Communications between instructor and students will be conducted online using the course email, bulletin board and chat utilities. The instructor will guide the students through a series of learning objectives using motivation and online instruction. The assigned readings, together with the reinforcement exercises, are the principal learning activities. Additional materials and resources are available online.
The following course content will be covered:
- Employment opportunities as a health care professional
- Qualities of a medical office assistant
- Confidentiality and Canadian law
- Medical law and ethics
- Appointment scheduling
- Filing and records management
- Telephone techniques
- Medical office emergencies
- Mail and correspondence
- Office problems and prioritizing
- Public relations and interpersonal skills
- Why patients get angry
- Conflict resolution/anger
- Stress management
- Time management
- Ordering supplies
- Meeting organization
- Lab requisitions
- Patient referrals
- Grief and loss and the elderly client
- Reference resources and community resources
- Office ergonomics
At the completion of this course, you will reliably demonstrate the ability to:
- Describe a variety of employment positions in a medical setting including entry-level positions
- Identify the legal implications of confidentiality of medical records and discuss medical ethics
- Identify the techniques used in maintaining an efficient, professional, and friendly office environment
- Maintain an appointment scheduling system and related procedures
- Complete forms used to refer patients to hospitals, other physicians, specialists, and medical facilities
- Use appropriate telephone techniques
- Effectively handle office mail
- Describe meeting organization and minute preparation
- Maintain and control office inventory
- Recognize stressful situations, use stress-management techniques, recognize and process onsite emergencies.
- Set up and maintain medical records and filing systems
- Identify a variety of community resources, both private and government, available to the patient
There is an online test at the end of each unit of study as well as a comprehensive final exam.
Graded assignments include proofreading exercises and Internet research.
| Quizzes | 15% |
| Assignments | 20% |
| Mid-term exam | 20% |
| Research project/teamwork | 10% |
| Final exam | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
Note: The letter grade assigned will be determined by the college at which you are registered.
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:
Plunkett’s Procedures for the Medical Administrative Assistant, latest edition, McCall, Elsbeth, Saunders-Elsevier.
Medical Filing, latest edition, Claeys, Delmar, Cengage Learning.
Recommended Text / Materials
Supplementary material online