Medical Office Assistant

240 Hours/Instructor Supported/Textbooks included

Overview

Would you like to know more about the role of medical assistants? Are you interested in what medical assistant duties entail? This medical office assistant distance learning course can give you a thorough introduction about medical assistant duties and help you take the first step toward a new career as one of several types of medical assistants.

Also known as a medical administrative assistant or medical assistants, a medical office assistant performs a wide range of duties that are imperative to the smooth operation of a variety of medical offices. Medical assistant duties can include updating patient files, filling out insurance forms, coordinating laboratory services, answering phones, ordering and maintaining medical supplies and equipment, and more. You might also receive on-the-job medical office technology training. As the healthcare industry continues to expand, so does the need for medical assistants. Many doctor's offices have come to rely on the work of a medical administrative assistant who performs a number of important medical assistant duties.

We provide practical and useful information about medical assistants, which could help you take the first step toward earning an attractive medical office assistant salary. We offer a thorough introduction to what medical assistant duties can entail, including topics such as:

• Medical Terminology
• Legal documents and HIPAA
• Appointments and reports
• Records Management
• Types of medical records
• Diagnostic tests and procedures
• Medical assistant duties
• Finding employment as a medical assistant

Outline

Medical Office Assistant Module 1
Professional and Career Responsibilities

• A Career as an Administrative Medical Assistant
• Professionalism
• Medical Practice Settings: Traditional and Managed Care
• History of Health Care
• Medicolegal and Ethical Responsibilities
• Medical Etiquette
• Confidentiality
• Informed Consent
• The Receptionist
• Patients with Special Needs
• Telephone Procedures
• Telephone Message Records 
• Coordinating Appointments
• Setting Up Preoperative Tests

Medical Office Assistant Module 2
Records Management

• Patients' Medical Records
• Recordkeeping
• Elements of a Medical Record
• Physical Examination
• Progress or Chart Notes
• Drug and Prescription Records
• Federal Drug Laws
• Understanding Prescriptions
• Control and Storage of Drugs
• Filing Procedures
• Commercial Filing Systems
• Filing Documents in Patient Records
• Micrographics
• Destroying Documents

Medical Office Assistant Module 3
Written Communications

• Equipment Used for Written Correspondence
• Letter Styles
• Transcription Procedures
• Photocopying Procedures
• Processing Mail and Telecommunications
• Electronic Mail
• Facsimile (Fax) Communication
• Professional Reports
• Library Services
• Manuscript Preparation
• Profession Speeches

Medical Office Assistant Module 4
Financial Administration

• Fees, Credit and Collections
• History of Credit
• Billing & Collections
• Health Insurance Systems
• Third-Party Payers
• Managed Care Plans
• Insurance Claims
• Diagnostic Coding
• Tracing Insurance claims
• Banking Transactions
• Checking Accounts
• Checkbook Management
• Bookkeeping Process
• Patient Accounts
• Accounts Receivable Control
• Cash Funds

Medical Office Assistant Module 5
Managing the Office & Employment

• Office Managerial Responsibilities
• Office Security
• Office Supplies
• Medical Waste Management and OSHA Guidelines
• Business Travel
• Financial Management of the Medical Practice
• Accounts Payable
• Payroll
• Employment Opportunities
• Resume
• The Job Interview
• Performance Evaluation

Textbook included with course:

·         Administrative Medical Assisting, 6^th Edition by Marilyn T. Fordney, Linda L. French, and Joan J. Follis

·         Workbook to Accompany Administrative Medical Assisting, 6^th Edition by Marilyn T. Fordney, Linda L. French, and Joan J. Follis

·         Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary, 27th Edition -- Book and CD-ROM by Dorlarnd

Instructor:  Wendy Dalton, R.N.

Computer Requirements

Internet Access

·         Broadband or high-speed internet access is strongly recommended. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.

·         Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware

·         Virtually all Windows-Mac-Linux hardware configurations and processors are acceptable.

·         1 GB RAM recommended

Software

·         Operating Systems

§  Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X 10 and higher, most Linux distributions

·         Web Browsers

§  Mozilla Firefox 2 and 3 (previous versions will work also)

§  Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8

§  Safari is not currently recommended as it cannot display certain Moodle editing menus for both students and instructors