I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Administrative Procedures I

2. Course Prefix & Number:
MEDA 1135

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 2

Lab Hours: 2

4. Course Description:

This course covers administrative duties that are performed by the medical assistant.  Emphasis will be on understanding the facility environment, computers in the ambulatory care setting, telecommunications, patient scheduling, medical records management, written communications, and medical documents, including electronic medical records.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Name of Institution	Course Number and Title	Credits
Anoka Technical College, Anoka	MAST 1007 Medical Administrative I	2
Minnesota West Technical College, Luverne	ADSM 1120 Medical Office Procedures I	3

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Medical Assistant, Diploma

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Explain and demonstrate appropriate telephone etiquette in the medical office, schedule patient appointments, and respond to issues of patient confidentiality.
Utilize appropriate technology	Demonstrate the ability to use computers, telephones and other required office equipment.
Work as a team member to achieve shared goals	Compare and assess the advantages vs. disadvantages of paper vs electronic medical records by visiting with medical record employees at two different medical facilities in the area.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

Expected Outcome	MnTC Goal Area
Prioritize and organize in order of importance the many duties required of an administrative medical assistant.
Compose and produce an appropriate business letter to be mailed.
Explain the necessity of maintaining patient confidentiality as it relates to all areas, including electronic, paper and verbal formats, i.e. computers, faxes, conversations.
Formulate a streamlined method for managing medical documents in the ambulatory care setting.
Demonstrate empathy in communicating with patients, family and staff.
Schedule patient admissions and/or procedures.
Perform proper telephone etiquette techniques.
Organize a patient's medical record.
Compare and contrast various types of appointment management systems.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Creating The Facility Environment
• The Reception Area
• Office Design and Environment
• The Administrative Medical Assistant’s Role
• Opening the Facility
• Closing the Facility
• Future for Ambulatory Care
2. Computers in the Ambulatory Care Setting
• The Computer System
• Components of a Computer System
• Computer Maintenance by Office Personnel
• Use of Computers in the Medical Office
• Design Considerations for Computerized Medical Office
• Patient Confidentiality in the Computerized Medical Office
• HIPAA Standards for Safeguarding Protected Health Information
• Professionalism in the Computerized Medical Office
3. Telecommunications
• Telecommunications in the Electronic Health Records
• Basic Telephone Techniques
• Routing Calls in the Medical Office
• Telephone Documentation
• Using Telephone Directories
• Placing Outgoing Calls
• Placing Long-Distance Calls
• HIPAA Guidelines for Telephone Communications
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Telephone Technology
• Professionalism in Telecommunications
4. Patient Scheduling
• Tailoring the Scheduling System
• Scheduling Styles
• Analyzing Patient Flow
• Legal Issues
• Interpersonal Skills
• Guidelines for Scheduling Appointments
• Scheduling Software and Materials
• Inpatient and Outpatient Admissions Procedures
5. Medical Records Management
• The Purpose of Medical Records
• Ownership of Medical Records
• Authorization to Release Information
• Manual or Electronic Medical Records
• The Importance of Accurate Medical Records
• Types of Medical Records
• Equipment and Supplies
• Basic Rules for Filing
• Steps for Filing Medical Documentation in Patient Files
• Filing Techniques and Common Filing Systems
• Filing Procedures
• Correspondence
• Electronic Medical Records
6. Written Communications
• Composing Correspondence
• Components of a Business Letter
• Letter Styles
• Supplies for Written Communication
• Other Types of Correspondence
• Processing Incoming and Outgoing Mail
• Legal and Ethical Issues
7. Medical Documents
• Confidentiality and Legal Issues
• Types of Medical Documents
• Turnaround Time and Productivity
• Medical Transcription as a Career

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions

The laboratory sessions will involve practice and production of required work products to demonstrate proficiency of required competencies/skills related to the above outlined topics.

1. Computers in the Ambulatory Care Setting:
• Booting Up and Shutting Down Computer
• Software Installation
• Hardware Installation
2. Telecommunications:
• Answering and Screening Incoming Calls
• Transferring a Call
• Taking a Telephone Message
• Calling a Pharmacy to Refill an Authorized Prescription
• Handling Problem Calls
• Placing Outgoing Calls
• Recording a Telephone Message on an Answering Device or Voice Mail System
• Preparing, Sending, and Receiving a Fax
3. Patient Scheduling:
• Establishing the Appointment Matrix in a Paper System
• Establishing the Appointment Matrix Using Medical Office Simulation
• Making an Appointment on the Telephone Using Paper Scheduling
• Making an Appointment on the Telephone Using Medical Office Software
• Checking in Patients in a Paper System
• Checking in Patients Using Medical Office Simulation Software
• Cancellation and Rescheduling Procedures Using Paper Scheduling
• Cancellation and Rescheduling in Medical Office Simulation Software
• Scheduling Inpatient and Outpatient Admissions and Procedures
4. Medical Records Management:
• Establishing a Paper Medical Chart for a New Patient
• Establishing an Electronic Medical Record for a New Patient Using Medical Office Simulation Software
• Correcting a Paper Medical Record
• Correcting an Electronic Medical Record
• Steps for Manual Filing with an Alphabetic System
• Steps for Manual Filing with a Numeric System
• Steps for Manual Filing with a Subject Filing System
5. Written Communications:
• Preparing and Composing Business Correspondence Using All Components
• Addressing Envelopes According to United States Postal Regulations
• Folding Letters for Standard Envelopes
• Creating a Mass Mailing Using Mail Merge
• Preparing Outgoing Mail According to US Postal Regulations