"I once heard someone say that a medical office manager is a 'glorified secretary.' That offended me for more than one reason. First of all, a secretary is a valuable part of any office. Secondly, a medical office manager is responsible for more than general secretarial duties. I believe the misconception comes from people who do not know what all goes on behind the scenes of a medical office. While a medical office manager does not see patients like clinicians do, we could be considered both the entry and exit points for anyone seeking medical care. I say that because we are responsible for making sure that there is enough staff to care for the patient load. We have to schedule employees to work, make sure that employees have proper training, credentials, and current certifications. We also have to monitor documentation and charts to make sure all records are kept according to facility guidelines and handle communication between clinicians and patients."

Not everyone has a clear understanding of what medical office managers do. They may understand a medical term, such as cardio refers to the heart, or know that a family physician can see any age range of patient, but they don't always understand the role of the medical manager and how your job helps a clinic or medical office run efficiently. This is an opportunity for you to share what you think of your profession.

"I think a common misconception about medical office managers is that we are not familiar with legal issues related to the medical profession or that we are not active in patient care. While we do not provide hands-on patient care, medical office managers are very active in making sure patient care is handled well by the whole healthcare team. We work hand in hand with the medical director to make sure that records are up to date, to make sure that employees are trained on policies and changing guidelines within the medical field, and to make sure that documentation is in order. Additionally, we are responsible for managing the scheduling of employees and patient appointments. At the end of the day, it takes a group of healthcare providers with varying degrees of specialization to provide collaborative, effective care for patients."