Kayla Christianson, CMA, has been employed for six years by the cardiology practice of three physicians. She is a graduate of a CAAHEP-accredited school. Furthermore, Kayla received extensive hands-on training performing ECGs while doing her required externship.
Kayla has completed an ECG ordered by Dr. Hsu for Mrs. Warner, a 76-year-old patient. Dr. Hsu, Kayla’s boss, telephoned her explaining that he was behind schedule doing rounds at the hospital. He asked her to do him a favor and interpret Mrs. Warner’s ECG, sign his name, and fax the report to Mrs. Warner’s referring internist, who is expecting the results.
Given the scope of Kayla’s education, training, and years of experience as a CMA, would this “favor” fall within the AAMA guidelines of her responsibilities?
Would any portion of Dr. Hsu’s request fall within the guidelines? If so, which portion(s)? Is an exception to these guidelines allowed if asked to do so by the doctor?
How should Kayla respond to Dr. Hsu?
The correct answer and explanation is :
The request made by Dr. Hsu falls outside of the AAMA (American Association of Medical Assistants) guidelines for Kayla’s responsibilities. According to the AAMA guidelines, a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) is not authorized to interpret diagnostic tests or sign off on results. This responsibility falls under the purview of licensed healthcare providers, such as physicians or other medical practitioners with appropriate qualifications.
Breakdown of the Request:
- ECG Interpretation: Kayla, as a CMA, has the training to perform ECGs, which includes the hands-on ability to set up and record the test. However, interpreting an ECG is considered a diagnostic function that requires a licensed physician or other qualified healthcare provider to analyze the results. Kayla is not authorized to make clinical decisions or diagnoses based on the ECG readings.
- Signing Dr. Hsu’s Name: Signing another healthcare provider’s name to a report is a violation of ethical and legal standards. Even if Dr. Hsu requested this favor, it constitutes fraudulent activity and could be considered a form of practicing medicine without a license, which is against both medical ethics and state laws.
- Faxing the Report: Faxing the report to the referring internist is a clerical task and would fall within Kayla’s responsibilities as a CMA. However, this action should only occur after the interpretation and approval of the report by Dr. Hsu or another qualified healthcare provider.
Can an exception be made?
No exception to the AAMA guidelines should be made, even at the request of the doctor. Kayla’s role, according to these guidelines, does not include interpreting or signing off on diagnostic tests.
Kayla’s Response:
Kayla should respectfully inform Dr. Hsu that while she can complete clerical tasks such as faxing the report, she cannot interpret the ECG or sign his name to the report. She should suggest that Dr. Hsu review the report at his earliest convenience or, if necessary, delegate the interpretation to another qualified professional.
In summary, Kayla should maintain her ethical and professional boundaries, adhering to the standards set by the AAMA for her role.