New Medical Assistant
Advance to Chapter 1 Health and Illness

Introduction  Our Goal: The goal of this series of online medical assistant skills review chapters is to provide basic concepts and theories concerning health and illness, patient care, and medical office technology and procedures. It is a basic introduction to daily medical office routines and the art of medical assisting.

Introduction
Modern Medical Assistant

With the recent rapid changes in the health care business the number of medical assistants needed has also grown tremendously. As new graduates seek employment, medical offices, clinics, and hospitals recruit them to join their staff.

Twentieth century advances in medicine and technology have made a significant impact on the methods of how health care services are delivered and marketed. The modern health care system is changing faster than ever. Unlike in the past, where it was more of a service to humanity and often based on charity and compassion, it has now evolved into a business offering rewarding careers for those interested in medicine and helping people. Accordingly, doctors are running their offices as a business where many can benefit.

Traditionally, medical assisting has been a profession dominated by women, but more and more male medical assistants are joining the ranks. Employers recognize the unique talents and skills male and female medical assistants possess. Medical assisting offers many opportunities. They enjoy working side by side with physicians and other health care professionals where the common goal is the care and treatment of patients. It is a dynamic field that is always changing and always growing.

Medical assistants are being asked to undertake increasingly complex tasks in either the front or back office. Front office tasks mostly consist of administrative duties, such as answering the phones, scheduling appointments, and assisting patients to fill out their information forms, and filing claims to bill the insurance company; whereas back office duties consist of clinical tasks, revolving around patient care, such as taking vital signs, performing simple diagnostic tests, and sterilizing and cleaning equipment and examination rooms. Many medical assistants now also work in large regional medical centers which are directly affiliated and annexed with in-and outpatient facilities and hospitals where they find employment in laboratories, pharmacies and administrative or human resources departments.

If you work in a medical office, especially if you are a medical assistant, you will often be responsible for calling other specialists for making patient appointments or requesting their diagnostic test results. Therefore it is important that you understand the purpose of each subspecialty in medicine and know the purpose of each medical specialist.

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 Chapter Assignment: 

 

The Complete Healthcare Team

You may find it helpful to go over the given list below before you begin your work. If you run into a medical specialty you don't know mark it and then move on to the next item on the list. You can use the One Look Medical Dictionary to look up the terms you didn't know and then return to this page to finish your notes. You can also copy the medical specialty into Google Search, which will provide you plenty of feedback, enough for you to complete the below assignment. Also: Glossary of Medical and Para-Medical Specialties.

Instructions: Please briefly state in layman's terms, what type of conditions or body systems the following specialists are treating. Be specific, try to avoid medical lingo, and keep it brief!

1. Allergists: __________________________________________
   
2. Anesthetists: ________________________________________
   
3. Cardiologists: ________________________________________
   
4. Dermatologists: ______________________________________
   
5. Doctors of Osteopathy: _________________________________ 
   
6. Endocrinologists: ______________________________________ 
   
7. Gastroenterologists: ____________________________________ 
   
8. Gerontologists: ________________________________________ 
   
9. Gynecologists: ________________________________________ 
   
10. Hematologists: ________________________________________ 
    
11. Internists: ____________________________________________
    
12. Nephrologists: ________________________________________ 
    
13. Neurologists: _________________________________________ 
    
14. Obstetricians: ________________________________________ 
    
15. Oncologists: _________________________________________ 
    
16. Ophthalmologists: _____________________________________ 
    
17. Orthopedists: ________________________________________ 
    
18. Otorhinolarygologists: __________________________________ 
    
19. Pathologists: ________________________________________ 
    
20. Pediatricians: ________________________________________ 
    
21. Physiatrists: ________________________________________ 
    
22. Plastic surgeons: ____________________________________ 
    
23. Podiatrists: ________________________________________ 
    
24. Radiologists: _______________________________________ 
    
25. Radiation Therapists: _________________________________
    
26. Surgeons: __________________________________________
    
27. Urologists: ________________________________________
    
28. Electroencephalographic Technologists: __________________
    
29. Electrocardiograph Technicians: ________________________
    
30. Medical Technologists: _______________________________
    
31. Nuclear Medicine Technologists: ________________________
    
32. Respiratory Therapists: _______________________________
    
33. Phlebotomists: ______________________________________
    
34. Radiographers: _____________________________________
    
35. Pharmacists: _______________________________________
    

Click to see answers... 

  

 

1.     Allergists: study and treatment of allergies

2.     Anesthetists: administer substance or gas to relieve pain or for surgery.

3.     Cardiologists: doctor specializing in the heart

4.     Dermatologists: skin specialist, who also treat and diagnose a number of diseases transmitted through sexual activity

5.     Doctors of Osteopathy: specialist in treating of bones and joints

6.     Endocrinologists: treatment of hormone problems

7.     Gastroenterologists: stomach and gullet related treatment

8.     Gerontologists: specialist in the aging process

9.     Gynecologists: treatment of the female genital organs

10.     Hematologists: treatment of blood

11.     Internists-non: surgical treatment of disease 

12.     Nephrologists: Treatment of kidney disease 

13.     Neurologists: nervous system 

14.     Obstetricians: care of mother before, during and immediately after pregnancy

15.     Oncologists: diagnose and treatment of cancerous tumors

16.     Ophthalmologists: eye treatment and corrections

17.     Orthopedists: correcting deformities of bones and joints

18.     Otorhinolarygologists: ear, nose and throat specialist

19.     Pathologists: disease specialist

20.     Pediatricians: care and treatment of children under the age of 18

21.     Physiatrists: physical rehabilitation medicine

22.     Plastic Surgeons: reconstructive surgery

23.     Podiatrists: foot, ankle and lower leg treatment specialist

24.     Radiologists: diagnosis of such tests as ultrasounds, MRIs and cat-scans

25.     Radiation Therapists: administers radiation treatment

26.     Surgeons: perform surgery as treatment or part of treatment

27.     Urologists: treatment of female and male urinary tract and male reproductive system

28.     Electroencephalographic Technologists: monitors activity of brain and nervous system 

29.     Electrocardiograph Technicians: operate equipment which monitors heart 

30.     Medical Technologists: perform laboratory tests

31.     Nuclear Medicine Technologists: administer special drug to be able to see specific areas inside of the body on film

32.     Respiratory Therapists: respiratory care treatment

33.     Phlebotomists: collection of blood and fluids for lab tests

34.     Radiographers: operate imaging equipment and caring for patients during the tests

35.     Pharmacists: dispense drugs prescribed by health practitioners

Advance To Next Chapter Health and Illness
NOTE: Continue only after reading this and the previous lessons!