Getting quality health care can help you stay healthy and recover faster when you become sick. However, we know that often, people do not get high-qulaity care. A 2004 study of 12 large U.S. communities found that just over half (54.9 percent) of people were receiving the care they needed.

What exactly is health care quality? We know that means different things to different people. Some people think that getting quality health care means seeing the doctor right away, being treated courteously by the doctor’s staff, or having the doctor spend a lot of time with them.

While these things are important to all of us, clinical quality of care is even more important. Think of it like this: getting quality health care is like taking your car to a mechanic. The people in the shop can be friendly and listen to your complaints, but the most important thing is whether they fix the problem with your car.

Health care providers, the government, and many other groups are working hard to improve health care quality. You also have a role to play to make sure you and your family members receive the best quality care possible. Here are some steps you can take to improve your care:

Be Active: Take Charge of Your Health Care

• Work together with your doctor and other members of the health care team to make decisions about your care
• Be sure to ask questions
• Ask your doctor what the scientific evidence has to say about your condition
• Do your homework; find out more information about your condition.
• Find and use quality information in making health care choices.
  Be sure the information comes from a reliable source.

Talking with Your Doctor

• Understand your diagnosis
• If you need a lab test, an x-ray, or another kind of test.
• If you receive a prescription for a new medicine.
• If you need surgery.

Understanding Health Care Quality

• Doing the right thing (getting the health care services you need).
• At the right time (when you need them).
• In the right way (using the appropriate test or procedure).
• To achieve the best possible results.

Providing quality healthcare also means striking the right balance of services by:

• Avoiding underuse (example: not screening a person for high blood pressure).
• Avoiding overuse (example: performing tests that a patient doesn’t need).
• Eliminating misuse ( example: providing medications that may have dangerous interactions).

We would like to think that every doctor, nurse, pharmacist, hospital, and other provider gives high-quality care, but we know this is not always the case. Quality varies depending on where you live. Quality can vary from one State to another. Health care quality varies widely and for many reasons.

I love all the great things Medical Assisting can teach you like EKG’S,VITALS,BLOOD PRESSURE,ETC…and not just those things you as the medical assistant are responsible for or can do. There is also front office duties that come into play as well so much variety and so much to information you can learn and that will benefit you as well as your patients.I am fortunate I get to wake up everyday and go to a job I LOVE!!!!

My patients are very important to me I like that I can be involved in their care process until the end of their vist.A typical day usually starts for me at 8:30 am and I work until 4:30 pm Monday thru Thursday with Fidays, Satuday, and Sundays off which is good for me since I have a Family. I work in the Suburbs and for a private Doctor’s office. My Boss has been a Doctor 20 plus years and is in the the field of Primary Care.

So as my day starts my office manager checks in the patient. This involves asking if anything has changed with their address,phone number, or job status.Then he checks their insurance for a copay and then proceeds to let me know they are ready to be brought to a room. That is when my job begins as I take the chart and go call the patient in at his/her scheduled time. When the patient is brought in, I take them to a room and proceed to do vitals.It is also when I get to learn the reason they are here for the visit.

Now comes my favorite part of the day the BLOOD DRAW. This was my favorite thing to learn when I was in Medical Assisting School and I found out I am very good at it. After the blood is taken the patient is free to go, while I proceed to the next patient in order to keep a scheduled routine in place, so that the doctor can remain on time. This process is repeated all day except with an hour lunch break then starting up again to close.

I just want to say that there is not a day that I don’t love my job, and although it can be trying at times I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am lucky to have found my calling as I hope you do too. Whether it is Medical Assisting or something else in the Healthcare field I hope you can find yours

However, before you decide on a career as a CNA, it is important to understand the job, and some of the duties you will be expected to perform. Learning about the career before you start taking classes is important, and can help you determine if being a CNA is really the path for you. If you want to learn more about being a nursing assistant, here are 25 informative Q&A web sites that can answer most of your questions:

1. National Network of Career Nursing Assistants: If you have questions about what a nursing assistant does, they can be answered on this web site. Find out about career options, as well as duties.
2. Nurse.com: Visit this web site for answers to all things nurse related. This includes information on CNAs. A great section on FAQs about different nursing careers. Find out more about the job duties performed by a nursing assistant.
3. 4CNAs: This online magazine takes a look at different aspects of being a nursing assistant. Get information on job duties, and have your questions about a career as a nursing assistant answered by professionals.
4. Job Duties of a Hospital CNA: eHow offers this great article detailing the job duties of a nursing assistant working in a hospital. Great insight into what you might do as a CNA.
5. Certified Nursing Assistant Job Description: A quick overview of nursing assistants do in a handy Q&A format. Find out more about the specific job duties you will perform. Also includes some information on different responsibilities you will have in different health care settings. A great CNA job overview.
6. CNA Career: Have your questions about duties, training and salary answered by this web site. A great resource for learning more about being a nursing assistant.
7. Nurse Together: This web site offers answers to FAQs about a number of nursing subjects and careers, and includes a section devoted nursing assistants.
8. Certified Nursing Assistant: A great web site with a number of resources related to being a nursing assistant. Answers to questions about job duties and responsibilities are present, as well as information about how to get ready to become a CNA, and find a job as a CNA.
9. Health Career Web: This web site features answers to questions about a wide variety of health careers, including nursing assistant jobs. Look through different possibilities, and learn the duties of a CNA.
10. Nursing Assistant Resources on the Web: A great Q&A web site that addresses different aspects of being a nursing assistant. You can learn more about expected job duties, as well as find out more about the qualities CNAs are expected to possess. Get help in learning more about caring for patients in different settings as well.
11. The Responsibilities of a Nursing Assistant: Find out more about the job responsibilities of nursing assistants. This in-depth look at CNAs offer you answers about tasks you will accomplish, as well as possible work settings associated with being a nursing assistant.
12. Nursing Assistant Job Responsibilities: Get a look at the basic responsibilities of being a nursing assistant. Find out more about becoming a CNA, and the tasks that you will be in charge of if you decide that nursing assisting is for you.
13. CNA Certification and Training: Use this web site as a resource to learn about nursing assistant jobs and duties. Includes information on exams, and also has links to useful videos.
14. Become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): This web site can answer your questions about different CNA duties in different settings, such as nursing homes and hospitals. A great way to learn about specialized situations that CNAs might be involved in.
15. Certified Nursing Assistant Career: Includes answers to questions about exams, duties of CNAs and more. Find out more about becoming a CNA, as well as the types of things you will do once you are properly certified.

