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Are you searching for a hospital secretary job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a hospital secretary. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a hospital secretary.

 

Who is a Hospital Secretary?

Hospital secretaries are medical administrative employees in hospitals who assist medical professionals with reports, transcribing dictation, filling out patient forms, and preparing the documentation required for hospital admission, among other clerical tasks. Making patients feel welcome, confirming information for insurance companies, assisting medical professionals with transcription and records requests, and answering calls and messages are all duties associated with this position.

Hospital secretary responsibilities are similar to those of receptionists and medical administrative assistants. They are required to be proficient in computer software, have basic office skills, and know medical terminologies. The rapidly increasing medical industry offers good career opportunities for hospital secretaries, although the salary potential will be influenced by work history, the type and the location of the hospital facility.

The duties of a hospital secretary include mostly administrative services for the hospital facility’s unit or department and patient customer service. Paging personnel, welcoming patients and their families upon arrival, answering incoming calls regarding appointments, requesting patients’ tests, and updating patient records with information from doctors and nurses are just a few basic hospital secretary jobs. You can also be expected to assist with meeting preparation, manage daily mail, monitor visitor logs, and check patient charts to make sure the information is accurate and complies with insurance standards. Since hospital secretaries use software for working with spreadsheets, databases, and word-processing documents, computer skills are required. The medical industry can be quite fast-paced, making multitasking and collaboration skills very important in this line of work.

While assisting patients as they enter and exit the facility, hospital secretaries also make sure that the staff has access to the medical records, patient data, and the supplies they require. Hospital secretaries are responsible for keeping patient records and charts up-to-date, scheduling appointments and referrals, communicating with medical professionals, and helping with insurance and billing issues. If you are proficient with computers and have a working knowledge of medical terminologies, this clerical position is an ideal fit for you.

Hospital secretaries answer phones, answer emails, help with patient discharge, take notes for medical personnel, and schedule appointments. Additionally, they are in charge of copying, backing up files, and showing patients to their rooms. Hospital secretaries must communicate properly and have strong interpersonal skills due to the frequent interactions they have with patients and staff. These secretaries frequently have several jobs to complete in the hospital setting, making it essential to maintain organization and prioritize what is most vital.

Hospitals seek secretaries with a high school diploma, computer proficiency, and familiarity with some medical terminology. Hospital secretaries need to be proficient with coding software, electronic medical record systems, Microsoft Office, and accounting software to perform their medical billing duties. For those who want to become hospital secretaries, certain vocational institutions provide quick diploma programmes that can help you fulfill prerequisites. These frequently involve everyday computer programmes, technical terms, and conventions for billing, coding, and transcribing medical records. Additionally, hospitals frequently offer additional on-the-job training.

 

Hospital Secretary Job Description

What is a hospital secretary job description? A hospital secretary job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a hospital secretary in an organization. Below are the hospital secretary job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a hospital secretary job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

Hospital secretaries are responsible for a range of duties and responsibilities which include the following:

• Handle insurance claims received for hospital services and submit them to appropriate authorities.
• Organize paper and digital medical records.
• Replenish supplies and welcome visitors.
• Respond to incoming calls and emails, deliver messages clearly, and answer the phone.
• Help patients with paperwork and other administrative tasks.
• Arrange and confirm appointments for medical care.
• Keep records of patients’ information including contact detail, medical history, and insurance information.
• Process insurance claims and helps with patient billing.
• Ensure an orderly filing system and confidentiality for all medical records.
• Plan staff meetings for the doctors, nurses, and other members of the medical staff.
• Manage stock levels and place orders for supplies as necessary.
• Handle the nursing services department’s administrative demands.
• Charge the patients or insurance companies who are in charge of covering the expense of care.
• Keep accurate medical records and maintain filing paperwork including discharge instructions or insurance forms.
• Work together with social workers, doctors, nurses, and other team members regarding patients’ medical conditions.
• Compile medical records so that they can be sent to other healthcare professionals or kept in patient files.
• Input data for patients’ medical records into computers.
• Maintain a clean and secure environment for patients by following infection control guidelines.
• Attend to patients, family, and other hospital staff members’ calls on the phone.
• Liaise with doctors to arrange for operations and appointments for a patient.
• Keep track of medical data and handle insurance claims.
• Set up appointments for doctors to see patients, including making plans for patient transportation to the hospital.
• Enter messages into a computer or tape recorder for transcription.
• Maintain files, answer phones, and greet visitors, among other clerical tasks.
• Use a stenotype machine or computer software to convert doctors’ notes into medical charts.

