10 tasks you will undertake as a medical secretary 

10 tasks you will undertake as a medical secretary 

by | Nov 27, 2017 | Practice Setup

Are you thinking of becoming a medical secretary?  

 

Do you have administrative experience, an interest in medicine, and great communication skills? If so, a career as a medical secretary could be ideal, but what exactly would you be doing? DMED blog takes a look at 10 tasks you will undertake as a medical secretary… 

 

  1. Audio typing 

    Transcription can be tricky, especially if you aren’t familiar with the specialty, or the clarity of the audio is poor. But chances are that once you settle into a role it’ll be second nature in no time.  

  2. Proofreading 

    Some practices outsource their dictation. In this case, your role in preparing documents is to ensure their accuracy and make sure they represent your practice. They should look professional, be error-free and include all relevant information. 

  3. Diary management 

    Whether this is for your consultant’s clinic, theatre sessions, or non-clinical engagements; you will soon know your way around your practice’s various booking systems and diaries. 

  4. Patient liaison 

    You are the practice’s first point of contact. The first person a patient speaks to will more often than not be you. A pleasant, approachable manner is key. You should keep in mind, however, that some people may be dealing with complex and upsetting situations. Dealing with queries in a sensitive manner is therefore essential. “It takes good interpersonal skills to be able to deal with patients in these situations, ” says Monique Van Der Berg, a member of the Designated Medical team. “You have to remain calm, listen and offer support.” 

  5. Medical supplies

    Depending on the size of your practice and the set-up of your facility, stock control may be your responsibility. You’ll develop knowledge about medical devices, clinical equipment prices and develop skills in supplier management. 

  6. Managing expectations

    As hard as consultants try, there will undoubtedly be occasions when clinic is running late. This could be because theatre has overrun, or a consultation took longer than expected. Waiting patients can quickly turn into unhappy patients, so make sure you keep them in the loop by being up front about the situation. “I believe if you are honest and up front with patients then they are more likely to understand the situation,” offers  Joanne Packwood, a Designated Medical Secretary. “After all, we are all human and sometimes certain situations cannot be helped.” 

  7. Billing & insurance company liaison

    In private practice, a medical secretary will have regular dealings with insurances companies to obtain authorisation for procedures and to coordinate payments. There will also be self-pay patients to deal with, so it’s important to treat sensitive information such as credit card details confidentially. 

  8. Keeping patient records secure

    Working in a medical space, you will be legally obliged to keep all personal information secure. Access to this kind of data should be restricted only to those who need it. Furthermore, new regulations on data protection will be enforced from May 2018. For more information, read the DMED blog on GDPR and what you need to do to make sure your practice is ready. 

  9. Healthcare information

    Whether this relates to practice information about appointments and prices, or leaflets explaining different medical conditions, you will be dealing with healthcare information in some form or another. You may even be tasked with writing the content yourself. 

  10. Liaising with other healthcare professionals

    It’s rare that a medical practice will be completely self-contained. The chances are that you will be liaising with and working with other facilities. This could include staff from other consultants’ offices, hospital staff, and insurance company staff. Everyone’s needs and requirements might not always align, so having good communication skills is absolutely vital. 

 

Working as a medical secretary means you have the opportunity to make a real difference in patients’ lives. In addition to this, there are opportunities to develop professionally and great prospects for progression.  

 

Designated Medical regularly recruits for new team members, and if you are a consultant looking for business support we have an experienced team of medical secretaries available with a wide range of skill sets to suit your practice needs. So, if you’re thinking of taking on a new role, or you’re looking for a highly skilled medical secretary, why not get in touch? 

 

 

Becoming A Medical Secretary… My journey

Becoming A Medical Secretary… My journey

by | Sep 11, 2017 | Patient Care, Practice Management

Becoming A Medical Secretary: Liliana Scott talks to the DMED Blog about how she became a medical secretary…

Having originally trained in a clinical role as a Speech & Language Therapist in Columbia, Liliana is now part of Designated Medical’s secretarial team providing support to consultants in a variety of specialities. With more than 10 years’ experience in this capacity, your practice is in safe hands with Liliana!

The medical secretary journey begins…

Liliana began her journey working for an NHS community project in South West London. This role involved providing support to 5 healthcare professionals, including GPs, district nurses and health visitors. “Every day was different,” says Liliana, who also used her language skills to provide interpretation services to the clinic. This role was based in the community and involved reaching out to and communicating with people from various backgrounds.

Following this, Liliana moved to a private healthcare company as an Office Coordinator and Team Leader and it was here that she was first introduced to the medical secretarial role. As well as providing office coordination, liaising with insurance companies, dealing with financial administration, and customer service, Liliana began producing medical reports for the healthcare professionals in the team. “This provided me with an extra level of knowledge” she says.

Before coming on board with the Designated Medical team, Liliana also worked as a Client Services Officer for a well-known private hospital. This combination of public sector and private sector experience made Liliana an excellent candidate for the Designated Medical team, as we pride ourselves on our in-depth healthcare business knowledge.

 

Wide range of skills

However, it is not just her extensive administrative skills that Liliana uses on a day to day basis – she also draws on her experience as a Speech & Language Therapist and the skills she developed whilst studying for her MA in Counselling. “As well as providing me with knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy, my studies have taught me to look a little deeper in terms of being aware of different behaviours and understanding patients’ needs,” she says.

Take your next step as a Medical Secretary with Designated Medical

Here at Designated Medical we recognise the value of transferable skills, and all team members come from a strong medical background – that’s what makes us so special.

If you are interested in joining our team, we would love to hear from you – just click here to find out more about our current vacancies – or, if you are looking for medical practice support, check out our team here and if you need someone with a particular skill just get in touch and we will do our best to help find the perfect fit for your team.