In this profession , office and administrative work is done in the healthcare sector . In addition to correspondence and documentation, this also includes scheduling and billing. Secretaries and secretaries in the healthcare sector are thus involved in the administrative tasks in this industry and also take care of communicating with patients and generally ensuring that all office work runs smoothly. This means that people with this profession have access to a wide range of jobs in various clinics, medical practices and with health insurance companies.
Personal requirements at work
Organizational skills are of great importance in this job, as various things need to be planned and coordinated. In telephone conversations or in personal conversations with patients, empathy is also required. Overall, logical thinking combined with the ability to concentrate is important and arithmetic skills are also a personal requirement. Good work is important in a team because you work directly with managers and other employees. There should therefore be a particularly pronounced interest in administrative tasks and organizational tasks.Prerequisites for the job / training / studies
For an apprenticeship in this profession, an intermediate qualification is required. Applicants with a lower secondary school diploma do not have as good a chance of being admitted to an apprenticeship. In addition to the educational qualification itself, there are different school subjects that are also important and in which good performance should be demonstrated. Correct punctuation and spelling are very important, as many letters have to be drafted in this job. Achievements in German are therefore very important. In addition, the achievements in mathematics and, if available, also in computer science are very important, since secretaries do a lot of calculations and have to deal with the computer in detail. Due to the special use in health care and the many medical terms, the achievements in biology and chemistry can also be important. Depending on the employer, there are very different selection procedures for an apprenticeship. In most cases, the first step is a detailed examination of the application documents and a subsequent personal interview . Sometimes there may also be written entrance exams.The training / the qualification
The training lasts two years , and in contrast to many other training occupations, it is not usually shortened. Aspiring secretaries in the healthcare sector learn the theoretical aspects of the training at a vocational school and the practical aspects in the company. There are various general education subjects in the vocational school. In addition to German and English, these also include economics and social studies as well as sports. A particular focus is on imparting important knowledge in the secretariat . This also includes writing at least 250 keystrokes per minute and how to organize correspondence with the various groups of people. It is therefore an intensive training course to become a secretary with a special focus on the healthcare system and thus also on medical terminology.locations
Secretaries in the healthcare sector can be used wherever clerical and administrative work needs to be carried out in the healthcare sector. This includes hospitals, medical practices and health insurance providers. An assignment is also possible with associations of statutory health insurance physicians and with various aid and care organizations. In addition, people with this profession can be employed in retail, in the field of medical or orthopedic care. Numerous locations are therefore conceivable after completing training.career development opportunities
Due to the general need to carry out administrative activities, there are many opportunities to develop, specialize or advance in this profession. There can be further training that gives secretaries even more qualifications in the healthcare sector, for example in bookkeeping or in operational organisation. Due to the many different departments, there are hardly any restrictions in this area. In order to advance in the healthcare sector and be professionally successful, there are various further training courses. The next option would be, for example, further training to become a specialist in health and social work. But there is also the opportunity to work towards the management level. In such a case, further training as a business economist for management in the healthcare sector makes sense. Various courses are also conceivable for candidates with a university degree. It would make sense, for example, to study health management or health economics, which is normally offered as a bachelor's degree.The everyday life of the secretary in health care
Depending on the workplace, the everyday life of secretaries in the healthcare sector can look very different. The day-to-day tasks primarily include correspondence with various groups of people and accounting and documentation. Scheduling appointments is also important, usually appointments are coordinated for the supervisors, sometimes also for the employees. Direct collaboration with patients can also occur, depending on the job. Overall, the profession of secretary in the healthcare sector is an administrative profession in which there is little direct contact with patients and which allows for many development opportunities.
