Archive for the ‘Medical technician’ Category
Job Description for Health Technicians
Health technicians, often referred to as medical transcriptionists or health information technicians, maintain and organize patient medical records for insurance billing and patient history tracking.
Educational Requirements
1. General educational requirements include coursework in medical terminology, anatomy, health data coding, as well as health insurance and legal standards of medical records.
Responsibilities
2. Maintaining and organizing patient medical records includes receiving and inputting patient medical information into computer systems for medical history tracking and insurance billing purposes.
Work Environment
3. Working in a hospital, health clinic or private practice, these professionals may also handle additional administrative duties such as answering phones, scheduling and greeting patients.
Occupational Outlook
4. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects these occupations to grow 18 percent between 2006 and 2016, due to recent federal legislation requiring electronic medical record keeping, as well as continuing analysis of medical treatments by health insurance companies.
Compensation
5. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports an average annual salary of $28,030 for these occupations.
What Is the Training for a Medical Technician?
The term “medical technician” can refer to a variety of health care professions. Students with an interest in the medical profession can become technicians by specializing in different aspects of health care.
Examples include medical lab technicians, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technicians, ultrasound technicians, dialysis technicians and surgical technicians. Training varies between specialties, and each specialty has an important function on the health care team.
Medical Lab Technicians
1. Medical lab technicians are trained to assist in performing lab tests that help doctors diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses. They analyze the chemical content of blood, and they examine blood and other body fluids for parasites and bacteria.
Medical lab technicians are also known as clinical lab technicians. They work under the supervision of clinical lab technologists, following detailed instructions and operating automated equipment. Medical lab technicians can specialize in certain areas, such as phlebotomy, which is collecting blood samples.
Medical Lab Technician Training
2. A high school diploma is required to pursue a career as a medical lab technician. Candidates pursue professional training by obtaining an associate’s degree through a community or junior college, or a certificate through a hospital or vocational school. Training includes both classroom study and lab work. Some medical lab technicians learn their skills on the job. Read the rest of this entry »