GOLDEN HERITAGE POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Formerly: Northern Mindanao Polytechnic School

Vamenta Boulevard, Carmen, 900
Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
Tel. No’s: (088) 858-7326 / (08822) 71-15-22 / (0927) 4989927
Email Address: [email protected]

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS CHARACTER REFINEMENT

MODULE 1

Medical Office Procedures it introduces and describes the tasks of a medical office
assistant`s career, teaches record management , medical communication and scheduling skills,
and describes procedures for preparing patients charts and bills & reception skills.

Medical Office Procedures: The Role of a Medical Administrative Assistant

Behind every well-run medical office is a medical administrative assistant keeping

things together. If you are considering a career as a medical assistant, you may be
surprised to learn the variety of medical office procedures you will learn to help properly
care for patients. As part of a medical administrative assistant program, you will develop
skills in several areas.

Routine Patient Care

The small tasks performed daily by medical administrative assistants add up to make
a huge impact on patients' overall experience. Maintaining exam rooms and providing
excellent customer service ensure that customers can get in and out of their appointments
quickly.

By learning proper medical office procedures for taking vital signs, the well-trained
medical assistant can make patients feel comfortable and well cared for. As patients
arrive, medical assistants will take current measurements, discuss the patient's recent
history, and ask probing questions to gather important information for doctors to help them
make proper decisions regarding the patient's care.

These tasks help doctors assess patient diagnoses quickly and allow patients to complete
their appointments in a timely manner.

Laboratory Procedures
During training, medical assistants may be exposed to several laboratory procedures that
will allow them to assist doctors when needed. Even during cardiac diagnostic tests,
doctors may need the extra hands of a qualified medical administrative assistant.

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Students will also be trained in the proper handling of laboratory procedures and
specimens to ensure that mishandling or contamination does not occur. Oftentimes, it is
not the doctor that collects blood or urine specimens, but the medical assistant.

Most professionals looking to enter this field also work towards earning a phlebotomy
certification. This not only makes them a more marketable employee, but it also helps
them better understand how blood specimens are obtained and handled in a laboratory
environment.

Administrative Skills
While the majority of medical assistant tasks are patient-oriented, there are some
administrative tasks that are important for keeping an office running efficiently. Students
who can handle and document patient charts, set appointments and demonstrate
proficiency in a variety of computer skills will be invaluable to a busy physician's practice.

By combining these medical office procedures into one course of study, schools provide
students with a solid foundation for building a financially rewarding career.

List of Different Types of Medical Office Procedures

Medical Records

According to the Texas Medical Association, patient consent forms, such as onset for
procedure or treatment form, patient education form, consent for medical or surgical
procedures and consent forms for invasive surgeries and procedures should be kept,
copied and filed accordingly.

It is important that medical offices file patient contact information and medical history
under the same category for consistency. Modern medical offices scan the forms and file
electronically, using electronic medical records (EMR) software such as Alteer Office
EMR. The ability to privatize access to information, organize files easily, locate files
quickly and share information with ease, are a few advantages of incorporating EMR
software into medical offices.

Reception Procedures

Always on duty, the medical receptionist provides patients and visitors with a greeting as
well as a sign-in sheet. According to Connexions Direct, it is the duty of the medical
receptionist to locate patient's medical files, hand out appropriate release and medical
forms, direct patients to the waiting area and be available for questions. As the
communication hub of the medical office, the receptionist answers phone calls, e-mails
and manages most all correspondence. It is also his responsibility to manage files

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electronically, back-up information using a secure method and communicate to the patient
a doctor's readiness.

Finances and Insurance

The medical receptionist also organizes payments and billing information. After service,
the receptionist receives credit card or other payment information and coordinates patient
information with appropriate insurance agencies. According to the Texas Medical
Association, the receptionist must prepare and send monetary notice letters such as, 60
days past due, final notice, notice of bad check, as well as overpayment notice. In the
case of non-payment, even after notices, the receptionist contacts a collection agency to
gain resolution of the delinquent matter.

Employee Rules and Regulations

To maintain a smooth running medical office, employees follow strict guidelines, rules and
regulations. Employees adhere to uniform codes, daily check-ins and outs, a strict no
drinking and no smoking policy and fill out time cards. Medical office administration
conducts drug-screening tests to ensure all employees adhere to the drug-free policy. For
the safety of the employees, a medical office also provide harassment forms and sick
leave and vacation time for full-time employees.

Medical Records

What is medical record ?

The medical record is a legal document providing a chronicle of a patient's medical history
and care. Physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and other members of the health care
team may make entries in the medical record.

What is health record ?

The terms medical record, health record, and medical chart are used somewhat
interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single patient's medical
history and care across time within one particular health care provider's jurisdiction.

What is purpose of documentation of patient`s medical records ?

The purpose of complete and accurate patient record documentation is to foster quality
and continuity of care. It creates a means of communication between providers and
between providers and members about health status, preventive health services,
treatment, planning, and delivery of care.

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What is medical record number ?

The medical record number is organization specific. The number is used by the
hospital as a systematic documentation of a patient´s medical history and care during
each hospital stay. Example: Answer this question only if you are reporting an incident.

What are the Basic Principles of

Medical Ethics?

Bioethicists often refer to the four basic principles of health care ethics when evaluating
the merits and difficulties of medical procedures. Ideally, for a medical practice to be
considered "ethical", it must respect all four of these principles: autonomy, justice,
beneficence, and non-maleficence. The use of reproductive technology raises
questions in each of these areas.

1) Autonomy

Requires that the patient have autonomy of thought, intention, and action when
making decisions regarding health care procedures. Therefore, the decision-making
process must be free of coercion or coaxing. In order for a patient to make a fully
informed decision, she/he must understand all risks and benefits of the procedure and
the likelihood of success. Because ARTs are highly technical and may involve high
emotions, it is difficult to expect patients to be operating under fully-informed consent.

2) Justice

The idea that the burdens and benefits of new or experimental treatments must be
distributed equally among all groups in society. Requires that procedures uphold the spirit
of existing laws and are fair to all players involved. The health care provider must
consider four main areas when evaluating justice: fair distribution of scarce resources,
competing needs, rights and obligations, and potential conflicts with established
legislation. Reproductive technologies create ethical dilemmas because treatment is not
equally available to all people.

3) Beneficence

Requires that the procedure be provided with the intent of doing good for the patient
involved. Demands that health care providers develop and maintain skills and
knowledge, continually update training, consider individual circumstances of all patients,
and strive for net benefit.

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 4) Non-maleficence

Requires that a procedure does not harm the patient involved or others in
society. Infertility specialists operate under the assumption that they are doing no harm
or at least minimizing harm by pursuing the greater good. However, because assistive
reproductive technologies have limited success rates uncertain overall outcomes, the
emotional state of the patient may be impacted negatively. In some cases, it is difficult
for doctors to successfully apply the do no harm principle.

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