Are you struggling to retain your medical assistant staff or attract new talent? As you know, medical assistant jobs are in high demand, and the competition to hire and keep skilled professionals is fierce.
The medical assistant shortage (MA) can make it difficult for you to provide top-quality care to all of your patients.
In this blog, we will discuss how you can deal with shortages in medical assistant jobs by implementing effective retention strategies and attracting new talent to your facility.
So, whether you’re looking to improve your employee retention rates or want to attract new candidates to your team, keep reading to learn more!
Unsung heroes of healthcare
It may come as a surprise to many, but there is currently a surge of unfilled medical assistant jobs in the United States.
While nurses are indeed in high demand, medical assistant job positions often remain unfilled for longer periods of time.
The reason behind this medical assistant shortage lies in the unique skill set and responsibilities required of this position.
Medical assistant jobs play a critical role in healthcare facilities.
MAs are responsible for a VARIETY of tasks, including recording patient histories, taking vital signs, and preparing patients for exams.
They are also often the first point of contact for patients (and even the last) and play a key role in providing a positive patient experience.
Additionally, medical assistants must be skilled in administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments, managing medical records, and communicating with insurance companies.
However… despite the critical role that medical assistants play, the demand for these professionals often goes… unnoticed (until it’s too late).
This is because many people assume that medical assistants are simply “lower-level” healthcare workers and do not require extensive education or training.
In reality, medical assistants must complete a rigorous certification process and continually update their skills.
Unfortunately, this lack of understanding about the importance of medical assistants has resulted in a shortage of qualified professionals in the field.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the issue.
Many healthcare facilities have experienced different staffing shortages and increased demand for healthcare services.
This means that medical assistant job duties were increased without any significant increase in pay.
They have been asked to take on additional responsibilities and work longer hours, which has resulted in burnout and increased turnover rates.
This has made it even more challenging for healthcare facilities to fill vacant medical assistant jobs (positions).
Medical assistant job duties make them a linchpin for the organization.
According to a healthcare labor market report by consulting firm Mercer, every state in the US is projected to face “major” labor shortages by 2026.
Despite the lack of hard data, the projections suggest that the problem is only getting worse.
Meanwhile, medical assistantships have emerged as the most in-demand healthcare jobs, with critical shortages reported in all types of healthcare facilities across the country.
What’s more…
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), we expect to see 104,400 openings for MAs each year, on average due to several factors.
As providers shift from fee-for-service to value-based care, outpatient medicine is becoming increasingly prevalent, and medical assistants are becoming an essential part of healthcare organizations.
They play a vital role in patient intake and triage, as well as handling less acute aspects of patient care where there simply aren’t enough registered nurses to meet the demand.
As a result, medical assistants have become a crucial linchpin in healthcare organizations, and the shortage of qualified professionals is posing a significant challenge for healthcare providers.
How can healthcare facilities overcome this shortage?
Keeping up with the trends impacting MAs retention
In order to attract and retain medical assistants, healthcare facilities need to keep up with the latest trends and understand what motivates these professionals to stay in their jobs.
For instance…medical assistants place a high value on work-life balance, opportunities for career advancement, and supportive work environments.
(Who doesn’t?)
Facilities that offer flexible scheduling, career development programs, and positive workplace culture are more likely to retain their medical assistants in the long run.
Additionally, healthcare facilities can offer competitive compensation packages and other incentives (such as sign-on bonuses and tuition reimbursement programs) to attract qualified candidates and retain their current staff.
However, there are many other trends impacting medical assistant job training and retention.
Utilizing technology to lighten the overload for medical assistant jobs:
Healthcare facilities can use technology to automate routine tasks and streamline administrative processes, which can help lighten the load of medical assistant jobs.
For example, facilities can implement electronic medical records systems, online appointment scheduling, and other tools.
Remember…medical assistants are one of the main supporters of primary care physicians.
By reducing the administrative burden on MAs, facilities can free up their time and allow them to focus on more patient-facing tasks.
Additionally, technology can help medical assistants stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in healthcare and provide better care to patients.
It’s all a win-win situation.
Training their nursing staff to take on more roles:
As the shortage of medical assistants continues to worsen, many healthcare facilities should turn to their nursing staff to take on additional responsibilities.
By providing training and resources to their nurses, facilities can help them acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to handle medical assistant job duties.
This not only helps fill the gaps in staffing but also provides nurses with valuable experience and skills that can help them advance their careers.
However, it is very important to note that this solution is NOT a substitute for hiring and retaining qualified MAs.
The nursing staff should not be overburdened with tasks outside their area of expertise.
Otherwise, this “solution” will lead only to more burnout and staff shortages.
But instead of dealing with one problem…now you have two.
So this is only temporary…or for a rainy day when you can’t seem to fill that MAs job position immediately.
Improving the medical assistant onboarding process:
A smooth onboarding process is crucial for new medical assistants to feel welcome and become productive members of the healthcare team.
Facilities can improve their onboarding process by providing:
- comprehensive and ongoing training,
- clear communication of medical assistant job training, duties and expectations,
- support from senior staff
- mentorship programs etc., etc.
Nurturing their talent pipeline:
Do you know what the best way to avoid a shortage is? Having a healthy talent pipeline.
This means establishing relationships with local (or non local) schools and training programs to attract new talent and offering internships and other opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
Facilities can also create a positive reputation in the community by participating in career fairs, offering incentives to current staff for referrals, and actively engaging with potential candidates on social media and other platforms.
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It’s not about attracting new graduates only…
It’s also about external MAs who are partially or fully prequalified to take an opening in your organization.
The thing is that you need to build AND nurture your talent pool so that they will want to be hired when/if the opportunity comes.
For that, you have to follow some steps, but, nonetheless, it’s a great way to attract top talents.
However…if that doesn’t work, you don’t have the time and/or resources to nurture your talent pipeline…there’s a solution.
Invest in recruiting and job placement services:
There are some professional staffing agencies that specialize ONLY in healthcare recruitment.
Healthcare facilities can tap into this talent pool by working with a staffing agency. This agency can help them find the right candidates to fill their vacant medical assistant jobs positions.
These healthcare staffing agencies provide a range of services, including:
- sourcing,
- screening,
- interviewing candidates,
- conducting background checks
- and verifying credentials.
For example…. At ‘Ready to Work,’ we have an extensive network of qualified candidates actively seeking employment opportunities.
We can also assist with onboarding and training, which can help new hires get up to speed quickly and become productive members of the medical staff.
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We can help you reach a wider potential candidate audience and increase your job market visibility.
Investing in recruiting and job placement services can be a cost-effective way for healthcare facilities to find qualified medical assistants.
By partnering with a reputable staffing agency, you can reduce the time and resources required to fill open positions.
Simple as that.
Wrapping it up
The shortage of medical assistants is a big problem that healthcare facilities need to tackle….immediately.
With the high demand for medical assistant jobs, facilities must get creative in finding ways to attract and retain candidates.
From implementing technologies to competitive salaries — there are many strategies that can help bridge the gap in the MA workforce.
By creating a supportive and welcoming environment for medical assistants, healthcare facilities can keep their staff happy and productive.
By investing in their workforce, facilities can attract the best talent…even when times are tough.
