If you’re like most people, you value your relationship with your primary care physician (PCP) and the services they provide. However, premier primary care is a team effort in which medical assistants (MAs) also play a crucial role in helping you maintain your health and well-being.
To acknowledge the contributions of these dedicated professionals, the third full week in October has been designated Medical Assistant Recognition Week (MARWeek), including Medical Assistant Recognition Day (MARDay) on that Wednesday.
What makes a medical assistant so special? Depending on the type of medical environment they work in, MAs:
- They perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and laboratory tests, taking medical histories, and helping patients understand their treatment plans.
- They prepare patients for examination, taking their weight and obtaining vital signs such as taking pulse and blood pressure readings and checking heart and respiratory rate.
- They assist physicians with medical procedures.
- They perform basic laboratory tests, sterilize medical instruments, and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- They are trained to perform CPR, remove sutures, draw blood, apply dressings, collect urine, and perform EKGs – and a lot more.
Ways You Can Celebrate MARDay and MARWeek
Besides thanking the medical assistants you see each time you visit your doctor, here are several ways that patients show their appreciation and gratitude for the services they provide:
- Send them an E-card or present them with a small gift, such as a gift card or basket.
- Write a positive review. If you have a great experience with an MA, let others know about it online. Single them out by name and express how they made your care experience comforting and accommodating.
- Post MARDay or MARWeek graphics on social media. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) has celebratory graphics on their website that you can share to your personal and professional social media pages. It’s a simple way to show your appreciation for the MAs in your life.
Medical professionals and peers can also celebrate MARDay and MARWeek by supporting their colleagues’ continued education and other training, presenting MAs with an appropriate gift, presenting a letter of thanks detailing their achievements and contributions to your practice, or having a special event with all office staff to recognize their efforts.
Senior Primary Care in South and Central Florida
At Palm Medical Centers, medical assistants play a vital role in helping our board-certified physicians provide the highest quality senior-focused primary care. As a team, we offer a wide variety of high-quality, value-based medical and social services, making sure our patients receive the best treatment through preventive care. These comprehensive services include:
- 24/7 access to the urgency line and care team
- In-house laboratory services
- In-house specialists and specialist care coordination
- Diagnostic services
- Case management and clinical care
- Medicare same-day appointments and walk-ins with minimal to no wait times
- Transportation assistance
- Wellness centers
- Free prescription delivery
- Telemedicine
- Concierge, personalized attention
- Department of Children and Family resource site (ACCESS)
- Pain modality services
- Social service support that includes rent assistance, utility billing, citizenship, Part B, and more.
The availability of services is contingent on the specific center. For additional details, please refer to our website.
To learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation, call the Palm Medical Centers’ location nearest you or fill out our online appointment request form. We look forward to serving you.
