HS210 Medical Office Management

1. HS210 Medical Office Management Unit 1 Seminar

2. Unit 1 Seminar … • Review of Syllabus and Expectations • Unit 1 Review (Chapter 3) • Questions

3. History • The first medical assistants were probably neighbors lending a helping hand. • The need for both administrative skills and clinical skills emerged as record keeping and other business details became more vital in physician offices. • Schools began offering training programs in the late 1940s. • Medical assistant organizations began developing in 1950, and certifying examinations followed soon after.

4. Duties • Administrative medical assisting duties. • Clinical medical assisting duties.

5. Clinical Duties • Taking medical histories • Explaining treatment procedures to patients • Preparing patients for examination • Assisting the physician during the examination • Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens • Performing basic laboratory tests • Instructing patients about medication and special diets

6. Clinical Duties • Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician • Authorizing prescription refills as directed • Drawing blood • Taking electrocardiograms • Removing sutures and changing dressings • Other duties allowed by state regulation and under physician direction

7. Administrative Duties • Using computer applications • Answering telephones • Greeting patients • Updating and filing patient medical records • Coding and filling out insurance forms • Scheduling appointments • Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services • Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping • Other duties allowed by state regulation and under physician direction

8. Medical assistants are found in: • physicians’ offices • chiropractors’ offices • podiatrists’ offices • hospitals • surgery centers • freestanding emergency centers

9. Professionalism Why is “professionalism” important for the medical assistant?

10. Medical Office Manager • Scheduling: Medical office managers are responsible for the schedules of physicians in the medical practice. This involves looking over any appointments scheduled by other members of the office team and checking for any potential timing conflicts. • Finances: The medical office manager often oversees the financial operations of the practice by making deposits, reconciling account information and paying bills. • Facilities: Medical office managers help arrange regular cleaning staff as well as routine and emergency maintenance visits for the building's facilities. They also order necessary medical and office supplies for the practice. • Billing: Medical office managers oversee the billing efforts of the practice, either by supervising medical billers or performing the functions on their own. Medical billing involves submitting claims to insurance companies, processing the company's response, and submitting billing statements to patients for any unpaid balances. • Supervision: Medical Office managers supervise other members of the practice's staff, such as receptionists, medical billers, transcriptionists and medical assistants. This supervision often involves hiring, training, coaching, delegating, disciplining and assessing performance.

11. ContinuingEducation The professional medical assistant must continually learn about the medical profession and the newest trends and information that affect the medical assistant profession.

12. ContinuingEducation • Reading literature related to the area in which the medical assistant is employed • Attending educational seminars • Attending meetings and conventions for medical assistants • Taking advantage of CEUs

13. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Medical Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos164.htm (visited April 12, 2009 and January 1, 2011).

14. American Association of Medical Assistants

15. Unit 1 Seminar Good Night!