How to hire medical assistants effectively

Medical Assistants are allied healthcare professionals who work full-time in clinics, hospitals, and physician’s offices on clinical and other administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, measuring patient’s vital signs, collecting medical history, and maintaining inventory. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for medical assistants will grow by 14% in the next decade. This increase in medical assistant recruitment is because of the rise in the aging population seeking medical care, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. As the medical assistants perform routine clinical tasks and administrative duties, an increased workload is imposed on them, causing them to retire early or leave the workforce due to burnout. While hiring medical assistants, it is paramount to address these concerns to ensure a long-term hiring strategy.

What is the importance of Medical Assistants, and why should your facility hire only qualified providers?

As the first point of contact for patients, the role of medical assistants is critical in any healthcare setting. As mentioned above, medical assistants majorly perform two duties, i.e., administrative and clinical tasks. The administrative responsibilities will include maintaining patient records, billing, and scheduling appointments. By efficiently handling these tasks, medical assistants minimize delays and administrative errors, improving practice efficiency. When you hire medical assistants who are well-versed in using advanced technologies for electronic patient record-handling processes, your facility can streamline patient care delivery models.

Medical assistants also play a significant role in supporting physicians and other allied healthcare professionals. By having a diverse team, facilities can enhance patient satisfaction and team dynamics. The medical assistants also facilitate patient education and perform clinical tasks such as checking patients’ symptoms, administering medications, etc., with utmost care. Hence, it is important to have qualified medical assistants to ensure better patient care and operational efficiency. 

Essential qualities to look for when hiring a Medical Assistant

When you hire medical assistants for your facility, it is essential to consider various aspects, such as professional qualifications, soft skills, and technical expertise, to guarantee that you are hiring the right talent. Here is a quick checklist of the essential qualifications and qualities to look for when hiring medical assistants.

• Professional competency is the most essential factor to consider when hiring a medical assistant. Verify the candidate has completed a post-secondary program and attained a medical assistant certification from a relevant institution. Also, check for the licensure guidelines of your state to avoid any future regulatory concerns.
• As medical assistants interact closely with patients and their caregivers, they must have good communication skills to explain procedures and address patient concerns.
• Organizational skills can be a plus for medical assistants as they will be dealing with the administrative tasks related to the facility.
• Other soft skills such as compassion, empathy, flexibility, integrity, and problem-solving ability are also substantial for the work of a medical assistant.
• Technical expertise and the mindset to learn can be extremely helpful in adapting to the evolving healthcare sector.

How do you conduct an effective Medical Assistant interview?

Many times, facilities fail to hire medical assistants because of not having a structured interview process to select the right talented candidate. Some effective strategies can be followed to hire suitable medical assistants for your facility. This structured interview process acknowledges all the aspects of the medical assistant’s skill sets and the essential qualities mentioned above. An effective interview for medical assistants can be conducted in three phases:

1. Pre-interview phase: You must conduct an adequate background study on the medical assistant job market, the pay scale, and the technical expertise to be sought in the candidate. By analyzing these parameters, an efficient job advertisement can be crafted to attract top talent. Always make sure that the job description clearly describes the duties performed by the medical assistants at your facility. 
2. Interview phase: At the time of the interview, thoroughly check the medical assistant’s certifications, qualifications, license, and other skillsets of the candidate to ensure that you are hiring the right medical assistant for your facility. If necessary, behavioral interviews can be done to check the interpersonal skills of the candidate. It is also equally important to check for the cultural fit of the candidate as well while recruiting.

Post-interview phase: The post-interview phase is mainly about building a long-term hiring strategy to improve staff retention and reduce turnover rate. Proper policies and measures must be executed in the facility to create a supportive work environment. Providing flexible shifts, additional perks, and salary based on market standards will help to retain the right medical assistants for your facility.