Part 1

–Introduction to Medical Office Topics: (Week 2)

A. The Medical Office Environment

B. Types of Medical Offices/Healthcare Facilities

•Parts of a Medical Office

C. Modern Trends in Healthcare System

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lessons/topics student should be able to :

•Familiarize with the office environment to realize the role of the medical administrative assistant;

•Differentiate and discuss the modern trends in healthcare system If these are implemented in the country;

•Distinguish the different types, parts and functions of medical offices;

Course Materials:

The BSOA students as future medical administrative professional must be familiar with the new environment in order
to realize their needs in the medical field. They must be informed of the modern trends in healthcare systems, learn
their roles and other personnel’s duties as they develop their knowledge and skills in the field of medical office
administration.

The Medical Office Environment

Working in a medical office means having plenty of opportunities to interact with patients. The medical office
professionals could be the first person patients see as they walk in an office or clinic. Offering them a smile and a
reassuring attitude and it could make all the difference. You get to offer care and comfort to a diverse patient
population and connect them to the professionals and services that will help them feel better. If you worked in a
medical office, you’d get to work with doctors, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team—and you’d be an
important part of it! Among your responsibilities might be making appointments, scheduling procedures, and dealing
with insurance companies. If you specialize in medical billing and coding, you will enter the information patients,
doctors, and nurses give you into databases, and organize those databases so they are easy to use. For all of these
jobs, you have to make sure the information is accurate or caregivers can’t treat their patients correctly. You will also
have to stay up-to-date on laws that affect medical data entry and confidentiality. Because data entry is so
important in modern medical offices, much of your job will involve working on a computer. You will have to know how
to use electronic health records programs, as well as word processors and spreadsheets. You’ll need to know about
the patient management system your facility uses and how to make sure everything entered is accurate and up-to-
date .Computers are used in almost every area of modern healthcare.

C.

Hospitals and medical clinics often operate 24 hours a day, and need people on staff at all times. As a medical office
assistant or information specialist, you may work nights or weekends. If you work in a doctor’s office, though, you’ll
probably have more traditional hours. It all depends on your specific clinic or healthcare facility.

Below are the differenttypes of healthcare facilities.

1. Hospitals

Hospitals are the most common work environment for healthcare professionals. There are many different kinds of
hospitals. Hospitals are classified by their number of licensed beds, ranging from as little as 10 in a small community,
to over 1,000 in a metropolitan area. Different hospitals provide different services, and many specialize in certain
areas such as trauma or cardiac care. Hospitals also differ by financial status (non-profit vs. for-profit), and by their
ownership (corporation- vs. government-owned). There are also academic hospitals, military hospitals, and more.

2. Medical Offices

Many healthcare professionals want to work in a more comfortable, smaller, more intimate environment, and as such
prefer working in a medical office. Another advantage of medical offices: they usually don't require as many evening or
weekend hours as hospitals. Medical offices may be run by hospitals as an external branch, or they may be owned and
operated by a physician. As with other environments, every medical office is different, and will have a unique set of
features and characteristics.
3. Government Organizations

A large number of medical professionals work for government organizations and agencies, in both clinical and non-
clinical capacities. Many people who want to work in the medical field also feel a strong desire to give back to their
country and help their fellow countrymen. These individuals may find a medical role in a government agency to be a
perfect fit.

4. Non-Profit Organizations

Rather than working for profit, these organizations exist to achieve a mission or fight for a cause. Many healthcare
professionals find it very rewarding to work for such an altruistic purpose. However, non-profit organizations may
sometimes struggle to raise funds to support their operations, and workers may be affected by this struggle. Many
well-established organizations don't experience this problem; it varies by the organization.

5. Educational Institutions

Medical professionals are needed in all sectors of the education system, from K12 schools to universities, teaching
hospitals, health centers, and university medical centers. Some common medical jobs at educational institutions
include: school nurse, behavior therapist, speech therapist, audiologist, mental health professionals, school
counselors, andmedical school professors.

5. Military Organizations

All military branches (the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) needqualified medical staff in their
ranks. There are advantages and disadvantages to workingfor the military. On the plus side, it's quite common for the
military to pay for your medicaleducation and training, in part or in full. You'd get to work as a doctor, nurse, allied
healthprofessional, or pharmacist in any of a wide range of dynamic environments. On the downside, you must be
willing and able to live anywhere the military needs you to, evenoverseas or in war zones.

6. Hospice Facilities

Hospice (also called palliative care) is the branch of healthcare servicing the mostseriously ill of all patients. This
includes terminally ill (near death) patients for whom alltreatment options have been exhausted. The purpose of
hospice is not to treat the illnessitself--the illness cannot be treated. The purpose of hospice is to provide the patient
withas much comfort, dignity, and independence as possible.

7. Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities

Patients who are unable to care for themselves are placed in nursing homes or long-termcare facilities. This may be
the result of advanced age, serious illness, infirmity, or trauma.Patients in these environments need assistance with
most, if not all, aspects of their basicdaily care, such as dressing, feeding, and bathing. These facilities therefore need
a largenumber of assistants on hand to help with the many tasks of caregiving, many of whichare quite labor-intensive.
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities hire many differenttypes of medical professionals, including doctors,
nurses, administrators, pharmacists,and nursing aides, among others.

