Final answer:
The primary role of administrative and support staff in healthcare is to handle administrative tasks and support healthcare professionals, ensuring the smooth operation of healthcare facilities and assisting in patient care management without providing direct care themselves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary role of administrative and support staff in healthcare is c) Handling administrative tasks and supporting healthcare professionals. These individuals are essential in ensuring that healthcare facilities run smoothly and effectively by managing various non-clinical aspects of patient care. While they do not provide direct patient care, they are involved in a multitude of tasks including managing human resources, handling finance-related issues such as billing and insurance claims, and providing direct supervision in specific treatment scenarios, such as supporting a registered nurse in dialysis treatments.
Administrative and support staff may also be involved in marketing and sales, property management, and other administrative positions that contribute to the overall business and operational side of healthcare. Their role is crucial in mitigating work overload for clinical staff, handling heavy physical work, addressing patient concerns, and managing interpersonal problems with other medical staff.