ROLES OF MEDICAL ASSISTANTS 2

Roles of Medical Assistants

A medical assistant can be very effective in the practice of a physician and help them
achieve patient satisfaction, big scores in quality care measures, and help in the optimization if
reimbursement. The roles differ significantly per state. There are regions where medical
assistants discuss mediation with patients, specifically during the roaming process. They also
educate patients about the different medication, their purposes, and how they can best be taken to
help in the recovery process (Reedy et al., 2016). A medical assistant does not have the
responsibility to prescribe drugs to patients or even make refills because that role is designated to
a physician. Therefore, in Stephanie’s case, I would not put into consideration her reasons for
giving Mrs. Smith a refill.
The action I would take against Stephanie will not consider her reasons for her
misconduct. First, she made a very costly mistake. She printed my name on the label as the
prescriber, yet she knew very well; I never gave the prescription. If, by bad luck, complications
arise as a result of Stephanie’s actions, then I would be responsible because my name was on the
patient’s bottle as the prescriber. Besides, Stephanie knows her scope as a medical assistant.
Since she has been on the job for almost a decade, she knows that she is not legally authorized to
independently diagnose symptoms, interpret medical data, or even treat patients. Also, Stephanie
cannot perform any decision making that is medical related. Therefore, she crossed the line by
giving a prescription, hence must be made accountable for her actions. Lastly, since she will give
reasons to justify her actions, steps taken against her will ensure that she shows remorse, learns
from her mistake, and does not engage in actions that could jeopardize my career.

ROLES OF MEDICAL ASSISTANTS 3

References

Reedy, A. B., Yeh, J. Y., Nowacki, A. S., & Hickner, J. (2016). Patient, physician, medical
assistant, and office visit factors associated with medication list agreement. Journal of
patient safety, 12(1), 18-24.