Medical assistants perform numerous clinical and administrative duties in a medical office, hospital, or healthcare facility under the supervision of a physician.
The scope of clinical work a medical assistant is allowed to do is regulated on a state-by-state basis.
The type of duties that medical assistants and other types of healthcare professionals can do around patient samples and lab testing is regulated by federal and state laws.
What Clinical Tasks Do Medical Assistants Do?
Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative tasks, such as:
- Gathering and updating patient medical records and recording symptoms on the date of visit.
- Taking vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, pulse, etc.
- Setting appointments, greeting and registering patients for a visit
- Preparing examination rooms and sterilizing equipment
- Getting insurance information for billing
- In some states, collecting patient samples for testing
Can Medical Assistants Order Labs?
The scope of medical professionals who can order diagnostic labs varies from state to state, but generally, medical assistants cannot order diagnostic labs for patients.
Physicians in all fifty states can order lab tests, and in some states, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners can also order diagnostic labs.
Can Medical Assistants Interpret Lab Results?
Medical assistants are not allowed to diagnose medical conditions or interpret lab results. Physicians, advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners), and physician’s assistants can interpret the results of laboratory tests.
Employers should make sure that medical assistants perform clinical duties within their allowed scope of work, as regulated by their respective state.
Can a Medical Assistant Share Lab Results with Patients?
Medical assistants cannot give results directly to patients, the physician must share those results with patients. Also, medical assistants cannot explain the implications of abnormal test results to a patient, only a doctor is allowed to do that.
HIPAA, CLIA and state laws place restrictions on who can access and share private medical information with a patient.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law established to maintain patient confidentiality, including the disclosure of lab results.
The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) is a series of amendments first made in 1988 that provide standards and regulations for all facilities and sites that test human samples for disease or health assessment.
Types of Diagnostic Labs a Medical Office Might Order
There are several types of labs a physician or hospital may order, including:
- Blood tests, to look for anemia, leukemia, infection or disease.
- Urine analysis to look for signs of kidney infection, diabetes, or UTIs.
- Lipid Profile Test, which is also known as a cholesterol test.
- Blood Glucose Test, used to rule out or confirm diabetes.
- Liver enzyme function test, for cirrhosis, or other liver diseases.
- Thyroid function test, to diagnose thyroid diseases and hormone levels.
- Coagulation Panel test, to find hemophilia or other disorders related to blood clotting ability.
- Microbiology tests which diagnose infections, virus or fungi in blood.
Become a Certified Medical Assistant in About 36 Weeks
If you’ve thought about starting a new career in medical assisting, the training program at Campus, formerly known as MTI College, can give you the skills you need to start your healthcare career. Our medical assistant training program, held at our junior college in Sacramento, helps students earn their NCMA certification and begin their healthcare career. If you want more information, contact our friendly Admissions team or call us at 888-675-2460.