The starting salaries of front office workers depend on whether they handle clinical duties, administrative duties or both.
The front desks of physician and health practitioner offices are staffed by receptionists, secretaries or medical assistants. Although some medical assistants help physicians during patient examinations, others handle mostly administrative and office functions. As front desk employees, they help keep medical offices running smooth and efficiently. The average salary for medical assistants in the U.S. was $29,760 as of May 2010. Medical secretaries averaged $31,820 annually.
Types
Medical front office workers fall under medical receptionists, medical secretaries and medical assistants. These professionals answer telephones, greet patients and process paperwork. They schedule appointments, update and verify patient information, order office supplies and manage billing and co-payments. Front desk receptionists, secretaries and assistants must also act as liaisons with insurance companies, verifying claims information and performing pre-certification checks on patient accounts. Some workers also facilitate the admissions of patients into hospitals, or refer them to other physicians' offices.
Starting Wages
The starting salaries for front office workers vary slightly depending on title or role. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the average base wage for medical secretaries was $10.20 per hour. The average salary for medical secretaries within the lowest percentile of earners was $21,210 per year. Medical assistants averaged similar base wages at $10.01 per hour or $21,210 annually. In comparison, Southwestern Illinois College stated that the average starting salary for medical assistants was $25,320 as of June 2011.
Considerations
Candidates must consider a range of factors when researching starting salaries for front office positions in medical offices. For instance, the city or state where medical receptionists, medical assistants or medical secretaries work can have a significant impact on salary potential. SalaryExpert shows that medical receptionists in selected metropolitan cities averaged between $27,000 and $41,000 annually. Whether medical assistants have college education or professional certifications also influences starting salaries. For example, Alan Hancock College in California found that certified medical assistants averaged entry-level wages between $14 and $18 hourly as of June 2011. Entry-level candidates can increase their salary potential by gaining work experience in medical offices and earning certification through organizations such as the American Association of Medical Assistants.
Job Outlook
Medical secretary and administrative assistant jobs are expected to increase faster than administrative positions in other industries. Factors such as population growth, technological advances in medicine and increasing demand for preventative health care services will spur employment for medical front office employees. While overall jobs for secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to grow 11 percent, employment for medical assistants specifically is expected to rise by as much as 34 percent. Formal training and professional designations with industry associations will position entry-level candidates competitively in the job market.
Tags: medical assistants, front office, front office workers, medical assistants, medical offices
