Medical Receptionist: Duties & Job Market

by Amanda Fornecker

Each company has someone to represent them and medical offices are no exception. Medical receptionists are essentially the face of the medical office. This is the person that is most visible to patients and helps them with any questions or problems they may have. Medical receptionists generally have a friendly disposition and help make the medical office run as smoothly as possible.

Duties of a medical receptionist
Medical receptionists have a variety of different tasks, depending on what medical office they are working for. Typically, medical receptionists work with computers, fax machines, and telephones. They take appointments, check patients in, and keep the medical office running smoothly. Medical receptionists take insurance and personal information from patients.

Where to find medical receptionist jobs
You will find medical receptionists in medical offices located in private practices, clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities. Those with a particular specialty may need to look in a specific medical office so that they can provide help where they are most knowledgeable.

Medical receptionist programs
Medical receptionists must at least have a high school diploma or equivalent degree. However, those who have more medical experience or have taken medical classes will find that they have a higher chance to gain employment.

Demand for medical receptionist jobs
As the number of medical offices increase due to a demand for better health care, so will the need for medical receptionists. Those with prior experience and excellent clerical, computer, and people skills are most likely to secure these medical receptionist jobs. Medical offices, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employ the largest number of receptionists.

If you're good with computers, enjoy dealing with people and office work, and have an aptitude for medical terminology, then a career as a medical receptionist might be a field to explore.