Medical Terminologies:

Physician

a medical doctor or simply doctor, a professional who practices medicine;Healthcare

is an industry, the system by which people get the health care they need;Health care

(two words) refers to provider; are the specific things that physicians do, like see apatient or prescribe a
medication.Health Facilities

are places that provide health care.

www.https://language solutions.com

Parts of a Medical Office

is a term used for the reception area in a medical office. This isthe first and last area clients/patients visits in a medical
office. Some medical office has waitingrooms for patients waiting for their appointment time with the doctor. But the
usual set-up isthat the waiting area is adjacent to the front desk.

2. Private Patient Registration Area

. Many practices are opting for a second patient registrationarea that offers more privacy for check-in, payment, and
connection of the medical and socialhistories.

3. Medical Storage Room

. This room is used to store medical records or current patient charts.The location should be accessible to the business
area or private patient registration area.

4. Primary Care Exam Room.

This is an examination room for the physician and the patients.But now physician has adopted a more consultative
relationship between patient andphysician, more patients are bringing a family member along to help them remember
what thephysician has to say, so the examination rooms nowadays are larger than before.

5. Clinical Laboratory

. This is a medical laboratory wherein clinical pathology tests are carriedout on clinical specimens such as blood or
urine and the results are then analyzed to obtaininformation about the health of a patient to aid in diagnosis,
treatment and prevention ofdisease.

6.

The Physician’s Private Office

. This is the office of the physicians wherein he/she meets

privately with the patients, patient’s family member and/or visitors.

7. Treatment Room

. This is a room that is designed for providing physical treatment of a patient.

8. Diagnostic Room

This is the room where medical staff use specialized equipment such asX-ray machine, CT scan, Cat scan, etc. to
diagnose a patient

’s medical condition.

9. Special Procedure Room or Surgery Room

Some medical offices have this type of room forsurgeries of patients or therapeutic procedures,
including bronchoscopy, pain procedures,gastrointestinal endoscopy, motility etc.

10. Staff Lunch and Break Rooms

. This is where the employees of a medical office gather orspend their time for lunch break or simply break time.

C. Modern Trends in Healthcare System

Now is a great time to look at what is currently going on in the world of healthcare. Manyof the trends that we see
today may be predictors of what is coming in the near future.Here are five current trends in healthcare that are
shaping the industry:

1. Getting social
. Not only are healthcare providers and brands becoming more active on socialchannels, with doctors reporting that
social media helps improve their quality of care, butorganizations have also begun using tools to reach out to the
community. Small things can have

a big impact on overall health, so if organizations can reach people at their level to ensure they’re

taking medications correctly and eating healthy diets, everyone wins.

2. Putting patients first.

Providing the best possible assistance to our patients is our priority. Todo this we should monitor daily the needs
(acuity) of patients on each ward to ensure there aresufficient numbers of trained nurses and nursing assistants at all
times. This ensures that staffhave time to listen to patients and relatives, and to deliver safe, responsive care. This also
meansthat patients and their relatives know that they have regular opportunities to speak with staff ifthey wish to.

3. Digitalization of healthcare

. In medical office a digital transformation is finally coming tofruition. New technologies, such as patient-focused
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)solutions have helped improve patient satisfaction and the overall level of
care. This dataaggregation may also help org

anizations cut costs by identifying and treating patients’ health

issues. For example, real-

time data analytics can give doctors a snapshot of a patient’s health

that can lead to early intervention instead of advanced disease treatment.

4. Telemedicine.

It refers to the practice of caring for patients remotely when the provider andpatient are not physically present with
each other. Modern technology has enabled doctors toused compliant video-conferencing tools. Healthcare
organizations are starting to usetelemedicine to help them expand. Medical Organizations have integrated
telemedicine to treatpatients in its rural areas.

5. Addiction treatment

We can be sure that addiction treatment will continue to be a large focusin the healthcare industry. Family
practitioners today are more educated on the signs andsymptoms of addiction, and prescriptions for addictive drugs
are slowly beginning to decline.

Introduction to Medical Assisting and Similar Careers. (2019). Retrieved November 3, 2019,
fromhttps://NursingAssistantGuides.com

Activities/Assessment:

1. Write a reflection paper about the topics given to you for at least 100 words. Youwill write the learnings that impact
your personality and goals in life.Format will be in short bond paper, Arial and Font size 11, single spacing and
doublespacing after every paragraph. Handwritten is acceptable, please write legibly.2. Answer Quiz No. 1

Part 1

Introduction to Medical Office EnvironmentTopics: Week 3

D. Medical SpecialtiesE. Practice Types

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lessons/topics student should be able to:

Describe the different medical health professionals through their specializations.

•
Analyze the practice types of health professionals to determine the scope of the rolesof the administrative
professionals.

Integrate the learnings in the preparation of medical documents and reports.

Course Materials:

D. Medical Specialties

Most doctors have extra expertise in one type of medicine or another. In fact, there are severalhundred medical
specialties and subspecialties. Here are the most common types of doctors you'lllikely see.

Allergists/Immunologists.

They treat immune system disorders such as asthma, eczema, foodallergies, insect sting allergies, and some
autoimmune diseases.

Anesthesiologists.

These doctors give you drugs to numb your pain or to put you under duringsurgery, childbirth, or other procedures.
They

monitor your vital signs while you’re under

anesthesia.

Cardiologists.

They’re experts on the heart and blood

vessels. You might see them for heartfailure, a heart attack, high blood pressure, or an irregular heartbeat.

Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

You would see these doctors for problems with your smallintestine, colon, and bottom. They can treat colon cancer,
hemorrhoids, and inflammatory boweldisease. They also can do a colonoscopy and other tests for colon cancer.

Critical Care Medicine Specialists.

