The Eyes Have It for Medical Assistant

When patients visit the ophthalmology practice of Blau, Kaplan & Secor in Huntington Beach, medical assistant Colleen O’Connell is often the first to help them.

“My job is to take the patient’s medical history and conduct the basic eye tests that everyone who has ever had their eyes examined is familiar with, like visual acuity and peripheral vision,” she said.

O’Connell, 21, also answers basic questions and prepares the equipment the doctor will need to treat the patient. When a patient is scheduled to have surgery, O’Connell makes sure that he or she knows what lab tests need to be completed ahead of time and what medications to take afterward.

“I help with the paperwork and make sure they know when and where to go on the day of the surgery. Afterward, I call them to see how they are doing,” said O’Connell, who has been a medical assistant for six months.

“Before this, I worked as an assistant manager in a restaurant. This is completely different, but I am still required to work under pressure. It gets very busy here sometimes,” said O’Connell, who often assists with as many as 40 patients a day.

Medical assistants need to be able to soothe anxious patients and make them comfortable during medical procedures.

“I try to be friendly and answer as many questions as I can before the doctor comes in. Sometimes it helps just to have someone to chat with,” O’Connell said.

OCCUPATION: Medical assistant

* What’s involved: Duties in doctors’ offices vary according to the type of practice but usually include gathering basic medical information, such as blood pressure, temperature, visual data and patient medical history. Assistants also sterilize and prepare instruments and have the basic materials needed ready in advance. They assist the doctor during office medical procedures and answer patients’ questions.

* Qualifications: The minimum requirement is a high school diploma, but most have some college background.

* Outlook: By 1998, the number of medical assistants in Orange County is expected to increase 12.2%, to 2,570.

* Salary range: $8 to $15 per hour

* Pros: Medical assistants report satisfaction from helping patients and making sure office visits go smoothly. Most work weekdays and have medical and retirement benefits.

* Cons: They must witness medical procedures and handle patients experiencing various degrees of pain and anxiety. Those working for a group practice assist more than one doctor and must be able to handle multiple tasks.

* Advancement: Some become office managers or practice administrators, who oversee the overall functioning of a doctor’s office, including scheduling and billing.

* Quote: “I like learning new things, and this job has provided the opportunity to see and observe all kinds of interesting things. I also like helping make patients comfortable.” --Colleen O’Connell, medical assistant

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times