Unit secretaries handle clerical duties for health care facilities.
A unit secretary is someone who handles clerical duties for doctors and nurses at hospitals or other health care facilities. Unit secretaries greet patients, schedule appointments, type reports, collect payments, file invoices and, in some instances, handle light bookkeeping duties. They also record patient information--such as name, address and medical history--before or while the patient is admitted to the hospital.
Basics
Unit secretaries perform a wide array of duties, some of which may be considered mundane, but are crucial to the functioning of the hospital and its medical personnel. Unit secretaries must be able to multitask and handle tasks that can change on a daily or even hourly basis. Along with answering phone calls and handling patient inquiries, unit secretaries often remind physicians of appointments or patients who are waiting to be examined.
Skills
Unit secretaries must be accomplished typists and possess sound communication skills, as they interact with everyone from physicians to nurses to patients to medical equipment suppliers. They must be organized, courteous and have a firm grasp of filing procedures. Unit secretaries also need to know use basic office equipment, such as computers and the phone system, and be able to follow instruction and work alone, or as a member of a team.
Background
Unit secretaries can typically learn on the job with little experience or educational background--although most hospitals prefer candidates who possess at least a high school diploma. Still, a formal education isn't always as important as a strong work ethic and an ability to follow instruction. Some unit secretaries obtain a certificate or associate's degree for advancement, with a focus on classwork in business, communications and administration.
Prospects
Employment of secretaries overall is projected to remain solid overall during the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for secretaries will increase by 11 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is as fast as average for all occupations. More than 471,000 workers were employed as medical secretaries in 2008, the BLS reported.
Earnings
Salaries for unit secretaries vary widely by the type of hospital or health care facility for which they work, as well as their experience. According to PayScale.com, unit secretaries earned anywhere from more than $23,000 to nearly $32,000 per year in March 2010. Meanwhile, the BLS reported that medical secretaries in general earned a median salary of $30,960 in May 2008.
Tags: Unit secretaries, health care, care facilities, clerical duties, follow instruction, health care facilities, medical secretaries
