Online Diploma in Medical Office Assistant Training

The history of medical assisting; educational opportunities available for medical assistants; required administrative duties, clinical skills, and professional characteristics; certifying bodies and career opportunities; modern medicine and the future of medicine; medical and surgical specialties; allied health fields; current trends in health care.

Criminal versus civil law; negligence and abandonment claims; informed consent; the Hippocratic oath; AMA Principles of Medical Ethics; standards of care; the Patient’s Bill of Rights; HIPAA requirements.

Identifying, analyzing, building, spelling, and pronouncing medical terms.

Verbal and nonverbal communication; effective listening; feedback in patient care; assertive and aggressive behavior; general office safety measures; medical waste; OSHA standards and guidelines; universal precautions; proper body mechanics; telephone techniques and triage; handling difficult callers and emergency phone calls.

Receptionist responsibilities and legal and ethical duties; opening and closing the medical office; obtaining information from new patients; handling angry patients and waiting room emergencies; scheduling systems and equipment; maintaining correct documentation; scheduling hospital admissions and surgeries; ethical issues related to scheduling; conditions for emergencies.

Elements of office flow; HIPAA regulations for medical records; basic office equipment; handling drug samples; letter writing considerations; drafting, proofreading, and editing letters; preparing envelopes; mail service classifications; computer hardware, software, security, and maintenance; ergonomic workstations.

Problem-oriented records; the SOAP charting method; file storage units; alphabetic, numeric, and color-coded filing systems; cross-referencing systems; quality assurance; statutes of limitations; electronic versus paper records; converting to electronic records; HIPAA compliance for electronic records; personal digital assistants.

Determining fees; billing methods and statement preparation; credit policies and collections processes; aging accounts; check writing systems; accepting third-party payments; methods for endorsing checks; recurring monthly expenses; making deposits; reconciling bank statements.

Comparing and contrasting health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and traditional insurance programs; benefits and explanation of group, individual, and government-sponsored health benefits; health insurance forms; medical claim forms and the claims submission process; insurance claim security, tracking, and rejection.

Purpose of diagnostic coding; principles of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM coding; basic rules and principles of CPT coding.

The systems approach to management; personnel management duties; monthly planning and staff meetings; time management principles; the personnel policy manual and the office policy and procedures manuals; medical meetings and presentations; patient information booklets.

Standard precautions; medical and surgical asepsis; hand washing procedures; sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization; hepatitis and HIV transmission; MRSA and its repercussions; bioterrorism and biological agents; components of a medical history; weight, height, and temperature conversions; measuring body temperature, pulse rates, respiratory rates, and blood pressure.

Basic examination equipment, methods, and positions; preparing patients for exams; draping techniques; assisting with laboratory and diagnostic tests, procedures of the reproductive and urinary systems, and eye and ear care.

Childhood growth and development patterns; measuring a child’s height, weight, head, and chest; calculating growth percentiles; the aging process and its impact on the body and the general population; legal issues and safety measures for aging patients.

Types of ambulatory surgery; guidelines for surgical aseptic technique; surgical instruments and suture materials; preparing patients for surgery; informed consent; types of wounds and stages of healing; primary assessment steps; the ABCD sequence for CPR; signs of respiratory distress and chest pain; insulin shock and diabetic coma; soft-tissue wounds and burns; syncope; emergency preparedness.

Types and roles of clinical laboratories; OSHA regulations; Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments; quality assurance and quality control; laboratory equipment; laboratory request forms; test results; classification of microorganisms; guidelines for obtaining specimens; culture interpretation; sensitivity and serological testing.

Types of urine specimens; the physical and chemical components of urine; glucose testing and microscopic examination; pregnancy testing; quality control for urinalysis; components of blood; preparing patients for routine blood specimen collection and testing.

X-ray procedures, preparations, and positions; fluoroscopy, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound; side effects and safety precautions of radiation therapy; proper storage of X-ray materials; maintenance and operation of electrocardiogram equipment; lead sensors and attachment sites; stress testing and Holter monitoring; pacemaker placement.

Obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disease; pulmonary function equipment; spirometer controls; peak flow testing; pulse oximeters; physical therapy modalities; range of motion exercises; heat and cold application; adaptive equipment used in rehabilitation; body mechanics for patient transfer.

Apothecary and metric system prefixes, calculations, and conversions; legal and commercial drug names; drug reference resources; oral and parenteral drug administration; drug interactions; OSHA standards for needlesticks; intramuscular injection sites; precautions for injections in children.

Teaching methods and strategies; public relations brochures; education for special populations; reasons for noncompliance; cast application, care, and removal; types of nutrients; saturated versus unsaturated fats; cholesterol; calorie consumption; dietary guidelines and diet modifications; categories of mental disorders; psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and electroconvulsive therapy; behavioral influences; coping with stress; stages of grief.

Professional skills for the workplace; conducting a personal assessment; developing a resume and cover letter; responding to advertisements; preparing for interviews.