MAP 115 - Medical Office Management I

1. To obtain a basic understanding of the healthcare field and different professions within it.
2. To gain basic knowledge of the practice of law as it coincides with healthcare, as well as laws and acts that directly affect healthcare.
3. To understand ethics and morals and how your beliefs can affect your treatment of others.
4. To gain knowledge of how technology is used in the healthcare setting and how it can help improve and simplify everyday activities.
5. To learn how multi-line phone systems work and how to act professionally when using the telephone.
6. To become familiar with reception and basic patient processing tasks.
7. To begin learning basic administrative operations of an office environment.
8. To discover the workings of electronic medical records and put that knowledge into practical use.

Course Objectives: 

Unit 1: The Professional Medical Assistant and the Healthcare Team

1. Discuss the typical responsibilities of a medical assistant and describe the role of the medical assistant as a patient navigator
2. Discuss the attributes of a professional medical assistant, project a professional image in the ambulatory care setting, and describe how to show respect for individual diversity.
3. Identify professional behaviors of a medical assistant
4. Identify between scope of practice and standards of care for medical assistants
5. List and discuss professional medical assisting organizations.
6. Summarize the history of medicine and its significance to the medical assisting profession.
7. Summarize the various types of medical professionals, allied health professionals, and healthcare facilities.
8. Define a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and discuss its five core functions and attributes
9. Explain the reasons professionalism is important in the medical field, describe work ethics, and stress the importance of cooperation.
10. Respond to criticism, problem-solve, identify obstacles to professional behaviors, and define the principles of self-boundaries.
11. Identify the role of the medical assistant as a patient navigator
12. Identify the provider role in terms of standard of care

Unit 2: Legal Principles

1. Discuss the balance of power in the United States and name the four types of laws.
2. Identify criminal and civil law as they apply to the practicing medical assistant
3. Differentiate between intentional torts and negligent (unintentional) torts.
4. Differentiate between standard of care and scope of practice for a medical assistant, define terms related to a civil lawsuit, and explain the four Ds of negligence.
5. Describe types of professional liability insurance.
6. Explain the five elements required for a contract to be legally binding
7. Describe the reasons and the steps for terminating the provider-patient relationship
8. Differentiate between implied consent, expressed consent, and informed consent.
9. List who can give consent and who cannot give consent.
10. Identify the standards outlined in The Patient Care Partnership
11. Identify licensure and certification as they apply to healthcare providers
12. Compare and contrast provider and medical assistant roles in terms of standard of care
13. Define: a. negligence; b. malpractice; c. statute of limitations
14. Identify the purpose of medical malpractice insurance
15. Define the following medical legal terms: a. informed consent; b. implied consent; c. expressed consent; d. patient incompetence; e. emancipated minor; f. mature minor; g. subpoena duces tecum; h. respondent superior; i. res ipsa loquitor; j. locum tenens; k. defendant-plaintiff; l. deposition; m. arbitration-mediation
16. Locate a state’s legal scope of practice for medical assistants
17. Apply the Patient’s Bill of Rights as it relates to: a. choice of treatment; b. consent for treatment; c. refusal of treatment
18. Demonstrate sensitivity to patient rights

Unit 3: Healthcare Laws

1. Explain the standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and discuss HIPAA-related terminology (including covered entities, protected health information, business associate, permission, de-identify, and limited data set).
2. Identify components of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA)
3. Describe the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
4. Describe important features of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Controlled Substances Act.
5. Describe the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.
6. Discuss Good Samaritan Laws
7. Define Good Samaritan Act(s), Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, Patient Self Determination Act (PSDA), and risk management (X.C.7.d-e, h-i.).
8. Define the Patient Self-Determination Act, Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA), Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA), and the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA).
9. Identify compliance with public health statutes related to: a. communicable diseases; b. abuse, neglect, and exploitation; c. wounds of violence
10. Describe compliance with reporting vaccination issues.
11. Identify legal and illegal applicant interview questions
12. Identify: a. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act; b. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA); c. Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments (ADAAA)
13. Identify the process in compliance reporting: a. unsafe activities; b. errors in patient care c. conflicts of interest; d. incident reports
14. Apply HIPAA rules in regard to: a. privacy; b. release of information
15. Complete compliance reporting based on public health statutes
16. Complete an incident report related to an error in patient care
17. Demonstrate sensitivity to patient rights

Unit 4: Healthcare Ethics

1. Define: a. ethics; b. morals
2. Identify personal and professional ethics
3. Identify potential effects of personal morals on professional performance
4. Recognize the impact personal ethics and morals have on the delivery of healthcare
5. List and describe the four ethical principles in healthcare.
6. Demonstrate appropriate responses to ethical issues involving genetics.
7. Demonstrate appropriate responses to ethical issues involving reproductive issues.
8. Demonstrate appropriate responses to ethical issues involving childhood issues.
9. Demonstrate appropriate responses to ethical issues involving medical research trials.
10. Identify the basic concepts of the following theories of c.) Kubler-Ross
11. Define Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, Living will/advanced directives, medical durable power of attorney, Patient Self Determination Act (PSDA)
12. Demonstrate professional response(s) to ethical issues

