Occupation Summary

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

O*NET 43-6013.00

Description:

Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.

Annual Wages:
$41,521.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 16.29%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
  2. Compile and record medical charts, reports, or correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
  3. Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  4. Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
  5. Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
  6. Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
  7. Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
  8. Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
  9. Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
  10. Perform various clerical or administrative functions, such as ordering and maintaining an inventory of supplies.
  11. Transcribe recorded messages or practitioners' diagnoses or recommendations into patients' medical records.
  12. Perform bookkeeping duties, such as credits or collections, preparing and sending financial statements or bills, and keeping financial records.
  13. Complete insurance or other claim forms.
  14. Prepare correspondence or assist physicians or medical scientists with preparation of reports, speeches, articles, or conference proceedings.
  15. Schedule tests or procedures for patients, such as lab work or x-rays, based on physician orders.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants employed Annual Growth Rate
Offices of physicians 31.9 0.28
General medical and surgical hospitals 23.1 0.34
Offices of dentists 12 0.70
Offices of other health practitioners 7.6 1.39
Outpatient care centers 6.6 1.73


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $19.96
2024 National average hourly wage $21.91
2022 National employment 696,600
2022 Texas employment 56,850
Texas projected employment by 2032 66,109
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 7,300




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
88.80%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
85.40%
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
78.60%
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
72.20%
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
68.20%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
67.80%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
65.40%
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
60.20%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
57.80%
Communications and Media
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
46.40%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
80.00%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
77.60%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
72.40%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
70.00%
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
62.40%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62.40%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
62.40%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
62.40%
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
62.40%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
60.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
80.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
80.00%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
80.00%
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
75.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
75.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
67.60%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
62.40%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
62.40%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
62.40%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
62.40%


  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Processing Information
    -- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Other Activities


  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.



Tools

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Dictation machines: Dictaphones;

Hospital intercom systems: Hospital intercom equipment;

Laser fax machine: Laser facsimile machines;

Laser printers: Laser printers;

Magnetic stripe readers and encoders: Credit card processing machines;

Notebook computers: Notebook computers; Laptop computers;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Photocopiers: Photocopying equipment;

Premise branch exchange PBX systems: Switchboards;

Scanners: Scanners;

Special purpose telephones: Multi-line telephone systems;


Technology

Accounting software: Accounts payable software; Accounts receivable software; Allscripts Professional PM; Billing software; Intuit QuickBooks;

Calendar and scheduling software: Scheduling software; IDX Groupcast;

Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Google Drive;

Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access; Data entry software; Database software; dBASE Plus;

Desktop publishing software: Desktop publishing software; Microsoft Publisher;

Electronic mail software: Email software; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook;

Graphics or photo imaging software: Graphics software;

Internet browser software: Microsoft Internet Explorer; Web browser software;

Medical software: Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance CMS Secure Net Access Portal C-SNAP; Microsys MicroMD; NaviMedix NaviNet; Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft; PracticeWorks Systems Kodak WINOMS CS; Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS; Henry Schein Dentrix; HMS; McKesson Lytec; MEDENT; Medical condition coding software; Medical procedure coding software; MEDITECH Medical and Practice Management MPM Suite; MEDITECH software; eMDs Medisoft; Epic Systems; eClinicalWorks EHR software; Electronic health record EHR software; Allscripts Payerpath; CPSI CPSI System; Amazing Charts;

Office suite software: Corel WordPerfect Office Suite; Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Microsoft Windows;

Point of sale POS software: Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel; Spreadsheet software;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Word processing software; Addressing software; Google Docs;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants include:
  • 43-4051.00 Customer Service Representatives
  • 43-6011.00 Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
  • 43-9041.00 Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
  • 31-9092.00 Medical Assistants
  • 29-2072.00 Medical Records Specialists
  • 31-9094.00 Medical Transcriptionists
  • 43-9061.00 Office Clerks, General
  • 29-2099.08 Patient Representatives
  • 43-4171.00 Receptionists and Information Clerks
  • 43-6014.00 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.