They care for people who are critically ill or injured. Youmight see them if your heart or other organs are

failing or if you’ve been in an accident.

Endocrinologists.

These are experts on hormones and metabolism. They can treat conditionslike diabetes, thyroid problems, infertility,
and calcium and bone disorders.

Emergency Medicine Specialists.

These doctors make life-or-death decisions for sick andinjured people, usually in an emergency room. Their job is to
save lives and to avoid or lower thechances of disability.

Family Physicians.

They care for the whole family, including children, adults, and the elderly.They do routine checkups and screening
tests, give you flu and immunization shots, and managediabetes and other ongoing medical conditions.

Gastroenterologists.

They’re specialists in digestive organs, including the stomach, bowels,

pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. You might see them for abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, jaundice, or cancers in your
digestive organs.

Geriatric Medicine Specialists.

These doctors care for the elderly. They can treat people intheir homes, doctors' offices, nursing homes, assisted-living
centers, and hospitals.

Hematologists.

These are specialists in diseases of the blood, spleen, and lymph glands, likesickle cell disease, anemia, hemophilia,
and leukemia.
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialists.

They work with people who are nearing death.

They’re experts in pain management. They work with a team of other doctors to keep up your

quality of life.

Infectious Disease Specialists.

They diagnose and treat infections in any part of your body,like fevers, Lyme disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and
HIV and AIDS. Some of them specializein preventive medicine or travel medicine.

Internists.

These primary-care doctors treat both common and complex illnesses, usually only

in adults. You’ll likely

visit them or your family doctor first for any condition. Internists often haveadvanced training in a host of
subspecialties, like heart disease, cancer, or adolescent or sleepmedicine.

Medical Geneticists.

They diagnose and treat hereditary disorders passed down from parentsto children. These doctors may also offer
genetic counseling and screening tests.\

Nephrologists.

They treat kidney diseases as well as high blood pressure and fluid and mineralimbalances linked to kidney disease.

Neurologists.

These are specialists in the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord,and nerves. They treat strokes, brain
and spinal tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Often called OB/GYNs, these doctors focus on women'shealth, including pregnancy and childbirth. They do Pap
smears, pelvic exams, and pregnancycheckups. OB/GYNs are trained in both areas. But some of them may focus on
women'sreproductive health (gynecologists), and others specialize in caring for pregnant women(obstetricians).

Oncologists.

These internists are cancer specialists. They do chemotherapy treatments andoften work with radiation oncologists
and surgeons to care for someone with cancer.

Emergency Medicine Specialists.

These doctors make life-or-death decisions for sick andinjured people, usually in an emergency room. Their job is to
save lives and to avoid or lower thechances of disability.

Family Physicians.

They care for the whole family, including children, adults, and the elderly.They do routine checkups and screening
tests, give you flu and immunization shots, and managediabetes and other ongoing medical conditions.

Gastroenterologists.

They’re specialists in digestive organs, including the stomach, bowels,

pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. You might see them for abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, jaundice, or cancers in your
digestive organs.

Geriatric Medicine Specialists.

These doctors care for the elderly. They can treat people intheir homes, doctors' offices, nursing homes, assisted-living
centers, and hospitals.

Hematologists.

These are specialists in diseases of the blood, spleen, and lymph glands, likesickle cell disease, anemia, hemophilia,
and leukemia.

Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialists.

They work with people who are nearing death.

quality of life.

Infectious Disease Specialists.

They diagnose and treat infections in any part of your body,like fevers, Lyme disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and
HIV and AIDS. Some of them specializein preventive medicine or travel medicine.

Internists.

These primary-care doctors treat both common and complex illnesses, usually only

in adults. You’ll likely

visit them or your family doctor first for any condition. Internists often haveadvanced training in a host of
subspecialties, like heart disease, cancer, or adolescent or sleepmedicine.

Medical Geneticists.

They diagnose and treat hereditary disorders passed down from parentsto children. These doctors may also offer
genetic counseling and screening tests.\

Nephrologists.

They treat kidney diseases as well as high blood pressure and fluid and mineralimbalances linked to kidney disease.

Neurologists.

These are specialists in the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord,and nerves. They treat strokes, brain
and spinal tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Often called OB/GYNs, these doctors focus on women'shealth, including pregnancy and childbirth. They do Pap
smears, pelvic exams, and pregnancycheckups. OB/GYNs are trained in both areas. But some of them may focus on
women'sreproductive health (gynecologists), and others specialize in caring for pregnant women(obstetricians).

Oncologists.

These internists are cancer specialists. They do chemotherapy treatments andoften work with radiation oncologists
and surgeons to care for someone with cancer.

General Surgeons.

These doctors can operate on all parts of your body. They can take outtumors, appendices, or gallbladders and repair
hernias. Many surgeons have subspecialties, likecancer, hand, or vascular surgery.

Urologists.

These are surgeons who care for men and women for problems in the urinary tract,like a leaky bladder. They also treat
male infertility and do prostate exams.

Whitbourne, K. (2018, January 19). What Are the Different Types of Doctors? RetrievedNovember 18, 2019, from
https://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/insurance-doctor-types#1

E. Practice Types

Physicians have a lot of decisions to make when thinking of where they want to practicemedicine. These range from
geographical location to type of practice. Focusing on the latter, there

are five types of medical practices for doctors to choose from. Let’s take a look at each, along

with a few of their benefits and drawbacks.