Unit 5: Technology

1. Describe types of personal computers used in ambulatory care facilities
2. Discuss the difference between input and output hardware, list examples of each type of hardware, describe computer storage devices, and list examples for each category of computer storage device. Also, discuss cloud storage.
3. Explain how to maintain computer hardware and explain infection control procedures with computer hardware.
4. Identify questions to ask when purchasing hardware.
5. Differentiate between system software and application software and give examples of each.
6. Differentiate between practice management software, electronic health records and electronic medical records. Also, discuss hybrid health records.
7. Identify the components of an Electronic Medical Record, Electronic Health Record, and Practice Management System
8. Discuss HIPAA’s Security Rule safeguards and list examples of each type of safeguard.
9. Discuss technologic advances in healthcare.
10. Identify the medical assistant’s role in telehealth
11. Participate in a telehealth interaction with a patient
12. Describe how to identify reliable websites.
13. Identify the importance of data back-up
14. Identify principles of: b. ergonomics

Unit 6: Written Communication

1. Recognize elements of fundamental writing skills.  Also, explain the guidelines for using capitalization, numbers, and punctuation in business communication.
2. Identify different types of electronic technology used in professional communication
3. List and describe each component of a professional business letter.
4. Summarize the formats for business letters.
5. Describe the purpose of templates in professional communication.
6. Discuss memorandums and describe the etiquette for professional emails.
7. Describe how to complete a HIPAA compliant fax cover sheet.
8. Describe how to address envelopes and fold business documents for mailing.
9. Describe commonly used postal services in the ambulatory care facility.
10. Explain the medical assistant’s role with incoming mail.
11. Using technology, compose clear and correct correspondence

Unit 7: Telephone Techniques

1. Identify and explain the features of a multiple-line telephone system, and also explain how each can be used effectively in a healthcare facility.  Also, discuss the use of cell phones.
2. Discuss the telephone equipment needed by a healthcare facility.
3. Summarize active listening skills.
4. Demonstrate professional telephone techniques
5. Consider the importance of tone of voice and enunciation.
6. Explain the importance of thinking ahead when managing telephone calls; also, describe the correct way to answer the telephone in the office.
7. Discuss the screening of incoming calls, and list several questions to ask when handling an emergency call.
8. Place callers on hold and correctly transfer a call.
9. Document telephone messages accurately
10. List the seven elements of a correctly handled telephone message.
11. Discuss various types of common incoming calls and how to deal with each.
12. Discuss various types of special incoming calls and how to deal with each.
13. Discuss how the medical assistant should handle various types of difficult calls.
14. Discuss typical outgoing calls, including knowledge of time zones and long-distance calling is necessary.
15. Discuss the use of a telephone directory, and describe how answering services and automatic call routing systems are used in a healthcare facility.
16. Discuss the legal and ethical issues related to telephone techniques.

Unit 8: Scheduling Appointments and Patient Processing

1. Describe guidelines to establishing an appointment schedule and creating an appointment matrix.
2. Discuss the advantages of computerized appointment scheduling.
3. Discuss appointment book scheduling and explain how self-scheduling can reduce the number of calls to the healthcare facility.
4. Discuss the legality of the appointment scheduling system.
5. Discuss pros and cons of various types of appointment management systems.
6. Discuss telephone scheduling and identify critical information required for scheduling appointments for new patients.
7. Discuss scheduling appointments for established patients.
8. Discuss how the medical assistant should handle scheduling other types of appointments.
9. Discuss several methods of dealing with patients who consistently arrive late.
10. Recognize office policies and protocols for rescheduling appointments.
11. Discuss how to deal with emergencies, provider referrals, and patients without appointments.
12. Discuss how to handle failed appointments and no-shows, as addition to methods to increase appointment show rates.
13. Discuss how to handle cancellations and delays.
14. Discuss patient processing, including the importance of the reception area.
15. Describe how to prepare for patient arrival, including patient check-in procedures.
16. Show consideration for patients’ time.
17. Properly treat patients with special needs.
18. Escort and instruct the patient.
19. Describe where health records should be placed.
20. Describe how he medical assistant should deal with challenging situations, such as talkative patients, children, angry patients, and patients’ relatives and friends.
21. Identify different types of appointment scheduling methods
22. Identify critical information required for scheduling patient procedures
23. Coach patients regarding: a. office policies
24. Manage appointment schedule using established priorities
25. Schedule a patient procedure
26. Input accurate billing information in an electronic system

Unit 9: Health Records

1. Discuss the two types of patient records.
2. State several reasons that accurate health records are important.
3. Document Patient care accurately in the medical record
4. Identify subjective and objective information
5. Distinguish between an electronic health record (EHR) and an electronic medical record (EMR).
6. Discuss the importance of nonverbal communication with patients when an EHR system is used.
7. Discuss backup systems for the EHR, as well as the transfer, destruction, and retention of health records as related to the EHR.
8. Describe how and when to release health record information; also, discuss health information exchanges (HIEs).
9. Identify methods of organizing the patient’s medical record based on: a. problem-oriented medical record (POMR); b. source-oriented medical record (SOMR)
10. Discuss how to document information in an EHR and a paper health record, and how to make corrections/alterations to health records.
11. Describe indexing rules, and how to create and organize a patient’s health record.
12. Discuss the pros and cons of various filing methods and how to file patient health records.
13. Discuss organization of files, as well as health-related correspondence.
14. Identify the importance of data back-up
15. Input Patient data using an electronic system
16. Protect the integrity of the medical record

Unit 10: Daily Operations and Safety

1. Explain tasks for the medical assistant to handle when opening and closing the healthcare facility.
2. Identify steps involved in completing an inventory
3. Perform an inventory of supplies
4. Recognize the purpose for routine maintenance of equipment
5. Discuss warranties, service calls, and purchasing equipment.
6. Discuss inventory management, inventory management control systems, and ordering supplies.
7. Identify principles of: a. body mechanics
8. Use proper body mechanics
9. Evaluate the work environment to identify unsafe working conditions
10. Demonstrate proper use of b) fire extinguishers