An Expanded Role for the Medical Assistant in Primary Care: Evaluating a Training Pilot

Marlaine Figueroa Gray*, Katie Coleman, Callie Walsh-Bailey, Samantha Girard, Paula Lozano

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: The patient-centered medical home model stresses the importance of team-based care as a foundation to improving care, costs, and patient experience. Medical assistants (MAs) are being used as key care team members even as traditional educational programs may not equip them for this new way of working. Methods: This paper describes an on-the-job, predominantly virtual training program aimed at building care teams by redefining the role of the MA and fostering team-based functioning. Participating MAs, clinic managers, and clinicians in 11 primary care clinics completed 18-item pre- and post-training surveys to assess confidence in MA skills and performance. In-depth 1-hour qualitative interviews were conducted with selected participating MAs, managers, and clinicians to assess MA self-efficacy and to understand their use of new skills. Results: MAs, clinicians, and managers agreed that MAs improved skills in planned care and population management, self-management support and health coaching, and interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. MAs reported a positive training experience, that they shared their knowledge with other MAs in their clinic, and that their job satisfaction increased. Discussion: A predominantly virtual 12-week program built the skills and confidence of MAs in proactive population management, health coaching, and collaboration and communication. This program shows the promise of a virtual approach to training that identifies, trains, and recognizes high-potential MAs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number20.091
JournalPermanente Journal
Volume25
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Funding

The Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA) Learning Health System program, an initiative that works to bring research capabilities to strategic priorities of the enterprise,39 convened researchers and care delivery leaders to design an MA training program, which was funded by the Group Health Foundation Partnership for Innovation. The MA training program built upon learnings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-supported Learning from Effective Ambulatory Practices initiative, which identified the roles and functions required for high-performing team-based primary care (see Appendix A).22,25,37 The program curriculum drew on Silverman and Blust’s Care Coordination Fundamentals,40 as well as peer-reviewed literature on panel management, opportunistic care, QI, and population health principles. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. This project was funded by the Group Health Partnership for Innovation fund.

Keywords

  • medical assistant
  • medical assistant training
  • primary care
  • professional development
  • team-based care

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Health(social science)
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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