This Medical Assistants Day, Access Funding for MOA Training

Let’s celebrate medical assistants! October 23 is Medical Assistants Day, providing us with an opportunity to recognize their essential contributions. Read on for some reflections about their value to our operations, as well as information on how you can access a clinic grant that can be used to fund training and development for your practice’s medical office assistant.

What Do Medical Assistants Do?

Medical assistants play a pivotal role in the healthcare system, serving as the backbone of clinical and administrative operations in medical practices, hospitals, and outpatient facilities. They are the multitaskers who ensure the smooth functioning of healthcare environments by managing both patient care and essential office tasks. 

Whether they are recording patient histories, taking vital signs, preparing examination rooms, or handling administrative duties like scheduling appointments and managing patient records, their versatility and dedication are critical to the efficiency of any healthcare facility. Without their skillful coordination, the workflow would be disjointed, leading to delays in patient care and reduced operational effectiveness. 

Their ability to seamlessly switch between clinical and clerical duties makes them indispensable to physicians and other healthcare providers, enabling medical professionals to focus more on patient care and less on logistical details.

What Is Medical Assistants Day?

Medical Assistants Day, celebrated every year on the Wednesday of the third full week of October, is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate these hardworking professionals for their essential contributions to the healthcare industry. This day highlights the tireless efforts and unwavering commitment of medical assistants, who often go above and beyond to provide compassionate care. It’s a moment to acknowledge that their work not only improves patient experiences but also boosts the morale of the entire healthcare team by ensuring that every aspect of care is handled with precision and empathy. 

Celebrating Medical Assistants Day is more than just a token gesture; it’s a recognition of the vital role they play in bridging the gap between clinical services and patient needs, making them true heroes in the everyday operations of healthcare.

Funding Medical Assistant Training with a Vancouver Division of Family Practice Clinic Grant

Each year, the Vancouver Division of Family Practice offers our community family practice clinics financial grants to support initiatives that aim to improve clinic operations and build networks. There are many different ways this funding can be utilized, including clinic workflow improvements, sustainability, and JEDI/accessibility initiatives.

One effective way to utilize funding is by providing training to your Medical Office Assistant. That’s exactly what Dr. Natasha Chetty, medical director of Meridian Medicare, chose to do. She used her grant to offer paid training to her MOA and was impressed with the results.

“The funding helped enhance our MOA’s workflow skills,” says Dr. Chetty. “We took a deep dive into her challenges and found creative ways to integrate apps to streamline her workflow.”

Dr. Chetty emphasized that paid training not only improves staff skills but also demonstrates appreciation for their efforts. “It’s a rewarding way to help team members feel empowered and self-directed,” she says. “It strengthened our working relationship and made our MOA feel more valued as a key member of our patient care team.”

Additionally, Dr. Chetty noted the broader impact of the training. “My patients definitely noticed the improvements in workflow and appreciate the increased autonomy they have in managing their care at the clinic.”

Learn More About How You Can Access and Utilize a Financial Grant!

In honour of this important day, we are also excited to be hosting a special event to celebrate their contributions and introduce a new network designed specifically for MOAs. This network is being developed in collaboration with an MOA reference group that will go on to offer education opportunities, valuable resources, and a community where MOAs can connect, and strengthen their roles in healthcare. 

Happy Medical Assistants Day!

Resources

If your clinic is looking for an MOA, why not avail of our MOA Job Posting Form? The Medical Office Assistant (MOA) Job Posting Service has been developed to address the need for clinic office staff in family practice clinics in the city of Vancouver. This service allows clinics to recruit for different levels of office staff such as: Junior MOAs, Mid-Level MOAs, Senior MOAs, and Clinic Managers. This service was developed with a physician centered and clinic-led approach in mind as it allows clinics to gauge suitability of candidates on their own terms.

If you’re an MOA looking for a position, visit our Work in Vancouver page for up-to-date job listings in Vancouver.

We’re excited to be launching our MOA Network later this year! If you’d like to register to join the Vancouver Division’s MOA Network click here.