 

Qualifications

• GED or high school diploma is required.
• A minimum of two years experience working in a hospital.
• Knowledge of medical terminologies and the ability to interpret them.
• Knowledge of medical processes, and practices.
• Thorough knowledge of patient management software like RXNT and Kareo Billing.
• Proficiency in computer applications.
• Ability to process a good number of medical data daily.
• Proficiency in medical billing procedures.
• Good knowledge of health insurance policies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Attention to detail skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have a friendly, approachable demeanour.
• Ability to always make patients feel welcome and at ease.

 

Essential Skills

• Communication skills: Hospital secretaries often communicate with patients, doctors, nurses, other hospital staff members, and patients’ families. Your ability to communicate your ideas, respond to inquiries, and solve problems depends on your communication skills. You can utilize your communication skills to clarify treatment plans for patients, respond to their inquiries, and resolve their complaints.
• Interpersonal skills: Every day as a hospital secretary, you’ll deal with a wide range of individuals. You must be able to establish trusting bonds with both your patients and fellow employees through effective people skills. You may effectively handle the requirements of your employment and make sure that all patient demands are addressed by having strong interpersonal skills. You might also need to get in touch with relatives or other people who are worried about the care of a loved one. In these circumstances, it’s critical to maintain composure so that you can give correct information and respond to any queries or worries they might have.
• Attention to detail skills: Hospital secretaries frequently handle critical information, thus they must pay close attention to detail. By doing so, they can maintain patient confidentiality and make sure the right information is sent to the right person. They can execute duties effectively and make sure they adhere to hospital protocol by paying attention to detail.
• Time management skills: Another essential skill for hospital secretaries is time management. This is because they often have a lot of tasks to complete in a short period. Their ability to manage their time well can help them finish all of their tasks on time.
• Organizational skills: Hospital secretaries typically need to finish a lot of work quickly. You can manage your workload and prioritize your tasks by being well-organized. Your ability to stay organized might help you maintain track of patient files, doctor appointments, and other crucial information.
• Computer and typing skills: Computers are frequently used by hospital secretaries to type and send emails, develop and update spreadsheets and documents, and input information into hospital databases. Hospital secretaries must be familiar with the particular medical software that many hospitals use. Additionally, you must be familiar with the hospital’s electronic medical record system to swiftly and readily access patient data. Strong typing skills and computer proficiency can make you more productive at work and speed up task completion.
• Professionalism: Patients, visitors, and other staff members frequently communicate directly with hospital secretaries as their first point of contact. Therefore, hospital secretaries must always conduct themselves professionally. This entails acting politely toward everyone they come into contact with, dressing appropriately, and maintaining a cheerful look and attitude.
• Knowledge of medical terminologies: As a hospital secretary, you must have a fundamental knowledge of the terminologies used in a hospital, even though you may not need to be fluent in them. You will be more able to comprehend patient information and interact with other medical professionals when you have adequate knowledge of medical terms. To assist you to get ready for this position, you can think about enrolling in a course or reading a book on medical terms and terminologies.

