Medical Administrative Procedures

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
OADM 1151
Descriptive
Medical Administrative Procedures
Department
Office Administration
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
201530
PLAR
Yes
Semester Length
15 Weeks X 4 Hours per Week = 60 Hours
Max Class Size
30
Contact Hours
Lecture: 2 Hours Seminar: 2 Hours Total: 4 Hours
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning Activities

The mode of presentation will be lecture, discussion, and will include videos and/or guest speakers.

Course Description
This course is will introduce the student to the administrative skills required to work in a medical office. An introduction to basic pharmaceutical terminology is included to assist with communication between pharmacists and physicians. Administrative topics will include telephone techniques, appointment bookings, filing, inventory control and financial records. The pharmacology portion will emphasize classification and spelling of commonly prescribed medications and abbreviations.
Course Content
  1. The Medical Office Assistant Position
    • job profile 
    • working conditions
    • salaries, benefits and responsibilities
  2. Medical Ethics and Canadian Law
    • medical ethics
    • malpractice and malpractice prevention
    • consent
    • procedures for the release of information
    • limits of responsibility
    • confidentiality
    • statutes
    • professionalism
  3. Reception, Public Relations and Professionalism
    • image
    • attitude
    • working as a team member
    • conflict resolution
    • effective communication and public relations
    • absenteeism and its effect on the work place
  4. Appointment Systems and Procedures
    • initial appointment - priorities, time required
    • appointment confirmations and cancellations
    • factors disrupting appointment schedules
    • referrals
    • booking of hospital beds, daycare surgery, treatment, lab and x-ray facilities
    • follow-up systems
    • special needs patients
  5. Referral Forms
    • hospital or daycare surgeries, physiotherapy, public health and other physicians.
  6. Telephone Techniques and Procedures
    • telephone etiquette
    • screening policy
    • communicating
    • problem situations
    • procedures for emergency telephone situations
  7. Processing of Mail
    • outgoing mail
    • incoming mail
  8. Inventory Control
    • procedures and controls for drugs, medical instruments and supplies
    • storage and maintenance
  9. Time and Stress Management
    • onsite emergencies
    • stressful situations
    • stress management techniques such as time management, exercise, etc.
  10. Patient Records
    • charting, histories - subjective, objective, hospital reports, patient information sheet
    • x-ray and lab reports
    • culling/purging
    • retention
  11. Records Management
    • systems of filing
    • colour coding, alphabetical, numerical
    • organization to control records
    • filing procedures and rules
  12. Community Resources
    • government sponsored
    • public sector
    • specific to elderly, chronic care, youth, and women
    • support services for patients remaining in their home
  13. Financial Records
    • petty cash
    • process of depositing cheques and cash
    • bank statement reconciliations
    • payroll deduction tables and payroll sheets
    • Revenue Canada payroll and remittance forms
  14. Application of pharmaceutical terminology to
    • divisions of pharmacology
    • drug administration routes
    • drug action terms
    • drug toxicity terms
    • drug effects in the body
  15. Drug names:
    • chemical
    • generic
    • brand/trade
    • prescription
    • non-prescription 
    • controlled
  16. Classification of drugs based on action:
    • analgesics
    • antibiotics
    • anticonvulsants
    • gastrointestinal agents
    • cardiovascular drugs
    • steroids
    • hormones
  17. Pronunciation and spelling of prescription medication
    • analgesics
    • antibiotics
    • anticonvulsants
    • gastrointestinal agents
    • cardiovascular drugs
    • steroids
    • hormones
Learning Outcomes

The learner has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. describe the employment entry level positions in a medical setting;
  2. discuss the legal implications of confidentiality of medical records and discuss medical ethics;
  3. identify the techniques used in maintaining an efficient, professional yet friendly office environment;
  4. maintain an appointment scheduling system;
  5. complete forms used to refer patients to hospitals, other medical facilities and other physicians;
  6. use appropriate telephone techniques;
  7. effectively handle office mail;
  8. maintain and control office inventory;
  9. recognize stressful situations, use stress-management techniques, recognize and process on-site emergencies;
  10. identify classifications of patient records retained for office and hospitals;
  11. set up and maintain medical records filing systems;
  12. identify community resources, both private and government, available to the patient;
  13. prepare petty cash records, bank reconciliation statements and payroll registers;
  14. explain the divisions of pharmacology, drug administration routes, drug action terms and drug effects in the body;
  15. recognize drug names; chemical, generic, brand, prescription, non-prescription and controlled;
  16. recognize and use abbreviations used in prescriptions;
  17. describe the classifications of drugs based on preparation;
  18. describe the classifications of drugs based on action.
Means of Assessment
Assignment(s)  20%
Quiz(s)  15%
Midterm  25%
Final Exam  30%
Employability skills          10%
Total 100%
Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Plunkett, Lorna.  Procedures for the Medical Administrative Assistant, Latest Edition, Harcourt Brace and Company

Chabner, Davi-Ellen. The Language of Medicine, Latest Edition, W. B. Saunders Company (used in OADM 1114 and OADM 1214)

and/or other textbooks as approved by department

Which Prerequisite