1. Private Practice.

In private practice, a physician practices alone without any partners andtypically with minimal support staff. Physicians
may choose to work in private practice for thebenefits of individual freedom, closer relationships with patients, and
the ability to set their own

practice’s growth pattern. However, the drawbacks

2. Group Practice

. A group practice involves two or more physicians who all provide medicalcare within the same facility. They utilize
the same personnel and divide the income in a mannerpreviously agreed upon by the group. Group practices may
consist of providers from a singlespecialty or multiple specialties. Physicians working in a group practice experience
the benefitsof shorter work hours, built-in on-call coverage, and access to more working capital. All of thesefactors can
lead to less stress. The drawbacks include less individual freedom, limits on the abilityto rapidly grow income, and the
need for a consensus on business decisions.

3. Large HMOs.

Physicians in this practice provide medical services to beneficiaries or membersof their specific HMO. A health
maintenance organization, or HMO, employs providers to care fortheir members and beneficiaries. The goal of HMOS
is to decrease medical costs for thoseconsumers.

4. Hospital Based.

In hospital based work, physicians earn a predictable income, have a regularpatient base, and a solid referral network.
The benefits of working for a hospital include a regularwork schedule, low to no business and legal risk, and a steady
flow of income. On the other hand,there are drawbacks, such as a relative lack of physician autonomy. Also,
employee constraintsand the expectation that physicians become involved in hospital committee work can
bedrawbacks.

5. Locum Tenens

Locum tenens is derived from the Latin phrase for “to hold the place of.” In locum ten

ens,physicians re-home to areas hurting for healthcare professionals. This type of practice has beenaround since the
last 1970s. These types of positions offer temporary employment and may offerhigher pay than more permanent
employment situations. Physicians working in locum tenens

scenarios enjoy the benefits of variety and the ability to experience numerous types of practicesand geographic
locations. Also, they enjoy schedule flexibility and lower living costs. Thedrawbacks of locum tenens work include the
possibility that benefits are not included, and apotential lack of steady work. Also, locum tenens physicians need to
regularly uproot theirfamilies.There are a number of options for the types of practices that physicians can choose
towork in. Again, each of these feature a unique set of benefits and drawbacks. When decidingwhat type of practi

ce to work in, it’s important for physicians to consider their own personality and

preferences.

Meyer, c. (2019, February 9). 5 Current Trends in Healthcare. Retrieved November 3, 2019, fromhttps://tincture.io/5-
current-trends-in-healthcare-213dc1ba6686

Activities/Assessments:

1. Write a reflection paper below about the topics given to you for at least 100 words. Youwill write the learnings that
impact your personality and goals in life. Please write legibly.2. Answer Quiz No. 2.
Part 1

Introduction to Medical Office

The physician or healthcare provider is usually the owner of the medical practice andalways the boss. The physician
has the best interest of his practice and patients as his primaryconcern. The physician also determines the culture of
the practice and the resulting interactionamong the staff.The following topics provides the functions of the personnel
in a medical office and definesthe duties and responsibilities of the medical office professionals.

Topics: Week 4

F. The Personnel in the Medical Office

G. The Administrative Medical Assistant’s Tasks, Skills, Personal Attributes

and Work Ethic

Duties and Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lessons/topics, student should be able to:

•
Identify the personnel according to their functions in the medical office.

Define the tasks required to perform the duties and responsibilities of medical officeprofessionals.

Demonstrate personal attributes and work ethics that a medical office professionalsmust develop.

Develop skills that medical office professionals should posses.

Course Materials:

F. The Personnel in the Medical Office

The physician or healthcare provider is usually the owner of the medical practice andalways the boss. The physician
has the best interest of his practice and patients as his primaryconcern. They also determine the culture of the practice
and the resulting interaction among thestaff

There are two distinct groups of personnel in a healthcare facility that perform differentfunctions of medical care
to patients/clients and other stakeholders. They are the AdministrativeStaff and Clinical Staff.

1. Administrative Staff

They provide supportive services to clinical staff and to the organization, includingmanagement, finance, billing,
human resources, health information technology, regulatoryreporting, business development, marketing, risk
management, and quality improvement. Administrative staff of a medical office are the following:

a. The Medical Office Receptionist.

They are the frontliners of a medical office. Theirtasks includes scheduling appointments and listening to clients well
andcommunicating in a positive and confident manner with those over the phone or clientsin the reception
area. Excellent communication skills and customer service skills and

multitasking associated with operating the ‘front desk’ of an office are t

he skills that amedical receptionist must have.

b. Medical Coders.

They rely on their knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy andphysiology, diagnosis, and procedures to translate
medical documentation intostandardized codes. Medical coding is a major factor in
obtaining insurancereimbursement as well as maintaining patient records.

c. Medical Billers

. The are responsible for the timely submission of technical orprofessional medical claims to insurance companies
including physician offices,hospitals, nursing homes, or other healthcare facilities.

d. Medical Office Manager.

They are both responsible for both the clinical and/or non-clinical aspects of the day-to-day operations in a medical
office environment. Somemedical office managers may have a clinical background such as nursing, but moreoften,
medical office managers work their way up into a management role fromanother non-clinical office job such as
medical billing or another position. A medicaloffice manager must have a high emotional intelligence as he/she is often
at the centerof concerns between other employers and keeps all the various departments runningeffectively
and efficiently, from the front office to the back office. He/she helpscoordinate the staffing of the office, scheduling,
and office policies and procedures.

2. Clinical Staff

Functions carried out by clinical staff include medical care, behavioural and mental healthcare and integration, health
education, referral management, population health management,self-management support, medication management,
communication management, referral tospecialty care with follow-up, and connecting patients to community
resources.

