MA 117 - Medical Administrative Practice I

A study of medical office communications with a focus on written correspondence, telephone documentation, cultural diversity, verbal & non-verbal messages, therapeutic communication strategies, meeting agenda and minutes preparation, patient education resources, conference travel itineraries, and the processing of incoming and outgoing mail. A direct writing style for a specific purpose will be emphasized. Use of proper medical terminology, abbreviations, acronyms, eponyms, and sound-alike words will be integrated into sentence structure and proofreading. Use of library reference materials, internet and online databases will be used to conduct medical research on a disease prevention topic of interest. The impact of technologies on oral and written communication will be addressed.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Apply non-verbal communication skills by reading/using body language and recognizing barriers to communication
• Demonstrate active listening, reflection, restatement, and clarification therapeutic techniques to obtain a patient history
• Write correspondence with the purpose to inform/persuade, promote goodwill, and/or educate the patient in a medical office environment
• Create and format a community resources directory and a patient education pamphlet referencing library materials, and/or online databases to clarify medical terminology, abbreviations, eponyms, and acronyms used in medical correspondence
• Apply professional telephone techniques used in a medical office including directing, prioritizing, and documenting calls
• Participate in a mock staff meeting; prepare minutes and an agenda
• Create a travel itinerary for a national medical conference
• Learn techniques for processing incoming and outgoing mail in medical offices
• Explain the purpose of routine maintenance of administrative equipment
• Demonstrate behavior consistent with acceptable professional conduct standards such as appearance, quality of work, human relation skills, and reading skills
• Effectively manage time to complete required assignments