MEDICAL ASSISTANTS WEEK - OCTOBER 15-19, 2007

CHICAGO -- SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 -- Medical Assistants Recognition Week, October 15–19, 2007 is a tribute to the extraordinary accomplishments of medical assisting professionals nationwide. Thousands of medical assistants will be hosting local recognition events, entitled Medical Assistants at the Heart of Health Care, to show their professional pride. To help medical assistants celebrate, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) offers free promotional materials posted at www.aama-ntl.org.

The mission of the AAMA is to enable medical assisting professionals to enhance and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professionalism required by employers and patients; protect medical assistants’ right to practice; and promote effective, efficient health care delivery through optimal use of multiskilled Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs). The CMA credential is awarded to candidates who pass the AAMA CMA Certification/Recertification Examination. The CMA credential must be recertified every five years by the continuing education or reexamination method in order to use the CMA credential in connection with employment.

Medical assistants perform a wide variety of administrative and clinical tasks to keep medical offices and clinics running smoothly. Administrative duties include answering telephones, updating and filing patient medical records, filling out insurance forms, scheduling appointments, and handling billing and bookkeeping. Clinical duties vary according to state law and include taking medical histories, recording vital signs, and explaining treatment procedures to patients.

For more information, visit www.aama-ntl.org or call the AAMA directly at 800/228-2262.

CONTACT:   Jean M. Lynch
Director of Communications
800/228-2262