new decorations. You spend forty hours a week around the same space, be sure to surround yourself with the things you love. Also, keep it neat and tidy. 
  2. Take more breaks. Walk around your building a few times. Workout during lunch. Taking productive breaks during your day allows your mind to relax. Working out or going for a walk recharges your brain and clears your head.
  3. Read a career book that relates to the industry you work in. This can help you appreciate your line of work and will motivate you to get back in the office and grind. Other people go through the same thing, but they write about it to help you get over it as they did.
  4. Befriend passionate coworkers. It’s easy to be around people that are passionate about what they do, and it helps you to be passionate too!
  5. Celebrate your accomplishments. It’s fun when you do things right and you’re positively impacting the company. So, celebrate when you do things right or when you reach a goal! It will relieve work tension and remind you how good you are at what you do.
  6. Do one nice thing a day in the office. Hold the door open for someone, buy someone lunch, or write positive notes on people’s desks. Simple stuff like this is an easy way to make you feel good.
  7. Try something new. If you feel like you’re doing the same thing repeatedly, maybe it’s time to try other things and learn new things outside your job description. Talk to your manager about whether you can take on new responsibilities to help other teams or departments.
  8. Remind yourself about the way you felt when you got the job. How relieved and excited were you when you got offered the job? When all of a sudden all the applications you sent in and interviews you went on were over and you secured yourself a job. Remind yourself of that feeling you got and put it in your back pocket. Always keep that feeling close.
  9. Think about all the good things about your job. This can be whether your company culture is awesome, you love your job or all of the great friends you’ve made. Just remind yourself of all the good things going for you. Thinking positively impacts you more than you know.
  10. Maybe it’s time to take a vacation. Life is better when you have something to look forward to. Decide to take a vacation or a staycation. Not only will you be excited leading up to the event which will make the days pass by, but your brain can also use the break.

 

Questions You Should Be Asking At Every Interview

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Asking questions during an interview allows the interviewer to know you are interested in the position and you are serious about the company. You also want to make sure you’re getting every single piece of information about the position and the company before you accept the job. so, which questions should you be asking to give you a good feeling about what this opportunity is all about?

Creating Career Independence this Independence Day

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Independence Day is creeping up on us all this summer, which means we already have six months of 2019 under our belt… Crazy, right? This seems like a firecrackin’ time to do some self-reflecting on your career and your career independence. Career independence is the ability to be in charge of your own career, goals, and dreams. In honor of this beautiful day, the land of the free, and the home of the brave, here are ten tips to achieve career independence.

1. The first thing you can do to establish career independence is always to have your resume updated. An amazing opportunity can come up at the most random times and you want to make sure you’re prepared. You should also double-check that your LinkedIn profile matches with your resume and your profile picture is recent and professional.

2. Turn that television off! No Netflix, no Hulu, no Amazon Prime. Instead, read a book. There are so many benefits, such as, improving your memory, reducing stress, expanding your vocabulary, and improving your overall knowledge. And on the other end, watching television is bad for your brain and your health. If you don’t know where to start, grab a career book and read it! Reading career books can spark creativity and energy. It can also motivate you to try new things that could up your career game and can change your outlook on where you’re at in your professional life.

3. Write down all your career experiences – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Keeping them in a journal is a great way to learn from your experiences and it helps to see what you are doing well and what you can be doing better at. You are your own greatest critic, so let’s make it constructive criticism!

4. Being confident and comfortable with yourself is easier said than done, but it’s so important, especially in the professional world. Confidence is an attractive quality to have; even more so when you’re working a business deal or hiring someone new. We are attracted to the people who are enthusiastic about their skills and knowledge because we know they can handle whatever we throw at them without having to “hold their hand”. Lastly, think about it this way: if you don’t appreciate yourself, then why should others?

5. Don’t get confidence confused with your ego. In fact, leave your ego at the door. No one likes a boaster who thinks they are too good for everyone. It not only is annoying, but it’s hard to work alongside them.

6. If you ever get bored with your job, you have two choices and you need to decide for yourself what you’re going to do about it: quit your job and move on, or learn how to fall back in love with your job. For you to establish career independence, you must choose one. If you choose the latter, a couple of things to try are learning something new, taking more breaks throughout the day, starting a side hustle, or reflecting back on what it was like before you started the position – a little nostalgia can go a long way. However, if you’ve decided it’s time for a new job, allow yourself some time to apply for jobs and have interviews before you quit. That way you won’t be in financial trouble.

7. Keep your expertise up to date. If you have skills from a previous position that you aren’t using in your current role, take some online courses to refresh your mind. If you have any certifications or credentials, keep them up to date.

8. Knowledge is never-ending. There are always new things to learn and excel at. Take the time to do so by watching videos, reading articles and books, and taking online courses. Technology is changing every day so why not stay all caught up with the latest trends?!

9. Stop. Networking. Keep in touch with old coworkers by asking them out for coffee or lunch. Down the road, they could be the ones to assist you in getting your dream job. Also, stay connected with all your old and current coworkers by following them on LinkedIn, it’s a great tool to use when reconnecting!

10. Are you subscribed to any streaming services or monthly clubs that you don’t use anymore? Cancel them! According to an analysis by Waterstone Group, a management consulting firm for tech companies, the respondents spend more than $237.33 a month on subscription services. The respondents guessed they spend, on average, $111.61 a month. That’s a big gap! Clean up your expenses by canceling the ones you don’t use. Your bank account will thank you later!

