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Research Paper | Health and Medical Sciences | Saudi Arabia | Volume 12 Issue 11, November 2023 | Popularity: 5.3 / 10
The Role and Expectations of Medical Administrative Assistant in a Tertiary Referral Ministry of Health Hospital in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Areej Batawi
Abstract: Introduction: The primary assumption in a healthcare system is that the role of a medical administrative assistant (MAA) and a doctor is to share one objective ? to provide clinical care of the patient. This invariably impels the MAA to play a part in such care, that they are neither trained for nor duty-bound. To understand this better a survey was performed to evaluate what the physicians and the MAA expected the role of the MAA assistant should be. Methods: A questionnaire containing 33 questions related to the responsibilities of MAA was developed and distributed to the physicians and MAA in a tertiary referral hospital in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Results: In total 37 completed the questionnaire. Of the 33 only two and six questions scored a 100%, correct response by the physicians and MAA respectively. Nearly 90% of physicians and 70% of MAA, considered the MAA to have a clinical role. Both the physicians and MMA answered more than 60% of the questions pertaining to administration correctly. However, the correct response rate to questions related to clinical responsibilities were as low as 11% and 28% by the physicians and MAA, respectively. Conclusion: This first study of its kind highlights the misunderstanding of the clinical responsibility of the MAA. Either the healthcare system should raise the awareness of the appropriate exclusive administrative role of MAA devoid of clinical responsibility or extend the duties of MAA to a full medical secretary.
Keywords: Medical administrative assistant, healthcare organization, physician
Edition: Volume 12 Issue 11, November 2023
Pages: 992 - 997
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.21275/SR231112113740
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