Clinical Staff of a medical office includes the following:

a. Medical Office Assistants.

MAs perform both administrative and clinical tasks withina medical setting alongside a physician or other medical
professional. They help withsome of the basic aspects of patient care such as obtaining vital signs, cleaning
examrooms between patients, taking blood, giving injections, and assisting with other minorprocedures. They are
trained in standard clinical laboratory procedures and performvenepuncture, injections, electrocardiograms,
measurement of vital signs, and more.

b. Physical Assistants.

They are known as “physician extenders” or mid

-levelproviders because they can fill many of the same duties as physicians. Pas arelicensed health professionals who
practice medicine with physician supervision. Theycan diagnose and treat illnesses and can also treat patients and
write prescriptions.

c. Primary Care Physicians.

They are the point of first contact. This group ofspecialties classically includes family medicine, internal medicine, and
paediatrics.Primary c

are physicians treat patients with “undifferentiated” health concerns and

must diagnosed patients based on signs, symptoms, and clinical history.

d. Nurse Practitioner.

They are licensed health professionals who can diagnose andtreat health care conditions that fall within their
specialty and can prescribemedications. NP training places particular emphasis on care management,preventive care
and patient education.

e. Nurses.

Nurses of all types and levels of education and experience are needed in avariety of roles to help manage patients
in an office or clinic setting. Nurses providespatient care by conducting patient assessments, administering treatment
andmedications, performing diagnostic tests, and arranging patient follow-up.

f. Medical Technologies.

They are skilled health professional who tests and analysesblood, other body fluids, and tissue samples. MedTechs are
responsible for operatingand maintaining the equipment used to analyse specimens and ensuring that testsare
completed in a correct and timely manner.

g. Licensed Pharmacists.

They dispensed medications and other remedies to patients,and advise clincians and patients on the sage and
effective use of medications.

G. Administrative Medical Assistant Tasks, Skills, and Personal Attributes

Medical Assistants are medical office professionals who capably perform a number oftasks in a wide variety of settings.

Administrative tasks

are those procedures used to keep theoffices in medical practices running efficiently.

Clinical Tasks

are those procedures the medicalassistant may perform to aid the physician in the medical treatment of a patient. A
comprehensivelist of the administrative and clinical tasks and skills required of the medical assistant is discussedin this
module.

Administrative Medical Assisting Tasks

The administrative medical assistant is a professional office worker dedicated to assistingto assisting in the care of
patients. To effectively perform all the required tasks, an assistant mustbe proficient in a number of skills. The major
categories of tasks performed by an administrativemedical assistant are:

▪ Front Desk Procedures

▪ Records Management

▪Administrative Duties

▪Billing and Insurance

Front Desk.

The administrative medical assistant greets patients and other visitors, such asfamily members. The assistant also
verifies personal data about patients, explains the fees thatwill be charged for services, collects payments, and guides
patients through their medical officeencounters.

Scheduling Appointments.

The administrative medical assistant answers telephone; schedulesappointments, either by phone or in person; and
forwards telephone calls according to officeprocedures.

Records Management.

The administrative assistant opens and sorts incoming mail, composes

routine correspondence, and transcribes physicians’ dictation. The a

ssistant also maintains the

physicians’

schedules which involves keeping track of the time required for office encounters with

patients, meetings, and conferences as well as coordinating patients’ hospital admissions and

surgical procedures.

Billing and Insurance.

The administrative medical assistant codes or verifies codes for

diagnoses and procedures; processes and follows up on insurance claims and patients’ bills;

assists with banking duties; and guides patients to available financial arrangements for payment;and maintains
financial records.

Administrative Medical Assisting Skills

The work of an administrative medical assistant, which requires many technical andpersonal skills, is interesting and
varied. The administrative medical assisting skills are as follows:

Communication Skills.

The assistant must understand and use correct English grammar, style,punctuation, and spelling in both writing and
speaking. These skills enable the assistant to handlecorrespondence, medical records, and transcription, and
to interact well with other staff members,patients, and other medical personnel.

Mathematics Skills.

The assistant must have good math skills to be able to maintain correctfinancial records, bill patients, and order and
arrange payment for office supplies.

Organizational Skills.

Controlling the sometimes hectic pace of work requires the assistant tohave the skills of managing time and
priorities. Systematic work habits, the willingness to takecare of details, and ability to handle several tasks at the same
time are essential. Scheduling,updating and maintaining records, and keeping an orderly office require strong
organization skills.

Computer Skills.
 A basic understanding of technologies and the ability to use computers withmastery are essential workplace
skills. Computers are used in every kind of health care settingfor many different tasks. Computer programs handle
word processing, financial spreadsheets,databases, and charts and visuals for speeches and presentations. With these
programs, theassistant may handle billing, scheduling, account updating, records management, and
othertasks.Wireless technologies allow health care providers professionals who are away from theiroffices or hospitals
to contact staff members and computers from any distance. Voice-recognitiontechnology enables the physician to
dictate notes using voice commands. The use of e-mail tocommunicate is as widespread as telephone communication,
both within the medical practice andamong medical practices, hospitals, and insurance companies.

Interpersonal Skills.

