How to Be an Organized Blogger + My Previous Medical Office Life

If you are not a blogger, you are not going to care too much about this post today, I apologize. But I do go into detail about what I used to do before blogging.

That might seem interesting to you…or not. 

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I know I’ve mentioned this before but let me remind you (I know you read a lot of stuff, how can you possibly remember?)

I used to be an MOA (Medical Office Assistant).

Depending on where you are from, that could mean a slight variation of job duties but where I am from here in Canada it means you are a glorified Executive Assistant but in a medical office.

I have worked in hospital settings and cancer centre but mostly I have worked in specialist or surgeons’ offices.

I’ve worked for dermatologists, rheumatologists, oncologists, and orthopaedic surgeons.

I’ve mostly been a one-woman show. This means I did everything for one or two doctors.

I have a lot of mad skills and always wondered how the heck this could translate into my blog (if it ever could).

I mean, should I really just let those 14 years of office work go down the drain?

Um, yeah, you should, Jamie.

Well, I didn’t realize I was using all my office skills at home already for things like bookkeeping and booking our life in general.

And now I’ve carried that over into my blogging life.

So let me show you how to be an organized blogger!

How to be an organized blogger series | somuchbetterwithage.com

Here I am circa 2005.

How to be an organized blogger series | somuchbetterwithage.com

Now I’m going to bore you with my duties. Bear with me please.

Here were some of my duties:

  • booked all patient appointments
  • booked all surgeries
  • billed appointments, on call duties, surgeries, assists
  • scheduled 4th year medical students
  • did all bookkeeping
  • ordered surgical equipment for the OR
  • reconciled unpaid bills from our government (Canada has free health care after all)
  • billed private consultations
  • billed private surgeries
  • went after unpaid debts
  • typed all patient consultations (some consults were 9 pages long for each patient!)
  • scanned rooms full of old charts to make our offices paperless (ugh)
  • ordered medical supplies, office supplies
  • met with medical reps
  • dealt with cranky, impatient patients
  • answered every phone call, returned every message
  • typed medical-legal reports
  • liaised with law offices
  • booked IMEs with law offices
  • booked court dates
  • booked on call dates
  • scheduled and rescheduled patients when OR date became available
  • booked personal appointments for bosses
  • banking deposits
  • prepared taxes for accountant
  • destroyed old patient records yearly
  • organized, filed, labelled 100s of x-rays
  • picked up x-rays around different places around town during my off hours in order for them to be there in time for surgery! (yes x-rays are digital now but not old ones!)
  • organized complicated surgeries with multiple surgeons’ office

Sorry if that made your eyes glaze over. I know mine did and I lived it.

How to be an organized blogger series | somuchbetterwithage.com

For the first part of this series, I want to share with you a Campaign Front Sheet printable.

What is that, you ask? Let me explain.

Hospitals use front sheets for their OR packages. It’s the sheet that goes on the front of the package to ensure you have everything signed/included, like a checklist.

One OR package could have 24 pages so it was vital that everything was completed before it could be booked.

When you are working on a sponsored post or campaign, how do you know if you’ve fulfilled all the requirements?

What I normally do is print off the campaign itself (usually just an email) and any signed contract.

Now paperclip a front sheet to it:  (click below for free printable)

Campaign front sheet

How to be an organized blogger series | somuchbetterwithage.com

Alternatively, you could just use the front sheet if you don’t want to print any other papers!

Organize your campaigns in order of DATE. Put the most recent on top, latest one on the bottom and put to the side of your desk.

Now you can see at a glance what jobs you have lined up and what needs to get done in order to fulfill each job.

I must say this:  I’m all for paperless but if it’s not on my desk, it’s not going to get done!

Keep following this series EACH WEEK and I’ll show you what to do with it afterwards along with many, many tips as well as LOTS of printables!

{putting all those perfectionistic qualities to good use!}

How to be an organized blogger series | somuchbetterwithage.com

HOW TO BE AN ORGANIZED BLOGGER SERIES

Part 1 – Campaign Front Sheet printable (today!)

Part 2 – Organize Ad Networks & Affiliates with printables (click here)

Part 3 – Brand Contacts printable and To Do List printable (click here)

Part 4 – Bookkeeping 101 with printables (click here)

Part 5 – Organize Emails & Junk Drawers (click here)

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35 Comments

  1. I need this. Wish my messy shelves looked like yours. I try to whittle the stuff down and they seem to have babies….Thank you for this series. I need it! And I apprciate you liking paper. Sometimes i think that is part of my beng overwhelmed, trying simultaneously to do, learn a new system and technology all at once. Have a good day! Linda

    Reply

    1. haha, yes paper and stuff just seem to multiple lol. I like digital but somethings just need paper. The easier the plan the easier it will be to implement 😉
      Hugs,
      Jamie

      Reply

    1. Thanks Janet! I’m having some mobile issues, it’s completely fine on regular computer but I’m hoping to get it fixed soon. Thanks for letting me know 😉
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply

  11. That’s a great idea! Thanks. Lord knows I could use more organization. I’ve always been organized when it comes to my home but not so much with paperwork.

    Reply

  13. Wow, Jamie, that is a lot of jobs for one person. I worked for doctor’s offices, too and the last one was for a large pediatric group for 10.5 years till I had had enough. I did a lot of roles there, but there were many others too doing some of the jobs you did all by yourself. So glad to have you join Wow, but inlinkz informed me that you forgot your backlink in both posts you linked up. I know you usually have it so probably just an oversight.
    Thanks

    Reply

    1. That’s so cool we have similar backgrounds, Kim. And yes, I had enough after a long time too. Did too much work obviously LOL. I just got a VA so yes, the back links were missing but they were added after.
      Hugs,
      Jamie

      Reply

  14. I’m going to be reading this series with interest. I have recently invested in a paper planner because I have realized trying to be paperless just isn’t working for me and the way my brain works. Now that I’ve embraced the paper, I’m making steps in the right direction for organizing my life!

    Reply

  17. Seems we both lived similar medical professions in the past. I was a certified medical coder for over 10 years. I worked primarily in Ortho. Prior to that I was a medical secretary for a group of general surgeons. You learned pretty quick how to multi-task! Thanks for the series! So helpful. ~Michelle @ Dandelion Patina

    Reply

    1. Michelle, that’s so funny. I was primarily in ortho too as an MOA (which is basically a medical secretary here in Canada). Thanks for stopping by 😉
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply

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