Occupation · SOC 43-6013
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
Median wage
$44,640
$35,050–$60,050
Projected growth
+4.2%
Average growth
Annual openings
3,530
per year
Employed (US)
830,760
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
319 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingActive ListeningService OrientationReading ComprehensionWritingTime ManagementCritical ThinkingCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesActive LearningPersuasionMathematicsLearning StrategiesInstructingSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisNegotiationOperations MonitoringOperations AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignOperation and ControlScienceQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageAdministrativeMedicine and DentistryPersonnel and Human ResourcesComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementEconomics and AccountingMathematicsCommunications and MediaTelecommunicationsEducation and TrainingSales and MarketingPublic Safety and SecurityForeign LanguagePsychologyProduction and ProcessingLaw and GovernmentSociology and AnthropologyTherapy and CounselingBiologyMechanicalGeographyTransportationFood ProductionChemistryEngineering and TechnologyPhilosophy and TheologyDesignPhysicsHistory and ArcheologyFine ArtsBuilding and Construction
Technology & tools
Accounts payable softwareAccounts receivable softwareAddressing softwareAllscripts PayerpathAllscripts Professional PMAmazing ChartsBilling softwareCPSI CPSI SystemCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteData entry softwareDatabase softwareDesktop publishing softwareElectronic health record EHR softwareEmail softwareEpic SystemsGoogle DocsGoogle DriveGraphics softwareHMSHealthcare common procedure coding system HCPCSHenry Schein DentrixIDX GroupcastIntuit QuickBooksIntuit QuickBooks Point of SaleMEDENTMEDITECH Medical and Practice Management MPM SuiteMEDITECH softwareMcKesson LytecMedical condition coding softwareMedical procedure coding softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft ExchangeMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft PublisherMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Word
Representative tasks
Working with ComputersProcessing InformationPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicGetting InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesAssisting and Caring for OthersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDocumenting/Recording InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesThinking CreativelyMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsTraining and Teaching OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsStaffing Organizational UnitsCoaching and Developing OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationControlling Machines and ProcessesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Incoming telephone calls — answer and route to appropriate clinical or administrative staff following scripted protocols in a supervised medical office setting.Patient appointment requests — schedule and confirm using an electronic scheduling system under direct supervisor guidance in an outpatient clinic.Insurance claim forms — complete basic fields with patient demographic data under close supervision using billing and invoicing software.Visitors to the front desk — greet, ascertain the purpose of visit, and direct to the correct department following posted office procedures.Medical records and correspondence — transmit via fax, e-mail, or postal mail using standard templates provided by the practice.Patient intake documents — collect and organize into designated physical or electronic folders under supervisor direction in a clinical administrative area.Laboratory results and routing slips — receive, sort, and deliver to the assigned provider or nurse using established office workflow charts.Patient intake forms — assist patients in completing basic demographic and insurance fields during check-in under staff oversight.Word processing software — produce simple letters and memos from dictation or template files with attention to spelling and formatting.Office suite software — perform basic data entry into spreadsheets and databases as directed to support daily administrative tasks.
developing
Multi-line telephone system — manage incoming calls, screen inquiries, and transfer to appropriate staff independently during routine clinic hours.Diagnostic appointments and surgical consultations — schedule, confirm, and reschedule using medical scheduling software with minimal oversight in a busy outpatient practice.Insurance and prior authorization forms — complete and submit accurately by cross-referencing patient records and payer requirements in a medical billing workflow.Visitor and patient flow — greet and triage walk-in visitors, applying knowledge of staff availability and department locations to minimize wait times.Medical records — maintain organized physical and electronic files in compliance with HIPAA privacy standards and office retention policies.Correspondence and test results — receive, log, and route laboratory reports and referral documents to the correct provider within required turnaround times.Patient case histories — interview patients to collect comprehensive intake and insurance information, entering data accurately into the electronic health record system.Electronic mail and fax platforms — transmit sensitive correspondence and records using secure messaging protocols in compliance with practice confidentiality guidelines.Billing and invoicing software — generate patient statements and reconcile co-pay collections at the end of each business day with reduced supervision.Appointment reminder and recall systems — coordinate outreach to patients for follow-up visits using cloud-based scheduling and communication tools.
