How To Get a Job as an Admitting Clerk

An admitting clerk works in the admitting department of a hospital or other healthcare institution. In this job you will interview patients who come for admission to gain the information for the hospital files. There may be times when you have to obtain this information from family members if the patient is too ill to talk. You will also have to type up the information, maintain files and records and assign patients to their rooms. Getting all the health insurance information for the billing process is also an important part of this job. Since hospital admitting services take place twenty-four hours a day, you will be required to work shifts and on holidays.

Admitting clerks work in the front desk of the hospital and process the requisitions for patient treatment, such as X-Ray, blood tests and other diagnostic procedures. You will enter the information into the computer system so that when the tests are complete the reports will be sent to your physician. The requisition is only a request from the physician for the treatment. You need to get the information from the patient just in case the technician discovers something during the procedure that would require immediate admission to the hospital.

The qualifications for obtaining the position of admitting clerk usually include a course in stenography and computer skills from a technical college. You may need to have at least two years of clerical experience in an office setting, but you may also receive the training you need when you start the job. The skills you need to be able to perform your duties in this job include computational skills, knowledge of grammar and spelling rules and be able to use common office equipment. You should be able to read and understand directions and ensure that all required forms are completed properly. When you type documents you should be able to proofread them to catch typing mistakes. Because you will be working in a medical setting you will need to know the medical terminology and therefore you may have to take an extra course in this field to gain the proper qualifications in this area.



One of the essential skills needed for working as an admitting clerk is that you have good interpersonal skills for forming good working relationships with your colleagues and for dealing with the many patients you process on a daily basis. Your training for this position should include a paid or unpaid work term, which wile it does not count as experience does bring with it an evaluation of your performance from your supervisor. You will have to complete a medical examination to prove that you are physically fit to work in this job and submit to a drug test. You will also have to undergo background check to ensure that you do not have any criminal activity in your background that could affect the institution.

There are many possibilities for advancement in your career when you start off in the position of admitting clerk. Through continuing education and experience, you can gain the skills necessary to take a higher position in the admitting department and become a supervisor. You may also advance to a position where you can become an administrative assistant to one of the physicians.