Medical Office Assistants are responsible for all office duties, including accounting, billing, charting, medical transcription, patient scheduling, and filing insurance claims. They dutifully respond to all in-person, phone, and email inquiries. They are responsible for contacting and following up with patients, their relatives, suppliers, and insurance companies.   
  
Many patients and visitors to medical offices consider Medical Office Assistants to be the friendly faces and representatives of the clinic when greeting, registering, and redirecting patients.   
  
The daily responsibilities for this position include scheduling and confirming routine and urgent care appointments, processing and preparing medical files, and at times receiving payments and recording them into the patient’s record, issuing receipts as needed.  
  
Because the position relies heavily on administrative duties, tasks for Medical Office Assistants will also include entering, compiling, recording, and reporting sensitive patient data. They will also spend their time recording, transcribing, typing, drafting, creating, and updating all forms of correspondence, such as exam notification letters or third-party forms and letters.   
 
As health care services are increasingly outsourced to avoid expensive hiring processes and staffing costs, medical administrative assistants may be asked to take on additional duties such as data entry and computer maintenance, transcription services, and customer service.

Roles and responsibilities of a Medical Office Assistant
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of everyday tasks Medical Office Assistants are required to complete: 

• Schedule and confirm patients’ appointments and surgeries, in person, over the phone, or by email.  
• Book appointments for routine patients and registered and non-registered patients in need of urgent care.  
• Match patient requirements with physician specialties and availabilities.  
• Coordinate with the client to obtain vital medical records before the examination.  
• Communicate with patients regarding appointment and documentation queues.  
• Assist with external referrals to other specialists, such as radiologists, oncologists, and others.  
• Greet and register patients in a friendly and professional manner. 
• Clarify the type of assessment by asking questions or conducting interviews and questionnaires.  
• Gather and update information from patients’ records.  
• Assist patients in completing forms and documents, such as insurance forms.  
• Redirect and escort patients to examination/treatment rooms and ensure appropriate instruments are set up.  
• Check patients’ height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure, as needed or directed.  
• Address patients’ concerns or inquiries, in person, over the phone, or by email.  
• Inform patients about treatment entries and charges in their records.  
• Maintain and replenish office and medical supplies, materials, and equipment.   
• Clean and sterilize medical equipment and instruments.  
• Deliver and dispose of supplies, biological materials, and equipment.  
• Complete administrative and clerical tasks, such as medical records maintenance, data entry, and medical billing.   
• Handling all incoming and outgoing mail, calls, emails, and faxes. 
• Prepare and proofread/edit medical records and reports.  
• Receive and record payments.  
• File and sort medical files and other documents.