Excellent interpersonal skills often come from a genuine desire work withpeople. This desire and these interpersonal
skills are essential for the administrative medicalassistant, who is

usually the patient’s visit and influences the patient’s opinion of the physician

and the practice.The assistant skilled in positive communication with patients is warm, open, and friendly.Patients
appreciate attention and concern for their schedules and their comfort. Effectiveinterpersonal skills involve looking
directly at the person being spoken to, speaking slowly andclearly, and listening carefully. Respect for and openness to
the other person are often shown bya pleasant facial expression and a genuine, natural smile. At the heart of
interpersonal skills issensitively to the feelings and situations of other people.

Administrative Medical Assisting Personal Attributes and Work Ethics

In addition to essential office skills, the success of the administrative medical assistantdepends on a positive attitude
toward work and a cheerful personality. Personality has been

defined as the outward evidence of a person’s character. Many aspects of personality are

important in dealing with patients and other medical professionals.Because patients entering a health care setting may
be anxious, fearful, or unwell, mostof them value a friendly, pleasant personality as the most important attribute of a
medicalassistant. The qualities discussed here are components of a pleasing personality and are usefulprofessional
and personal skills.

Genuine Liking for People.

A genuine enjoyment of people and a desire to help them are keysto success in a medical assisting career. These
qualities are expressed in the way youcommunicate with people through speech and in your body language.Because
patients may sometimes worry that they will be viewed only as numbers andnotes on their patient charts, it is
important that they feel recognized as individuals. Incommunicating with patients, your warmth and attentiveness
help to reassure patients and signalyour desire to help.Looking directly at the patient and listening with attention
communicate acceptance of theperson. A pleasant facial expression, a natural smile, and a relaxed rather than
rigid body postureare all body language signs that express openness and acceptance

While these qualities are critical in dealing with patients, they are also attributes thatcontribute to a spirit
of cooperation with associates and managers.

Cheerfulness.

The ability to be pleasant and friendly is an asset in any career. Lifting patient’s

spirit helps build goodwill between them and the physician. A pleasant assistant can frequentlyhead off difficulties that
occur when patients become worried, anxious, or irritable.

Empathy.

It is sensitivity to the feelings of others. Empathy enables you to understand how a

patient feels because you can mentally put yourself in the patient’s situation. Everyone has ha

dsome personal experience with an illness or with not feeling perfectly well. Reminding yourself ofhow you felt and of
how you wanted to be treated in that situation will help you treat patients withkindness.

Work Ethic and Professionalism

work ethic

greatly enhance employee’s value in any medical work settin

g.

Accuracy.

Because even a minor error may have consequences for a patient’s health,

physicians rank accuracy as the most important employee trait. The physician counts on theassistant to perform tasks
with complete correctness, including constant attention to detail.

Thoroughness.

The careful and complete attention to detail required for accuracy is known asthoroughness. The thorough assistant
produces work that is neat, accurate, and complete.These traits involves:

Listening attentively.

Taking ample notes.

Paying attention to details such as who, when, why, where, and how.

Verifying information.

Following through on details without having to be reminded.

Dependability.

The administrative medical assistant who finishes work on schedule, doesrequired tasks without complaint, even
when these may be unpleasant, and alwayscommunicates willingness to help is said to be a dependable
employee. Dependability is relatedclosely to accuracy and thoroughness. The dependable assistant:

• Asks questions and repeats instructions to avoid mistakes.

• Asks for assistance with unfamiliar tasks.

• Enters all data, such as insurance claim information claim and lab values, carefully.

•Takes clear and complete messages.

Efficiency.Using time and other resources to avoid waste and unnecessary effort is defining

mark of efficiency. An efficient administrative medical assistant plans the day’s work in advance,

makes a schedule for completion, and assembles the materials and resources necessary tocomplete the
tasks. Efficiency also includes the organizational ability to divide large and complextasks into smaller, more
manageable components.

Flexibility.

The ability to adapt, to change gears quickly to respond to changing situations,interruptions, and delays is
flexibility. The flexible assistant is able to respond calmly to last-minute assignments, to meet deadlines under
pressure, and to handle several tasks at once. Theability to grasp new situations and new concepts quickly is an
important aspect of flexibility. Beingable to implement new ideas and good suggestions with self-confidence is a mark
of flexibility.

Good Judgment.
The quality of good judgment involves the ability to use knowledge,experience, and logic to assess all the aspects of a
situation in order to reach a sound decision.Frequently, good judgment is expressed by the administrative medical
assistant who knows whento make a statement and when to withhold one.

Honesty.

Telling the truth is honesty. It is expressed in words and actions. It is the quality thatenables the physician to trust the
administrative assistant at all times and in all situations. Thetrustworthy assistant understands the serious nature of
the ph

ysician’s work and the confidentialnature of the patient’s dealings with th

e physician. The assistant can be trusted not to reveal any

of a patient’s data, any conversations, or any details, which must always remain confidential. The

honest assistant is also quick to report mistakes without attempting to cover them up or to blameothers. Finally
honesty is central to the integrity that allows the assistant to effectively representthe profession.

Initiative.

To take action independently is to show initiative. The administrative medical assistantworks with certain routine
administrative activities every day. Dealing with these often requiresthe assistant to take action without receiving
specific instructions from the physician. The

assistant’s abil

ity to move work forward and to resolve issues by using initiative is a valuable skillin a busy office.Initiative also
involves making unsolicited offers of help that mark a valued employee, one

who goes beyond the job’s regular responsibilities. Fo

r example, offering to stay late to help thephysician or coworkers finish extra work is always appreciated. To give
patients additional help,you may offer to telephone for a taxi after an appointment, obtain a wheelchair when
needed,write out instructions, or send a reminder card before the nest appointment.

Problem-Solving Ability.

