Safety Tutorial for Office Work-- Medical Billing and Coding—

1. Safety Tutorial for Office Work--Medical Billing and Coding— By Maria Colella New Utrecht High School

2. Perform day-to-day office tasks such as maintaining files and processing paperwork Lean and apply knowledge of insurance rules and regulations Post charges, payments and adjustments to patient accounts and office accounts receivable records Assist in preparing claims generated by the practice Review denied claims with a CBCS for the purpose of identifying errors Assist with the timely updating of the practice’s internal documents, patient registration forms and billing as required by the insurance billing company Use good communication skills in order to work effectively and efficiently with the office staff Assist patients in filling out insurance forms Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained Training Tasks for Office Work as a Medical Billing and Coding.

3. Workplace SafetyPre-Test • Accidents on the job can only happen if you leave your work area. True False • Working with a computer can cause stress and eye-strain True False • Working with patients is always enjoyable. True False • It is the responsibility of the worker to report any hazardous condition in the workplace False True • Proper ventilation is a must when you work with fluids, chemicals and electronic equipment False True

4. Answers to Pre-Test • False • True • False • True • True

5. Personal Grooming • Clothes Wear appropriate attire to work (no jeans, sloppy clothes, shorts, sandals, etc.) • Hair Always neat and clean, not a disheveled look • Shoes Comfortable, clean

6. Safety Equipment • Fire alarms and extinguishers • First Aid Kit • Ergonomic office furniture (desk, chair, keyboard)

7. Tools • Computer • Fax Machine • Copier • Paper Cutter • Electric stapler

8. Equipment/Machinery • Computer workstation • Keyboard • Monitor • Fax • Printer • Telephone • Pen/paper

9. Electrical Safety • Make sure all cords are not in walkways • Do not overload plugs or power strips • Always plug into a surge protected outlet • Do not remove the back of any electrical equipment or try to repair on your own • Report any problems at once • Do not have liquids near PC’s or nay other electrical equipment • Compute workstation, components and accessories are maintained in serviceable condition and functioning properly

10. Floor, Doors, Exits KNOW • the floor you are on • location of staircases • location of exists • location of fire alarm boxes and how to operate them • where the fire extinguishers are and how to operate them • aisles, exists and doorways clear at all times • floors clear of spills KEEP

11. Chemical Hazards • Powders • Dusts • Gases • Vapors • Liquids • Know the chemical hazards and the workplace and follow safety procedures for handling them • Make sure there is proper ventilation when using glues, paints, adhesives and other chemicals • Make sure rooms with copiers and other equipment are ventilated

12. Ergonomic Hazards— • Looking at a monitor for too long can cause Eye Strain To avoid eye-strain • Position the monitor so that the top of the screen is at or below eye level • Position yourself to be able to look at your reference material without having to squint • Arrange lighting so that it does not cause a glare on your screen • Take frequent breaks to rest your eyes • Blink often to keep your eyes from drying out

13. Ergonomic Hazards—(Continued) • Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion of your wrists and affects your tendons and nerves To avoid Carpal Tunnel syndrome • Perform stretch exercises • Stretch your fingers • Do wrists circles and circles • Take frequent breaks • Use correct posture and wrist position when keyboarding

14. Infectious Diseases • Cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough • Throw away used tissues • Wash your hands often • Do not chew on pens or tools • Avoid rusty nails, needles, splinters • Keep work area clean • Blood borne disease— Avoid exposure to items contaminated with human blood or body fluids

15. Fire • Ensure that you are familiar with the location and operation of the extinguishers in your facility • Carefully review the instructions of the fire extinguishers so that you can react quickly in case of a fire emergency • Know evacuation procedure in case of fire • Know how to immediately report a fire

16. Robbery/Bomb Scare In case of robbery • Do not resist a robbery attempt. Give up what they are asking for and trigger a silent alarm (if available and within reach) In case of a bomb scare • Remain calm and in a orderly fashion evacuate the office • Locate your fellow employees outside • Have a designated meeting are • Report to the fire department or police if you think someone may still be inside • Do not go back until you are told to do so

17. Angry/threatening patients/customer • Smile even if you are on the phone • Close your eyes and take a deep breath • Stay calm • Offer assistance • Offer options/solutions • Refer patient/customer to supervisor

18. Emergency numbers should be visible, use them to reach any authority Contact your immediate supervisor Complete an accident report Follow instructions in the company’s employee handbook if available for reporting an injury Keep a copy of all forms Contact WBL coordinator Contact parents HOW and to WHOM DO YOU REPORT AN INJURY

19. Workplace Safety Post-Test • It’s acceptable to wear jeans at work if that makes you more comfortable in doing your job. True False • You should not worry about the location of the fire extinguisher because it is your supervisor’s responsibility to locate it and operate it. True False • No liquids, whether bottles are closed or not, are allowed next to a PC or any other electrical equipment True False • Make sure there is proper ventilation whenever using glues, paints and other chemicals. True False • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by seating long hours at a computer desk which puts strain on your back. True False

20. Post-Test (Continued) • It’s fine to leave a copier on all night because the next day you won’t have to wait until it warms up. True False • You must familiarize yourself with company’s procedure on reporting and evacuation in case of fire. True False • In case of robbery, show loyalty to the company by resisting demands until the police comes. True False • When patients get out of hand, keep smiling and offer assistance in solving a problem. True False • In case of an injury on the job, let employer know about it immediately and, when you go back to school the next day, tell the story to your coordinator True False

21. False False True True False False True False True False Answers to Post-Test

22. Safety Web Resources • http://nysweca.org/safety.htm • http://uwworksafe.com/worksafe/pdfs/FactSheet.pdf • www.dol.gov • www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers