Chiropractors specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Practiced globally for more than a century, chiropractic care complementary therapy embraced by mainstream medicine for its ability to reduce pain and restore mobility. Like physicians, chiropractic doctors need skilled support staff to give their patients the quality treatment they deserve. If you’re interested in alternative healthcare, a vocational school diploma in medical assisting qualifies you to become a chiropractic assistant.
What Does a Chiropractic Assistant Do?
Chiropractor assistants do for chiropractors what medical assistants do for physicians, they provide essential administrative and clinical support. Their responsibilities include:
Scheduling Appointments
Scheduling appointments in a chiropractic office isn’t as simple as filling empty time slots. Treatments and exams require specific amounts of time and resources to complete. Goals include keeping the doctor busy enough to generate revenue without being rushed and ensuring patients in pain are seen promptly. Only someone familiar with the chiropractic process understands how to schedule patients effectively.
Greeting Patients
Chiropractic offices are medical practices, the same welcome procedures apply. A chiropractic assistant will offer a friendly greeting when patients arrive, verifying their health, demographic and insurance information while attending to their comfort in the waiting area. Hospitality is engaging.
Preparing Exam Rooms
Most chiropractic visits are for physical manipulation of the spine. Clients lay on an exam table while the chiropractor uses their hands to realign vertebrae. As in a medical office, sanitizing equipment shared between patients is critical for infection control. After each visit, chiropractic assistants wipe down tables and disinfect tools.
Assisting with Diagnostic Tests
Most chiropractors have in-office diagnostic equipment, including x-ray and ultrasound machines. A chiropractor’s assistant helps the doctor with tests, preparing equipment and assisting with patient positioning.
Hands-on Assisting
Chiropractors do strenuous physical examinations such as balance testing that requires a second pair of hands for safety. Chiropractic assistants have a hands-on role in the exam room.
Billing
Most health insurance companies cover chiropractic care, but some policies have limitations and co-payments. It’s up to the chiropractic assistant to verify a patient’s benefits before scheduling treatments. They should obtain pre-approval for services, so there are no surprise bills. Chiropractic assistants are also responsible for coding, submitting and troubleshooting insurance claims, and sending invoices for balances owed to clients.
Managing Health Records
Most chiropractic patients are referred by their primary care physician for intractable pain. Treatment then becomes a collaboration, and all doctors involved need to stay in the loop. Part of ensuring everyone stays informed is to keep accurate health records, sharing them as necessary.
Patient Education
Calls to chiropractors are fielded by support staff, making patient education an essential responsibility. When the chiropractor is busy, a knowledgeable chiropractic assistant can answer most routine questions related to health and office procedures.
How to Become a Chiropractic Assistant
It’s possible to become a chiropractic assistant with the right aptitude and a high school diploma, but healthcare is complex, so most employers prefer to hire candidates with proven skills. Since chiropractic assistants have important clinical and clerical roles, they must be well-educated.
While some chiropractic assistants have associate degrees, most get diplomas from vocational schools. Students attending full-time can be out of the classroom and earning a steady paycheck in under a year. This is the fastest route to a rewarding career.
What Do Students Learn in a Medical Assisting Program?
Medical assisting programs teach students what they need to know to be valuable members of a healthcare team. Because chiropractic clinical assistants work closely with chiropractors, taking notes and updating medical histories, diploma programs include both medical and clerical training. Courses include:
Medical Terminology
The medical world has a unique language, but it has a purpose. Words are designed to be descriptive but short. Medical terminology courses teach how terms are constructed with prefixes, suffixes and stems. Students learn how to figure out what terms mean without having to memorize thousands of definitions. By graduation, a student will feel comfortable reading and transcribing exam notes and filling out insurance forms.
Anatomy and Physiology
Anatomy is the study of how the body is made, physiology is the study of how it functions. Courses cover 14 distinct systems from cardiovascular to musculoskeletal. Students will learn how body parts, chemistry and biomechanics relate and why chiropractic treatment is so effective for pain. Since chiropractors work primarily with musculoskeletal issues, the study of bones, joints and muscles is essential for a chiropractic assistant.
Billing and Coding
A majority of chiropractic treatments are paid for by private insurers. Claim forms require extensive health information so that companies can determine if a patient’s policy covers services.
Alphanumeric medical codes are used as shorthand to describe symptoms and conditions, condensing the volume of text required. Billing and coding courses cover the three major systems used in healthcare worldwide, ICD-10, CPT and HCPCS. Graduates will be able to decipher health records and properly code insurance claims for speedy reimbursement.
Healthcare Law and Ethics
Chiropractic professionals make difficult decisions as part of their jobs, trying to do what’s best for their patients. They rely on a set of moral principles known as medical ethics to guide decision-making. Adhering to these critical industry standards results in successful patient interactions, better outcomes and improved legal compliance, reducing potential for complaints. Those becoming chiropractic assistants will learn about healthcare privacy laws, common ethical dilemmas and HIPAA guidelines.
Medical Office Procedures
Medical office procedure classes touch on the daily tasks that a chiropractic assistant will perform in the office, such as:
- Scheduling
- Human resources
- Medical triage
- Computer skills
- Telecommunications
- Electronic health records
- Practice management
- Customer service
Graduates are prepared to hit the ground running in entry-level positions.
Final Thoughts
Demand for medical support specialists is skyrocketing. When so many jobs are being eliminated by technology, the security of a career in chiropractic care can’t be understated. The only qualification for success is a desire to learn and the right vocational school, a brighter future is just months away.
Did learning about becoming a chiropractic assistant interest you? Meridian College offers hands–on Medical Assistant training from experienced school faculty who know how to prepare you for the daily challenges you’ll face on the job. From assisting doctors with patients to important administrative tasks, our experienced Medical Assistant program teachers will train you for a rewarding new career.
In addition to receiving training from school instructors with real-world experience, you will also complete a school externship in a physician’s office, clinic or related healthcare facility under the supervision of a physician, nurse or health services professional to further develop your skills.
Contact Meridian College today to learn more about becoming a medical assistant.