MOP Finals

• Ancient Medicine:

  • Earliest known medical texts come from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and India
  • Hippocrates (c. 460 - 370 BCE) is known as the father of medicine
• Medieval Medicine:

  • Influenced by Greek and Arabic traditions
• Renaissance Medicine:

  • Saw a renewed interest in the study of anatomy and physiology
• Modern Medicine:

  • Development began in the 19th century
  • Greater advances seen in the 20th century
• The Medical Office Environment:

  • Involves interacting with patients, offering care and comfort, and connecting them to healthcare professionals
  • Medical billing and coding specialists enter patient information into databases and organize them for easy use
  • Accuracy is crucial for accurate treatment and staying updated on laws affecting data entry and confidentiality
  • Computer skills are essential for data entry, including electronic health records programs, word processors, spreadsheets, and patient management systems
• Types of Healthcare Facilities:

  • Hospital: advanced medical technology to diagnose, treat, and care for patients
  • Medical Office: outpatient healthcare facilities for non-medical services, consultations, and routine check-ups
  • Government Organization: operated to provide healthcare services to the public
  • Non-profit Organizations: provide medical services with the primary goal of benefiting the community
  • Educational Institutions: universities, medical schools, and teaching hospitals for training healthcare professionals, conducting medical research, and offering advanced patient care
• • Military Organizations: provide medical services to members of the armed forces and veterans
  • Hospice Facilities (or Palliative Care): healthcare service for terminally ill patients
  • Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities: provide comprehensive and extended care for individuals with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or those who are unable to live independently
• Medical Terminologies:

  • Physician: medical doctor or doctor who practices medicine
  • Healthcare: an industry, a system by which people get the healthcare they need
  • Health Care (2 words): refers to provider-specific things that physicians do, like seeing a patient or prescribing medication
  • Health Facilities: places that provide health care, including hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, and nursing homes
• Parts of Medical Office:

  • Front Desk and Waiting Area: receiving and greeting patients and visitors, attending phone calls, answering inquiries, and assisting patients in filling up documents
  • Private Patient Registration Area: collects basic information about the person and records the actions performed as part of the services provided
  • Medical Storage Room: where files of patients are kept
  • Primary Care Exam Room: layout that facilitates physical exams and other procedures
• • Staff Lunch and Break Rooms: provides a place for staff to relax, have a mental break, snack, complete work, or collaborate with others
• • Clinical Laboratory: examines and analyzes blood, body fluids, tissues, and cells, and relays test results to physicians
  • Physician’s Private Office: allows a physician to converse with a patient about private health information
  • Treatment Room: a non-sterile room where minor surgical procedures are performed
  • Diagnostic Room: rooms where medical staff use specialized equipment to diagnose a patient’s medical condition
  • Special Procedure Room or Surgery Room: large, sterile room where surgeons operate on patients
• Modern Trends in Healthcare System:

  • Getting Social: healthcare providers and brands becoming more active on social channels, using tools to reach out to the community
  • Putting Patients First: monitoring daily patient needs to ensure sufficient numbers of trained nurses and nursing assistants at all times
  • Digitalization of Healthcare: new technologies, such as patient-focused Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions, improving patient satisfaction and overall level of care
• • Telemedicine: caring for patients remotely when the provider and patient are not physically present with each other
  • Addiction Treatment: family practitioners more educated on signs and symptoms of addiction, leading to a decline in prescriptions for addictive drugs
• Medical Specialties & Practice Types:

  • Most doctors have expertise in various medical specialties and subspecialties
  • Examples of medical specialties include allergists/immunologists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and more
  • Practice Types: Private Practice, Group Practice, Large HMOs, Hospital Based, Locum Tenens
• • Examples of Administrative Staff roles: Medical Office Receptionist, Medical Coders, Medical Billers, Medical Office Manager
  • Examples of Clinical Staff roles: Medical Office Assistants, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, and more
• The Personnel & Administrative Assistant in the Medical Office:

  • Physician is usually the owner of the medical practice and determines the culture of the practice
  • Two distinct groups of personnel in a healthcare facility: Administrative Staff and Clinical Staff
  • Administrative Staff provide supportive services to clinical staff and the organization, including management, finance, billing, human resources, and more
  • Clinical Staff carry out medical care, behavioral and mental health care, health education, and more
• Medical Assistants perform a variety of tasks in medical office settings
• Administrative Tasks:

  • Procedures used to keep medical practice offices running efficiently
• Clerical Tasks:

  • Procedures performed to aid physicians in the medical treatment of patients
• What Task do they Exactly Perform:
• Major categories of tasks performed by an administrative medical assistant:

  • Front Desk Procedures
  • Scheduling Appointments
  • Records Management
  • Administrative Duties
  • Billing and Insurance
• Front Desk:
• The administrative medical assistant greets patients and visitors, verifies personal data, explains fees, collects payments, and guides patients through medical office encounters
• Scheduling Appointments:
• The assistant answers phones, schedules appointments, and forwards calls according to office procedures
• Records Management:
• The assistant opens and sorts mail, composes correspondence, transcribes dictation, maintains physicians' schedules, and coordinates hospital admissions and surgical procedures
• Billing and Insurance:
• The assistant codes diagnoses and procedures, processes insurance claims and patient bills, assists with banking duties, guides patients on financial arrangements, and maintains financial records
• Administrative Medical Assisting Skills:
• Communication Skills:

  • Correct English grammar, style, punctuation, and spelling in writing and speaking
• Mathematics Skills:

  • Good math skills for financial records, billing, and ordering supplies
• Organizational Skills:

  • Managing time and priorities
• Computer Skills:

  • Basic understanding and mastery of using computers in healthcare settings
• Interpersonal Skills:

  • Excellent interpersonal skills from a genuine desire to work with people
• Administrative Medical Assisting Personal Attributes and Work Ethics:
• Positive attitude, cheerful personality, and genuine liking for people are important attributes
• Work Ethic & Professionalism:

  • Accuracy
  • Thoroughness
  • Dependability
  • Efficiency
  • Flexibility
  • Good Judgement
  • Honesty
  • Initiatives
  • Problem-Solving Ability
  • Punctuality
  • Self-Motivation
  • Tact
  • Being a Member of the Team
  • Assertiveness
  • Professional Image
• The Medical Assistant | Duties and Responsibilities:
• Medical assistants provide technical, clerical, receptionist, and patient care services under supervision