                It will take some real reflecting on your professional life to achieve career independence, but there is no better time than the present, or on Independence Day! We hope your Fourth of July is filled with lots of yummy food, bangin’ fireworks, and fun!

Job Openings Outnumber Unemployed: What Should Companies Do?

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The number of job openings has exceeded the number of the unemployed for the second month now, setting it at 7.45 million open jobs to 5.82 million unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the largest margin on record – leaving a gap at 1.63 million – which is why so many employers are having a tough time finding good, quality candidates. While the number of openings in April decreased by 25,000, the number of hires increased by 240,000 and the unemployed fell by 387,000. Employers are eager to fill roles as the week’s pass, so what should they be doing in order to fill their jobs?

One of the most obvious things employers can do is raise wages. Quality candidates know their worth when they come in for interviews, so if you offer them something lower than what they expected, then it probably will not work out.  Raising wages in your company improves the productivity, motivation, and overall morale in your company. In the end, don’t you want employees who want to come in and work hard to make a positive impact on the company?

Another way companies can help with the job openings to unemployment ratio is to be quick when making a hiring decision. Did you know it takes one to three weeks to hear back from a company after you’ve applied? And the job hiring process as a whole? That can take up to twelve weeks; maybe, even more, depending on how many applicants the company receives. Twelve weeks is a long time to wait for one job and, most of the time, candidates are going through more than one interview process. Some ways you can speed up hiring is letting your internal team know what positions are open and see if any of them want to make the switch to a new department. By letting your employees know, they can also dig up some quality candidates of their own through their network. To speed up the hiring process, companies can also be more selective about the candidates they bring in for an interview and reach out to those not chosen so they can move on in their job search. One last thing that will help speed up the hiring process is using a staffing company, like HealthCare Support. Hiring recruiting and staffing firms for your hiring needs may cost money but will save you tons of time because while they are busy finding and screening quality candidates, you and your employees will be doing your own work with the thought that your company is in good hands. If speeding up the hiring process seems like a tough thing to do because of the size of your company, then focus on staying in touch with your candidates every step of the hiring process so they won’t lose interest.

The last thing companies can do is improve their company culture. With millennials becoming the main group in today’s workforce, they are drawn to companies that have an awesome company culture with great perks and benefits. Some of the most common questions millennials ask during an interview are, “what’s the company culture  like” and “do you like working here?” This allows them to get a feel if your employees are happy working for your company. Some of the perks and benefits that candidates are most drawn to are flexible hours, company incentive trips and prizes, unlimited PTO, gym membership discounts, healthcare coverage, working remotely, and food catering. A company’s culture makes a huge impact on one’s decision to work for a company, so in order to fill jobs, have a company culture that stands out from other companies.

With job openings exceeding the unemployed by about one million, now is as good a time as any to start thinking about what changes you can make to reel these unemployed in. Increasing wages, speeding up the hiring process, and improving your company culture are a great place to start.  Partnering with a staffing firm like HealthCare Support who can guide you through the process and provide insight to industry supply and demand, salary averages and speed up new employee onboarding could be just what your company needs.

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Interview Preparation: Pharmacy Technician

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019 there were 417,860 open Pharmacy Technicians positions. Pharmacy Technicians prepare medications with the help of a pharmacist, whether that be counting out, labeling, recording, and measuring the correct medication for each patient. Pharmacy Technician positions are one of the most common positions we staff here at HealthCare Support so trust us when we say we can help! Prepare for these questions and you’re sure to crush your interview!

Why do you want to become a Pharmacy Technician?

With this question, they are generally trying to figure out if you are passionate about the role. Think this one through because you don’t want to say what everyone else is saying. Be memorable by coming up with an original and meaningful answer.

Why do you want this job?

Don’t be one of those people that answer this question with “Because I need money” or “Because it pays well”. Explain how your past jobs relate to this role, why you would want to work for this specific company, and what you can do to positively impact the company.

Why do you want to work for this company?

Start first by telling them why you picked the pharmaceutical industry and then narrow it down to why you chose that certain company in the pharmaceutical industry. Your knowledge of the company will show here so make sure you study everything about it – from what they do, to who the CEO is, and what awards they’ve won. Try to know as much as possible about the company – this will also show how interested and passionate you are about securing this role.

How do you deal with difficult customers?

The hiring managers want to know that they can trust you to deal with customers appropriately and calmly, especially being in the pharmaceutical industry. You will get a lot of unhappy customers complaining about why their insurance doesn’t cover certain prescriptions, so prepare to share an example of how you have diffused a situation in the past.

Can you work well in a fast-paced environment?

Working in pharmaceuticals is always going to be busy and fast-paced. Hiring managers want to know if you can work under pressure with certain deadlines and if you have the attitude and strive to get certain tasks done.

What do you think the most important quality of a Pharmacy Technician is?

Be honest with this question. Come up with a good quality and then relate it back to you. For example, being compassionate is a very important quality to have, especially working in the healthcare industry. Then explain why you are a very compassionate person.

What is your greatest weakness?

This question is asked in almost every single interview. Some cringe-worthy examples are, “I work too hard,” “I care too much,” etc.  Come up with something original, and put a positive to spin on it.

Congratulations on being asked to come in for an interview– you’re going to do great, just remember to just be yourself! If you’re still on the hunt for your dream job, check out our current openings here.

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