Problem-solving involves logically planning out the steps needed toaccomplish a job. Asking for advice when
appropriate and acting wisely also demonstrate theability to solve problems effectively. The administrative medical
assistant who is adept at solvingproblems also has a basic understanding of the goals and requirements of the work
environment.

Punctuality.

Being on time punctuality is important for the administrative medical assistant

because of the physician’s schedule and the need to

complete routine duties before patientsarrive. A medical office is often open for the staff a half hour before
patient appointments. It is atime to be used for plann

ing the day’s work, organizing tasks, and greeting patients who may

arrive before the start of business hours.

Self-Motivation.

The quality of self-motivation is expressed by a willingness to learn new dutiesor procedures without a requirement to
do so. The administrative medical assistant who helpswith work that needs to be done and learns new aspects of job
responsibilities is self-motivated. Alertness is an aspect of self-
motivation. This alertness enables the assistant to see andundertake jobs t

hat need to be done and to anticipate the patient’s and the physician’s needs.

Tact.

The ability to speak and act considerably especially in difficult situations, is known as tact.Working with people in ways
that show you are sensitive to their possible reactions helps to

achieve the purpose at hand smoothly and without giving offense. Tacful manners and speechcreate goodwill with
patients and with other staff members.
Being a Member of the Team.

Those who have the positive attitude of a team player aregenerous with their time, helping other staff members when
necessary. A good team playerobserves stated office policies and quickly learns the unwritten rules of office life.

Assertiveness.

Assertiveness is the ability to step forward to make a point in a confident, positivemanner. Administrative medical
assistants who are accurate, dependable, and honest, whounderstand and perform tasks with intelligence and good
judgment, are confident employees. Assertiveness assumes that the assistant not only is competent but also has
established cordialand cooperative working relationships.

Professional Image.

Few professionals are as much respected as the medical profession. It isa profession that has an image of health,
cleanliness, and wholesomeness. If you choose to workin a health care setting, your appearance and bearing must
reflect this image. Patients expectyour positive personality and pleasing manner to be reflected in your appearance
throughhealthful habits, good grooming, and appropriate dress. In the workplace, however, you reflectnot your own
personal vision but

the employer’s preferences about how the practice should be

seen by patients and the community.

The Medical Assistant / Duties and Responsibilities

Medical assistants provide a variety of technical, clerical, receptionist, and patient careservices under the supervision
of nurses or medical practitioners. While the exact scope of theirresponsibilities may vary depending on the size of the
hospital, medical facility, or practice,medical assistants generally support practitioners and other members of health
care team bygathering patient medical history, taking and recording vital sign information, and occasionallyassisting
with minor, office-based procedures. Medical assistants are essential to delivering high-quality patient care.

Medical Assistant Job Responsibilities:

1. Helps patients by providing information, services, and assistance.2. Maintains medical supplies inventory
and performing preventive maintenance tokeep medical equipment operating.3. Verifies patient information by
interviewing patient, recording medical history, andconfirming purpose of visit.4. Prepares patients for examination
by performing preliminary physical tests; takingblood pressure, weight, and temperature; and reporting patient history
summary.5.

Saves doctors’ time by helping wit

h office procedures.6. Secures patient information and maintains patient confidence by completing andsafeguarding
medical records; completing diagnostic coding and procedure coding;and keeping patient information
confidential.7. Counsels patients by transmit

ting physician’s orders and questions about surgery.

8. Schedules surgeries by making arrangements with the surgical center; verifyingtimes with patients; and preparing
charts and pre-admission and consent forms.9. Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by establishing
and followingstandards and procedures and complying with legal regulations.10. Keeps supplies ready by inventorying
stock, placing orders, and verifying receipt

11. Keeps equipment operating by following operating instructions, troubleshootingbreakdowns, maintaining supplies,
performing preventive maintenance, and callingfor repairs.12. Updates job knowledge by participating in educational
opportunities and readingprofessional publications.13. Serves and protects the practice by adhering to professional
standards; facilitypolicies and procedures; and federal, state, and local requirements.14. Enhances practice reputation
by accepting ownership for accomplishing new anddifferent requests, and exploring opportunities to add value to job
accomplishments

Module 1

Week 5

All professions, as well as people’s lives, are governed by standards of conduct. T

he
standards of conduct that grow out of one’s understanding of right and wrong are known as ethics.

The medical ethics that govern the health care professions are usually found in written policies orcodes for
each profession. These standards are not laws. A person acting within the law maynevertheless do something that is
not ethical. A person may also do something right, or ethical,and at the same time may break the law. Ethics are
statements of right and wrong behaviors thathold members of the profession to a high degree of behavior.

Topics:

H. Ethics and Law for the Medical AssistantsI. Interacting With Patients

Objectives:

Define the role of the medical administrative assistant with respect to thePractice of the medical profession.

Familiarize with the fundamental principles to guide the physician in thePractice of their profession in the Philippine
settings.

Develop respect to the rights of the patients and family relatives.

Discuss the AAMA Code of Ethics for Medical Administrative Assistants.

Course Materials:

H.

Ethics and Law for the Medical Assistants

The Medical Assist

ant’s Ethical

Responsibility

The medical assistants, in their role and within the boundaries of their job responsibilities,are also required to treat
patients, with respect to maintain confidentiality, to improve knowledgeand skills, and to contribute to the
community. In addition, they are advised to merit the respectof the public and of the medical profession.In the
Philippines, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Code of Ethics of MedicalProfession, has stated the
fundamental principles in Article I, Section 1, to guide the physiciansin the practice of their profession. In this respect,
medical administrative assistant must be familiarand give importance to the principles as personnel in the practice of
the medical profession. Article 1, Section 1. The fundamental principles to guide the physicians in the practice oftheir
profession.

