Summary Report

Updated 2008

Summary Report for:
43-6013.00 - Medical Secretaries

Perform secretarial duties utilizing specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.

Sample of reported job titles: Medical Secretary, Receptionist, Unit Support Representative, Office Manager, Medical Receptionist, Patient Relations Representative (PRR), Front Office Manager, Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Office Specialist, Patient Coordinator

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Answer telephones, and direct calls to appropriate staff.
Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries and medical consultations.
Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
Operate office equipment such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, and other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories and medical records.
Complete insurance and other claim forms.
Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, and forms such as intake and insurance forms.
Receive and route messages and documents such as laboratory results to appropriate staff.
Compile and record medical charts, reports, and correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
Transmit correspondence and medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
Maintain medical records, technical library and correspondence files.

Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Desktop computers

Hospital intercom systems — Hospital intercom equipment

Notebook computers

Personal computers

Special purpose telephones — Multi-line telephone systems

Technology used in this occupation:

Accounting software — Accounts payable software; Accounts receivable software; Billing software; Intuit QuickBooks

Calendar and scheduling software — IDX Groupcast; Scheduling software

Data base user interface and query software — Database software; dBase Plus; Microsoft Access

Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel

Word processing software — Addressing software; Corel WordPerfect; Microsoft Word

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Skills

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.

Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Work Activities

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Work Context

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Exposed to Disease or Infections — How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Overall Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
SVP Range	(4.0 to < 6.0)
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

There is 1 recognized apprenticeable specialty associated with this occupation:
Medical Secretary

To learn about specific apprenticeship opportunities, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Information website.

For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with business, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship website.

Interests

Interest code: CS

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Work Values

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Related Occupations

43-3021.01	Statement Clerks
43-3061.00	Procurement Clerks
43-4021.00	Correspondence Clerks
43-4041.01	Credit Authorizers
43-4071.00	File Clerks
43-6012.00	Legal Secretaries
43-9041.01	Insurance Claims Clerks

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2007)	$13.92 hourly, $28,950 annual
Employment (2006)	408,000 employees
Projected growth (2006-2016)	Faster than average (14% to 20%)
Projected need (2006-2016)	133,000 additional employees

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2007 wage data and 2006-2016 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.

Summary Report for: 43-6013.00 - Medical Secretaries