proficient
Complex multi-provider scheduling demands — resolve conflicts and coordinate operating-room or procedure suite bookings autonomously across a multi-specialty clinic.Insurance claim discrepancies and denials — investigate, document, and resubmit corrected claims by applying working knowledge of payer rules and medical coding conventions.Patient intake interviews — conduct thorough history and insurance interviews for high-complexity cases, identifying inconsistencies and escalating appropriately to clinical staff.Medical records system — maintain accuracy and completeness of the technical library and correspondence files, conducting periodic audits to ensure regulatory compliance.Sensitive medical correspondence — draft, proofread, and transmit letters, referral summaries, and legal documents on behalf of physicians with full accountability for accuracy.Routing workflows for urgent results — prioritize and deliver critical laboratory or radiology findings to providers immediately, applying clinical context awareness in a fast-paced setting.Office suite and database tools — generate custom queries and reports from practice management software to support administrative decision-making without technical assistance.Patient service escalations — resolve billing disputes, scheduling conflicts, and access-to-care complaints at the front desk, applying critical thinking and empathy in high-pressure situations.HIPAA and compliance documentation — oversee day-to-day adherence to privacy policies, identifying and correcting procedural gaps before they become reportable incidents.Cross-functional coordination — liaise between clinical, billing, and insurance teams to facilitate seamless patient care transitions across referral networks.
advanced
Administrative workflow standards — design and implement front-desk and records management procedures that align with regulatory requirements across an entire medical practice.New administrative staff onboarding — develop training curricula and mentorship plans using real-world scheduling, records, and billing scenarios to build competency in Job Zone 2 hires.Medical software and technology adoption — evaluate, pilot, and lead practice-wide rollout of new EHR modules, billing platforms, or cloud-based communication tools.Insurance contracting and compliance strategy — advise practice leadership on claim submission policies, payer relationships, and denial-reduction initiatives based on longitudinal data analysis.Patient experience program — establish service standards for reception, call management, and intake processes that measurably improve patient satisfaction scores across the organization.Administrative performance metrics — define KPIs for scheduling efficiency, records accuracy, and billing turnaround, monitoring dashboards and directing corrective actions at the department level.HIPAA and privacy governance — lead organizational compliance reviews, coordinate staff training, and serve as the point of contact for audit inquiries and breach-response procedures.Inter-departmental communication protocols — establish standardized routing and escalation procedures for laboratory results, referrals, and urgent messages that span clinical and administrative divisions.Budget and resource planning — contribute to annual staffing and technology budget proposals for the administrative support unit, aligning resource requests with patient volume forecasts.Policy and procedure documentation — author and maintain the practice's administrative operations manual, ensuring all secretarial and assistant roles have current, compliant written guidance.
Also known as
48 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Administrative Support SpecialistAppointment SchedulerCertified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMMA)Client Service CoordinatorClinic Office AssistantClinic ReceptionistDental Front Desk ReceptionistDental Front Office CoordinatorDental Office ReceptionistDental ReceptionistDental SecretaryFront Desk AgentFront Desk ReceptionistGuest Service RepresentativeHospital Admissions ClerkHospital ReceptionistHospital SecretaryHospital Unit ClerkInsurance VerifierIntake CoordinatorMedical Administrative AssistantMedical Administrative SpecialistMedical Biller CoderMedical Billing CoderMedical Billing SpecialistMedical Front Desk ReceptionistMedical Front Desk SpecialistMedical Front Office ReceptionistMedical Office ClerkMedical Office ReceptionistMedical Office SecretaryMedical Office SpecialistMedical Office WorkerMedical ReceptionistMedical Records ClerkMedical SchedulerMedical SecretaryPhysician Office SpecialistPsychiatric SecretaryReception Technician (Reception Tech)