Medical ethics are the core standards for how a healthcare professional conducts themself. They learn these principles through the education and training they receive as a medical assistant student, as well as other life experiences. A medical assistant’s ethical standards center on patient interactions and the value of constant self-improvement. Prism Career Institute offers healthcare training programs, including a Medical Assistant program, at our campuses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Here, we offer insight into the medical ethics to follow while working in a medical assistant career.
Medical Ethics Set by the American Association of Medical Assistants
Established in 1956, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) is the nation’s largest association focused on this healthcare role. Its mission is to give medical assistants the education, support, credentials, and professional connections they need to serve patients and advance their careers effectively. The AAMA has both a creed and code of ethics that medical assistants should follow:
The American Association of Medical Assistants Creed
The creed outlines the mindset medical assistants should have as they perform their work. The values expressed in the creed reflect the association’s commitment to ethical standards, compassionate patient care, and dedication to advancing the healthcare profession.
The statements within the creed include:
- I believe in the principles and purposes of the profession of medical assisting.
- I endeavor to be more effective.
- I aspire to render greater service.
- I protect the confidence entrusted to me.
- I am dedicated to the care and well-being of all people.
- I am loyal to my employer.
- I am true to the ethics of my profession.
- I am strengthened by compassion, courage, and faith.
The American Association of Medical Assistants Code of Ethics
The principles within the code state what medical assistants are responsible for and how they should conduct themselves at work. It highlights healthcare service values such as:
- Treating all people with respect
- Performing work with professionalism
- Maintaining patient confidentially unless legally allowed or lawfully ordered to reveal it
- Continuing to learn and improve upon medical knowledge and skills
- Performing community service work
Patient Care Medical Ethics
Medical assistants often manage a patient’s personal health information under guidance from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This law gives patients control over their health records and provides directions for handling lawfully disclosed health information. Medical assistants also need to obey other local and workplace patient health information policies.
Aside from responsibly managing patient medical information, assistants must conduct themselves professionally and treat all patients respectfully. They must always be honest with them, act in their best interest, never take action to harm them, value their right to make their own healthcare decisions, and advocate for their needs.
Medical assistants should follow professionalism and ethical standards in other duties such as filling out paperwork, billing, bookkeeping, and communicating with insurance companies and other healthcare providers. An ethics-based work attitude gives an assistant the ability to serve effectively with the trust of patients and colleagues.
How Self-Improvement Fits Within Medical Assistant Ethics
Self-improvement is a key part of a medical assistant’s ethical code. They should regularly seek learning opportunities by staying current on best health practices and any new medical concepts, so they can provide their patients with the best care possible.
Receiving advice from colleagues allows a medical assistant a chance to pick up new skills or take a different approach to their work ethic. Colleagues with more experience can also help assistants understand different ethical standards to maintain as they perform their work.
To promote learning, an employer may ask or require an assistant to participate in seminars or courses to reaffirm knowledge they already know or instill any new concepts. As they continue their careers, medical assistants can develop the skills they need to perform tasks such as:
- Advanced vital sign measurement practices
- Basic lab operations
- Explaining necessary preparations for patient medical procedures
- Injections depending on local regulations
- Operating an electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Optical examinations
- Phlebotomy
- Scheduling
- Treating wounds
- Verifying insurance
Learn Medical Ethics at Prism Career Institute
An education that instills proper medical ethics and knowledge allows students to become effective medical assistants. Through quality instructors and first-hand experiences via a medical externship, Prism Career Institute’s Medical Assistant program trains aspiring healthcare professionals to apply best practices in their work and always seek improvement.
Check out our day classes offered at our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, campus, as well as our day or evening class schedules at our Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, locations. We also offer financial aid for those who qualify and provide career services. Apply online today or contact us for more information.