1.1. Principle of Respect for Life. The right to life is inviolable. Life is a necessary condition forall other human goods. It
must be protected and fostered at all its stages beginning fromconception to its natural
end.1.2. Principle of Respect for Person. Every person has an intrinsic worth and dignity. Trustshall be central to the
physician-patient relationship. Physicians shall respect patientautonomy.1.3. Principle
of social justice. All patients have a right to basic healthcare and a just processin the allocation of
resources.1.4. Principle of Beneficence. The interest of the patient shall be placed above those of thephysician.
Societal pressures, financial gains and administrative exigencies shall notcompromise this principle.1.5. Primum Non
Nocere. The foremost responsibility of the physician is to do no harm to thepatient.

https://www.philippinemedicalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Code-of-Ethics-of- Medical-
Profession.pdf

Most other associations that regulate health care professions also have stated codes ofethics to set levels of
competence and patient care. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) has developed the Code
of Ethics and Creed as stated herein. Because theadministrative medical assistant is considered an agent of the
physician while performing tasksrelated to employment, the AAMA code is based on American Medical Association
(AMA)Standards.The creed emphasizes the qualities of effectiveness, loyalty, compassion, courage, and faith.

AAMA Code of Ethics for Medical Assistants

The AAMA Code of Ethics for medical assistants sets forth principles of ethical and moralconduct as they relate to the
medical profession and the particular practice of medical assisting.Members of the AAMA dedicated to the
conscientious pursuit of their profession, and thusdesiring to merit the high regard of the entire medical profession
and the respect of the generalpublic which they serve, do pledge themselves to strive always to: A. Render service
with full respect for the dignity of humanity.B. Respect confidential information obtained through employment unless
legally authorizedor required by responsible performance of duty to divulge such information.C. Uphold the honor
and high principles of the profession and accept its disciplines.D. Seek to continually improve the knowledge and
skills of medical assistants for the benefitof patients and professional colleagues.E. Participate in additional
service activities aimed toward improving the health and well-being of the community.

Medical Assisting Creed

The Medical Assisting Creed of the AAMA sets forth medical assisting statements of belief:

I believe in the principles and purposes of the profession of medical assisting.

I endeavor to be more effective.

I aspire to render greater service.

I protect the confidence entrusted to me.

I am dedicated to the care and well-being of all people.

I am loyal to my employer.

I am true to the ethics of my profession.

I am strengthened by compassion, courage, and faith.

https://www.aama-ntl.org/about/overview

American Medical Association Principles Of Medical Ethics

PreambleThe medical profession has long subscribed to a body of ethical statements developed primarilyfor the
benefit of the patient. As a member of this profession, a physician must recognizeresponsibility to patients first and
foremost, as well as to society, to other health professionals,and to self. The following Principles adopted by the
American Medical Association are not laws,but standards of conduct that define the essentials of honorable behavior
for the physician.Principles of Medical EthicsI. A physician shall be dedicated to providing competent medical care,
with compassion andrespect for human dignity and rights.II. A physician shall uphold the standards of professionalism,
be honest in all professionalinteractions, strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence, or engaging
infraud or deception, to appropriate entities.III. A physician shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to
seek changes in thoserequirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient.IV. A physician shall respect
the rights of patients, colleagues, and other health professionals,and shall safeguard patient confidences and privacy
within the constraints of the law.V. A physician shall continue to study, apply, and advance scientific knowledge,
maintaincommitment to medical education, make relevant information available to patients, colleagues,and the
public, obtain consultation, and use the talents of other health professionals whenindicated.VI. A physician shall, in the
provision of appropriate patient care, except in emergencies, be freeto choose whom to serve, with whom to
associate, and the environment in which to providemedical care.

Duties Of Physicians To Their Patients

Section 1. A physician should be dedicated to provide competent medical care with fullprofessional skill in accordance
with the current standards of care, compassion, independenceand respect for human dignity.Section 2. A
physician should be free to choose patients.Section 3. In an emergency, provided there is no risk to his or her safety, a
physician shouldadminister at least first aid treatment and then refer the patient to the primary physician and/or toa
more competent health provider and appropriate facility if necessary.Section 4. In serious/difficult cases, or when the
circumstances of the patient or the family sodemand or justify, the attending physician should seek the assistance of
the appropriatespecialist.Section 5. A physician should exercise good faith and honesty in expressing opinion/s as to
thediagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of a case under his/her care. A physician shall respect theright of the patient to
refuse medical treatment. Timely notice of the worsening of the diseaseshould be given to the patient and/or family. A
physician shall not conceal nor exaggerate the

patient’s condition except when it is to the latter’s best interest. A physician shall obtain from the

patient a voluntary informed consent. In case of unconciousness or in a state of mental deficiencythe informed
consent may be given by a spouse or immediate relatives and in the absence ofboth, by the party authorized by an
advanced directive of the patient. Informed consent in thecase of minor should be given by the parents or guardian,
members of the immediate family thatare of legal age.Section 6. The physician should hold as sacred and highly
confidential whatever may bediscovered or learned pertinent to the patient even after death, except when required in
thepromotion of justice, safety and public health.Section 7. Professional fees should be commensurate to the services
rendered with due

consideration to the patient’s financial status, nature of the case, time cons

umed and theprofessional standing and skill of the physician in the community