 

How to Become a Hospital Secretary

Step 1. Obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent

To work as a hospital secretary, a high school diploma or its equivalent is the minimum educational qualification. It is beneficial to study science, math, and English classes in high school if you want to work as a hospital unit secretary after graduation. Your ability to succeed in your position will increase as a result of these courses. If you want to improve your education before working as a hospital secretary or if you didn’t finish high school, consider enrolling in an associate degree programme. You can obtain the education and training required to work as a medical office assistant with an associate degree. If you wish to concentrate on specialization within the subject of healthcare management, you can also choose to enroll in a postsecondary certificate programme.

Step 2. Obtain post-secondary education qualification

Following completion of a high school diploma, the next stage is to complete a postsecondary certificate programme in medical office administration. Even while you may not need a postsecondary certificate programme in medical office administration to work as a hospital secretary, it can give you useful knowledge and abilities that will help you excel in the position. When searching for jobs, finishing a certificate programme can also help you stand out from the competition. A one- to the two-year postsecondary certificate programme in medical office administration is recommended. Students learn about subjects like health care, insurance and billing procedures, communication and interpersonal skills, software applications, and more through these programmes.

Step 3. Gain work experience

It is advantageous to acquire experience in a hospital setting before deciding to pursue a career as a hospital secretary. Working as a medical assistant or office support staff in a doctor’s office or other healthcare facility is one way to do this. Hospital secretaries are trained on the job to use the specific software and processes the hospital uses. Typically, new hires receive this training as part of their onboarding process. Training may involve observing working hospital secretaries or observing a manager. You can gain the knowledge and skills required for a position as a hospital secretary by working in these positions. If you want to gain practical experience in a clinical setting, you can also think about donating your services to a nearby hospital.

Step 4: Apply for a Job

Hospital secretaries can pursue a variety of career options. There are both full-time and part-time employment obtainable. Hospitals, medical offices, and long-term healthcare institutions all offer opportunities. Although they are not always necessary, hospital secretaries with excellent computer, medical terminology, and office abilities may position themselves with additional work options. For job seekers, adaptability is a crucial quality. Entry-level hospital secretary positions necessitate adaptability in schedule, including nights, weekends, and lengthy shifts to accomplish hospital demands. You might be able to work any shift by indicating that you are available.

Step 5: Acquire Certification

In most cases, certifications are not necessary to work as a secretary in a hospital. However, you can become certified to increase your job prospects and learn the skills required to work in a hospital environment. The National Association of Health Unit Coordinators, Inc. typically certifies hospital secretaries. Although certification is optional, it can improve career growth opportunities. Anyone who has finished a health unit coordinator programme or is presently employed as a hospital secretary is qualified to take the certification exam. The organisation proposes assessing for exams before taking them. It is necessary to recertify every three years.

 

Where to Work as a Hospital Secretary

A hospital secretary can work in a variety of places, such as outpatient clinics, medical offices private and government-owned hospitals. Hospital secretaries typically work the standard 40-hour week, but they may be required to work evenings and weekends as need the need may be to cover shifts for colleagues that are unavailable and to meet deadlines. They work together with doctors and nurses to assist with clerical duties. Although they spend most of their time in the office, they may also be required to visit patients’ rooms and go to other hospital departments to interact with staff members. Many hospital secretary positions are full-time jobs because hospitals need staff available at all times.

 

Hospital Secretary Salary Scale

Factors such as level of education, years of experience, type of hospital, location, and additional skills can determine the salary scale of a hospital secretary. The average hospital secretary’s salary in the US is $31,838 per year. The salary scale typically ranges from $10,224 to $175,326 per year.

The average hospital secretary’s salary in the UK is 42,645 pounds per year. The salary scale typically ranges from 38,322 to 47,680 pounds per year. The average hospital secretary’s salary in Canada is $40,963 per year. The salary scale typically ranges from $33,150 to $48,750 per year. The average hospital secretary’s salary in Nigeria is 2,160,000 NGN per year. The salary scale typically ranges from 1,124,400 NGN to 3,312,000 NGN per year.

Administration and Management, Health and Safety

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