Stepping Up, a GWB Healthcare Industry Partner, and program of the UNAP/RIH Education Fund is defining and building pathways around the Medical Assistant (MA) occupation. The work began with an occupational analysis and recommendations in 2013 based on input from the Rhode Island Department of Health, healthcare employers, MA training programs, and MAs. This research was published in the report "Realigning the Medical Assistant Career Ladder."

Since then, Stepping Up has helped the Rhode Island Department of Health outline a set of MA guidelines . MAs are not required to be registered or licensed in Rhode Island, but a scope of work now exists.

As healthcare facilities prepare for implementation of the Affordable Care Act, many are identifying skills needed to deliver a new model of care called Patient Centered Medical Homes. Coastal Medical Group and University Medicine approached Stepping Up to design training modules that ensure their MAs are prepared for this model of care. The curriculum is ready for delivery, and includes topics such as critical thinking, pre-visit planning, electronic health record documentation, chronic disease management, motivational interviewing, clinical skills review, and an optional certification exam prep course. 

Stay tuned for a comprehensive healthcare industry skills gap study to be released this spring from Stepping Up, Healthcentric Advisors, and HARI!