Definition Of Scope Of Practice Essay

As a Medical Assistant, there are tasks you can and cannot perform. This is referred to as The Scope of Practice. Your Scope of Practice may be different than others, as each state has their own laws and regulations regarding Medical Assistants and their duties performed. There are differences in every state, but all states have one similar regulation, all medical assistants must work under the direction of a doctor or licensed health care professional. This then means that the employer is responsible for the medical assistant working in their office.

The Do's. As a medical assistant the procedures and training you learn during school is all apart of the tasks you can perform in a Physician's office. The things we learn during school all fall under our Scope of Practice, or else we would not be taught these procedures. Being a certified medical assistant means we can perform the following and maybe more depending on your state regulations; prepare medical records, maintain patient records, order supplies, maintain medical office equipment, manage payments from patients and insurance companies, schedule patients, check patients in and out, prepare examination room for appointment and physician,
In the medical field, breaking or going against your Scope of Practice can lead to many bad legal actions. If the medical assistant goes out of the Scope of Practice, there can be many legal matters held against them as in individual, or cause harm to the office or physician they are employed under. A medical assistant is not allowed to perform the following; treatment or diagnosis of a patient, asses plan or evaluate a patient or that patient's care, interpret test results, medical assistants cannot administer IV medications or any anesthetics, cannot prescribe or refill medications, perform physical therapy(only in an assisting role), and last we cannot perform any procedure, technique, or treatment that would constitute the practice of