- A unit clerk provides clerical support to medical staff. Clerks are employed in facilities, usually hospitals, where patients need around-the-clock care. Clerical duties include faxing, filing, and data entry. The unit clerk manages a patient's file, updating it with chart notes and lab orders. Transcription of medical notes may also be required. The unit clerk monitors the flow of traffic on the floor, delivering flowers, newspapers, and mail to patients, and greeting visitors.
- A career as a unit clerk requires open availability. Keep in mind that unit and ward clerks are usually employed in large facilities that are open 24/7 with shift work and rotating schedules. Clerks work in fast-paced, stressful environments, keeping up with new patients, nurses and doctors.
- Although no formal training program is required, a high-school diploma and experience or training in the medical industry is preferred for most unit clerk positions. As paper charts become outdated, being computer savvy is required to enter data into electronic medical records. Courses in medical terminology and human anatomy will make a resume more attractive, and a background as a medical assistant, receptionist, or secretary is also useful.
- Unit clerks work up from entry-level positions into management. Successful unit clerks may become office managers, or branch out into other departments, such as medical records and human resources.
- With new developments in technology and the demand for quality health facilities, the demand for unit clerks will continue to rise. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the need for receptionists and information clerks will increase approximately 15 percent between 2008 and 2018.
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