11 Medical Receptionist Skills To Include On Your Resume

Updated 14 March 2023

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A medical receptionist greets visitors, answers phone calls and performs clerical work. Medical receptionists play an important role in ensuring the proper day-to-day functioning of a medical facility. Before applying for a receptionist post at a medical facility, understanding medical receptionist skills is beneficial. In this article, we discuss what medical receptionist skills are, list the different medical receptionist skills to include on your resume, explain the importance of these skills, show you how you may improve these skills and provide an example resume to help you write your own.

What are medical receptionist skills?

Medical receptionist skills include those such as attention to detail and customer service, and they are essential to the successful operation of a medical office. You may acquire these abilities either on the job or via your training. As a medical receptionist, you can use your skills to handle everyday responsibilities, including welcoming and admitting patients.

11 medical receptionist skills to include on your resume

Here is a list of medical receptionist skills to include on your resume:

1. Working under pressure

In large hospitals, medical receptionists have many patients to attend to and their records to sort for the physician's use. This can mean that working under pressure is necessary to get the job done. An expert medical receptionist remains calm and works effectively under pressure.

2. Prioritising tasks

A medical receptionist is responsible for a variety of tasks. Medical receptionists determine which of the jobs is more significant than the others. After sorting out everything, a receptionist can pass over the essential work to the appropriate department or staff member.

3. Organising

One of the most crucial talents of a medical receptionist is planning, as most of your jobs require you to be organised. When performing many tasks simultaneously, such as admitting patients, keeping track of schedules and medical data and accepting phone calls, it is necessary to maintain order. As a receptionist, you are responsible for keeping your desk organised so that you can readily help patients and team members.

4. Communicating

In a people-oriented job, excellent communication skills are important since they facilitate the free flow of information and develop understanding. Medical receptionists who can communicate well both verbally and in writing are in great demand. They use verbal communication to greet patients, answer phone calls and communicate with colleagues. Medical receptionists use written documents to schedule patients, send letters and dictate memos.

5. Helping customers

Attending to patients and clients is an important task for a medical receptionist. They typically have exceptional customer service abilities to work at a healthcare facility's front desk. They greet their clients and make a great first impression so that the customers have a pleasant experience. Making eye contact with patients and smiling genuinely as they approach the counter and resolving any issues they may have are examples of this skill set.

6. Problem-solving

A significant responsibility of a medical receptionist is to reply to queries and concerns from visitors and patients regarding the facility's services. To do this work well, the receptionist provides positive solutions to different issues. Medical receptionists solve problems to effectively address patient queries or complaints and alleviate their concerns.

7. Multitasking

As a medical receptionist, you may perform many tasks simultaneously. In such situations, multitasking skills become very useful. Using these skills, you can fulfil more assignments and keep the office operating smoothly.

8. Managing time effectively

When communicating with patients and completing their paperwork, it is critical to be as efficient as possible so that the work gets completed fast. Medical representatives benefit from having great time management abilities, so they can attend to clients and patients as quickly as possible. This is especially important in those cases where medical emergencies are highly time-sensitive and getting quick medical attention is important for the patients.

9. Using technology

A receptionist operates pieces of technology, such as the computer and phone, while on the job. Being adaptable when it comes to using new technology is very important for medical receptionists. Receptionists who can work with patient recording software and scheduling software are in high demand.

10. Being dependable and keeping records

While interacting with physicians and other medical staff, a receptionist ensures the relevant paperwork is available when required. An important skill of a medical receptionist is to make the job of the doctor simpler. As part of clinic operations, the receptionist successfully gathers patients' information for keeping records and for future reference.

11. Interacting and managing anger

Because of their interpersonal abilities, medical receptionists can readily interact with clients. Handling a wide range of individuals regularly necessitates the capacity of the medical receptionists to stay calm in stressful situations. Customer service is key in a medical facility, as it influences patient care and operations.

Why are medical receptionist skills important?

Medical receptionists play an important role in ensuring the proper day-to-day functioning of a medical facility. This makes it important for these professionals to possess the right skills to perform their roles appropriately. Medical receptionists are essential to the successful operation of a medical office. When they have the right skill sets, they improve the overall experience for the patients and make the work of the doctors and other staff easier.

As a medical receptionist, you may be the first point of interaction for any incoming patients or their family members and the patient may be in a critical condition. Such situations require that you have the right skills to handle the queries of such people and can get them to the right department promptly. Skills like the ability to handle pressure and communication skills become very important in such scenarios.

How to improve medical receptionist skills

You may follow the below steps for improving your medical receptionist skills:

1. Focus on educating yourself

Understanding more about being a medical receptionist beyond the office is just as helpful as the work you perform at the job. You may gain new talents and improve your existing ones by attending seminars, lectures and conferences. You may also opt for the different online courses available on the subject if you are looking for time and cost-effective options.

2. Find a mentor

It may be beneficial to work with a mentor, such as a senior medical receptionist. A mentor helps you establish new contacts in your field and teaches you new skills, such as how to use a particular program. They may also provide you with insights into the purpose and direction of working as a healthcare receptionist.

3. Take advantage of training while working

Training received while working is one of the most effective methods to improve your receptionist abilities. You can instantly use what you have learned in your work. Take notes during your work while you are being taught so you can recall how and what you are learning pertains to your career in a relevant and practical way.

Sample medical receptionist resume

Here is a sample medical receptionist resume:

Bharti Sharma
+91-1234567890
bsharma@email.com
Chandigarh

Professional summary
Highly skilled medical receptionist with over six years of experience seeks position to assist in boosting accuracy and developing processes while continuously working to increase patient satisfaction scores and positive outcomes.

Skills

scheduling
MS Office Suite
CRM Platforms
office administration
data entry
organisation
customer service
multitasking

Professional experience
Front desk receptionist, Mercury Hospital, Phase 9, Mohali
March 2017–November 2021
Responsibilities:

Individually scheduled and registered patients to achieve the shortest possible wait time while increasing the ward's efficiency.
Began a new appointment scheduling process, saving doctors an average of eight hours of labour each month and taught four other receptionists how to use the system.
Managed and recorded cash receipts and completed all necessary documentation to rectify any balance sheet issues.
Checked patients in and out, verified that patient information was correct and charges, co-pays and insurance details were complete.
Accepted and dispersed all incoming mail.

Receptionist assistant, Advent Health, Sector 13, Chandigarh
October 2015–March 2017
Responsibilities:

Welcomed and admitted patients and examined demographic data, handled payment programs and co-payments.
Received and handled every phone call in a courteous and systematic manner.
Maintained front office entrance zone.
Purchased office supplies and bargained with suppliers, reducing monthly expenditures by 11%.

Education
SSC (CBSE)
Greatview School, Sector 40, Chandigarh
May 2014