General Health and Medical Career Blogs

You can get the latest news in the health and medical industry, as well as learn helpful information about a variety of professions in health and medical careers.

1. Health Careers Blog from About.com provides information about careers in health and medical fields. Includes news about prominent players in medical careers.
2. Health Care Employment Opportunities This blogs offers information about careers in health care, as well as posts about health and wellness.
3. Cal’s Career Center Health Team is a blog from University of California Berkeley that is aimed at helping pre-med and pre-health students figure out what they need to do to land jobs in medical careers.
4. Premier Health Careers Blog offers information about the medical and health professions. Also includes information on hot jobs, so that you know which medical careers are in high demand.
5. Explore Health Careers helps potential medical workers learn more about the environment, and see what is needed in today’s health care industry.
6. Health Careers Center at the University of Minnesota is very helpful in terms of sharing information about medical careers, public health and different fields related to medicine and health care.
7. Health 2.0 Blog offers information on the latest practices and health technology for medical careerists and students.

Nursing Blogs

Nursing is one of the medical careers in highest demand right now. There are a number blogs devoted to the nursing profession, offering a number of insights and stories about working in this demanding profession.

8. Emergiblog takes a look at nursing today, and the issues that faces nurses — and their patients.
9. Codeblog looks at life as an Intensive Care nurse. Interesting insights into the nursing profession.
10. The Nursing Site Blog is written by Kathy Quan, who has been an RN for more than 30 years and shares her experiences.
11. Head Nurse provides information on different situations that arise in a number of medical careers.
12. Call Bells Make Me Nervous looks at the adventures of a new nurse, and her look at medical careers and nursing today.
13. Impacted Nurse follows the exploits of an experienced male nurse.
14. Nursing Degree Guide is a good place to go to find information about getting a nursing degree and working in a medical career.
15. PixelRN blogs about the ups and downs of a nursing career.

Physician Blogs

Many physicians have blogs. You can read about what it’s like to be a doctor, and some anecdotes from a variety of medical fields.

16. A Change to Cut is a Chance to Cure looks at life and medicine from the perspective of a general surgeon.
17. RangelMD.com provides a look at the medical and health care industry, including regulations, career information and other issues.
18. DB’s Medical Rants offers insight into medical and health care issues, from a doctor’s point of view.
19. NHS Blog Doctor provides a look at health and health care, as well as explores the career of a doctor.
20. DoctorMental writes about his career as a physician, and adds thoughts on other issues facing the health care industry.
21. KevinMD.com provides information about medical trends, the industry and what it’s like to be a doctor.

Dentist Blogs

Learn what it is like to be a dentist, and learn how to look for dental jobs.

22. Dentist Job Blog provides a look at different jobs available for dentists, and where the hot markets for dentists are.
23. Pediatric Dentistry offers helpful information on what it’s like to be a pediatric dentist, and provides insight on different uses for dentistry.
24. Take Care Of Your Teeth provides information on dental hygiene and a look at practices in the dental medical field.
25. Dental Blogs is meant for those interested in the dental field. It provides a look at oral health, and some of the issues facing dentistry.
26. The Digital Dentist looks at how tecnology can enhance dental practices. This blog is aimed at helping career dentists accomplish more.
27. Brookside Dental’s Blog focuses on cosmetic dentistry. Information about careers and issues in a dental practice.

Medical Technician Blogs

Don’t want to become a doctor or a nurse, but still want to work in the medical field? Medical technician can be a great career.

28. The Student Radiographer follows a student technician and provides insights into the career.
29. Tomography Blog provides information about working as a medical technician as well as hosting a place where medical technicians can connect.
30. Cool MRI Stuff offers interesting information on health care, working as a medical technician and tips on living in general.
31. X-Ray Technician Blog looks at the ins and outs of being an x-ray technician, and includes information on jobs available to technicians.
32. Musculoskeletal and Orthopedic MRI focuses on different techniques that can help you improve your work as an MRI technician.
33. RadGirl Radiology Blog is written by a student embarking on a career as a technician. Interesting information on career outlooks as well.

Medical Transcription, Coding and Billing Blogs

You don’t have to actually be working on patients in order to have a medical career. You can provide support through medical transcription, coding and billing.

34. Medical Transcription Blog at the MT Herald offers a look at the job of being a transcriptionist and provides helpful hints for making a career of it.
35. Medical Transcription: What’s in it for you? focuses on tips and hints for becoming a successful medical transcriptionist.
36. Medical Transcription Blog provides information on becoming a transcriptionist, job outlook and earnings information.
37. Medical Billing Blog offers helpful information for those who want to be involved in medical billing, with a special emphasis on those with their own businesses.
38. Medical Coding and Billing looks at how you can find jobs as a coder or biller.
39. Medical Coding Blog focuses on how you can make medical coding a good career.
40. Medical Coding Journal offers information on compliance and billing, helping professionals with their careers.