It might be difficult choosing between CMAA vs CCMA. The need for medical assistants is increasing all over the country. Medical assistants are healthcare workers who help doctors and other professionals run clinics or hospitals smoothly.
Their jobs involve both taking care of patients and managing tasks in the office.
In most states, it is not required for medical assistants to get certified, but it is recommended. Employers like it when medical assistants are certified because having a certificate shows that you are capable of doing all the tasks and duties of a medical assistant well.
There are two certifications that are popular for medical assistants.
Certified clinical medical assistant to Mr (CCMA) and Certified medical administrative assistant (CMAA).
Read:Â 4 Steps To Become A Certified Medical Assistant
To become a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant or CCMA, you need to take and pass the CCMA Exam administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
To become a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA), you need to take and pass the CMAA Exam, which is conducted by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
The main difference between the two certifications is that CCMA certifications focus more on helping doctors with medical tasks, while CMAA certifications focus more on office work and managing medical records.
If you want to work in this very beneficial field, you might be unsure about which certificates to pick.
Keep reading to learn more about the differences between CCMA and CMAA, what they do, their roles and responsibilities, and which one is better for you.
CMA: What Is It?
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification is given by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Many medical assistants like it because they can spend more time working with patients and doing clinical tasks.
If you get a CCMA certification, you can work as a certified medical assistant. They also do office work as needed, but most of their job is taking care of patients.
This includes measuring vital signs, keeping track of patient information and medical histories, and drawing blood.
What CCMA Exams Contain
The CCMA exam focuses on testing your clinical knowledge and involves working directly with patients. This test includes seven subjects that the NHA refers to as ‘domains’. These domains cover basic administration topics.
- Medical Law and Ethics
- Administrative Assisting
- Clinical Care For Patient
- Study on Patient Care Coordination
- Physiology and Anatomy
- Basic Science and Fundamentals
- Knowledge
- Customer Communication and service
CMAA: What Is It?
Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) is a certification offered by the NHA. It lets medical assistants concentrate on administrative jobs like setting appointments, organizing patient records, answering phone calls, and other related tasks.
The CMAA certification enables you to work as a secretary or assistant in a medical office.
What CMAA Exams Contain
The CMAA exam focuses on teaching the administrative aspects of medical assistance. The test has seven main sections, they include;
- Basic Medical Terminology
- Scheduling
- Patient Intakes
- Office Logistics
- Office Policies and Procedures
- Compliance
Responsibilities Associated With CCMA
Certified clinical medical assistants work in different healthcare places where they have to work directly with patients.
They assist doctors with medical procedures and treatments for patients who are staying in the hospital.
- The tasks of a CCMA are:
- Recording patients’ imperative signs
- Drawing blood (phlebotomy)
- Collecting tests for investigation
- Giving infusions
- Expelling sutures
- Helping doctors with bedside methods
- Recording persistent wellbeing histories
- Guaranteeing legitimate admissions of endorsed drugs
- Prepping examination rooms some time recently and after each quiet visit
- Helping with straightforward wound dressings
Responsibilities Associated With CMAA
Certified medical administrative assistants mostly work at desks, unlike CCMAs. They usually help doctors and other healthcare workers to make sure the clinic or hospital runs smoothly.
The main tasks of a CMAA include:
- Scheduling appointments
- Assisting patients with needful insurance claims
- Enforce compliance with guidelines
- Answering calls
- Provide customer care service
- Assisting patients with billing and paperwork
- Interview patients regarding their health history before an appointment
- Assist patients with transactions
- Maintenance of office supplies
CMAA vs CCMA: Choosing The One For You
Now you understand the basic distinction between a CCMA and a CMAA and what they do.
The next thing you might be thinking about is which of these specific jobs you should choose. What is the best certification for medical assistants.
Even though becoming a CCMA or a CMAA may seem similar, the main differences mentioned above make them different.
If you want to only work as a medical assistant in an office, you should try to get a CMAA certification.
If you get a CCMA certification, you can apply for both medical and office jobs because it gives you more options. CCMA training includes learning about both medical assistance and administrative tasks in healthcare.
Most medical assistant jobs need you to do both clinical and administrative work. So, you can be a clinical medical assistant and a medical administrative assistant at the same time.
You can choose the certification that is best for you based on what you like. If you are more interested in the administrative part of medical assistance, then choosing a CMAA training course is your best option.
If you want to be certified to do both medical and office tasks, then CCMA training is the best option for you.
People who have a CCMA certificate have more job options because it includes both medical and office skills.
