Heald College

IS A CAREER AS A MEDICAL ASSISTANT RIGHT FOR ME?
Medical Assistants provide care and comfort to people with healthcare needs. They're good at multi-tasking and work well as a part of a team.

WHAT'S THE JOB OUTLOOK?
The demand for healthcare professionals is at an all-time high. As our population rises and technology advances, the need for high quality services becomes increasingly great. Medical assisting jobs are an instrumental part of this expansion. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012.

WHAT WILL I DO WITH MY EDUCATION?
Graduates of Heald's Medical Assisting program can pursue rewarding careers in a variety of settings – including family and internal medicine clinics, hospitals, pain centers – and a wide array of specialty areas.

Medical Assistants' job duties typically include both clinical and administrative tasks. While clinical duties vary according to state law, medical assistants generally write medical histories, record vital signs, prepare patients for examinations or lab tests, and assist physicians with examinations. They also perform basic tests on the premises, including drawing blood, and administering injections. On the administrative side, Medical Assistants typically update and file patient records, handle insurance forms, schedule appointments, arrange for hospital admissions and lab services, and assist with billing. A Heald degree can help you qualify for positions ranging from Clinical Medical Assistant and Lab Assistant to Patient Services Representative.

IS A MEDICAL INSURANCE BILLING AND CODING CAREER RIGHT FOR ME?
Medical Insurance Billing and Coding is the perfect program for people who want to contribute to quality patient care from behind-the-scenes. Individuals who specialize in this area enjoy working with healthcare professionals and computer technology.

WHAT'S THE JOB OUTLOOK?
Medical billing and coding specialists play a critical role in healthcare organizations by maintaining accurate records and protecting patient health information. Because healthcare organizations are being held to higher standards, opportunities for medical billing and coding specialists are plentiful. In fact, employment of medical billing and coding specialists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012. At Heald, we can help you prepare for a rewarding career in this growing field.

WHAT WILL I DO WITH MY EDUCATION?
Graduates of Heald's Medical Insurance Billing and Coding program can pursue rewarding careers such as medical record coders, clinical coding specialists, and insurance claims analysts. They communicate with doctors and other healthcare professionals, manage medical records, and code diagnoses and procedures for reimbursement and research purposes.

As a professional in this field, your job responsibilities would likely involve collecting, maintaining, and analyzing the data that doctors, nurses, researchers, and other healthcare staff use to treat patients. You could end up working in a hospital, managed care organization, ambulatory care facility, insurance company, or even a government agency.

IS A CAREER IN MEDICAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATION RIGHT FOR ME?
Medical Office Administration is the perfect program for people who want to help provide care and comfort to people with medical or dental needs. Individuals who specialize in this area generally have good multi-tasking and communication skills.

WHAT'S THE JOB OUTLOOK?
The health services industry is thriving and medical office administration jobs are at the heart of its growth. As our population rises and technology advances, the need for high quality healthcare services becomes increasingly great. The medical office administration field is an instrumental part of this expansion, so there's never been a better time to follow this career path.

WHAT WILL I DO WITH MY EDUCATION?
Graduates of Heald's Medical Office Administration program can pursue rewarding careers in a variety of positions, including Medical Office Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Patient Representative, and Administrative Assistant. With this expertise, you can be an integral part of any healthcare team, responsible for giving patients the most pleasant experience possible.

If you work for a small practice, you might handle general administrative tasks, such as greeting patients, scheduling appointments, filing records, purchasing supplies and equipment, and keeping the waiting and examining rooms in order. You might also educate patients about medication and special diets, and call prescriptions into a pharmacy. In larger practices and hospitals, medical office assistants tend to have particular areas of expertise, such as admissions, or insurance billing and coding.

WHAT'S THE JOB OUTLOOK?
Pharmacy Technicians play a very critical role in pharmacies and healthcare organizations by handling prescriptions and medication orders and by providing assistance to licensed pharmacists. Retailers are expected to expand their pharmaceutical services and the workload will increase for pharmacists. This increased workload will spur growth and the demand for Pharmacy Technicians. In fact, employment for Pharmacy Technicians is expected to increase by 25 percent from 2008 to 2018.

WHAT WILL I DO WITH MY EDUCATION?
Graduates of Heald's Pharmacy Technology program can pursue rewarding careers in a variety of settings, including institutional pharmacies (which include hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities and long-term or assisted living facilities), retail pharmacies (which include drugstore chains, grocery stores, mass retailers, mail-order and web-based pharmacies), and pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers.

Your job responsibilities will vary depending on the type of company and the state rules and regulations of your organization's location. You can help licensed pharmacists prepare prescribed medications for patients. You can also establish and maintain patient record files, prepare insurance claim forms, and manage prescription and over-the-counter medication inventories. Additional responsibilities may include reading patients' charts and preparing the appropriate medications. In some occasions you might work closely with pharmacy aides performing administrative duties. A Heald degree can provide you with hands-on training in laboratory and real-world settings to get you prepared for a career in Pharmacy Technology.