MA 117 - Effective Communication in Healthcare

A study of medical office communications with a focus on concepts of effective communication in healthcare, including verbal and nonverbal communication, communication barriers and professional communication regarding patient needs. Students will learn to correctly use and pronounce medical terminology in healthcare interactions and patient encounters, demonstrate professional telephone techniques, and compose clear and correct correspondence.

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

1. Identify types of verbal and nonverbal communication
2. Respond to non-verbal communication style through use of body language and recognize barriers to communication, identifying techniques to overcome them
3. Demonstrate active listening, reflection, restatement and clarification techniques to obtain a patient history and identify coping mechanisms, identifying the steps in the sender-receiver process and coaching patients relevant to their individual needs recognizing the principles of self-boundaries
4. Identify challenges in communication based on developmental stages
5. Prepare clear and correct correspondence with the purpose to inform/persuade, promote goodwill, and/or educate the patient regarding office policies and medical encounters
6. Participate in a business meeting following parliamentary procedure, prepare meeting minutes, and create an agenda 
7. Research and format a medical community resources directory and a patient education pamphlet to emphasize the role of the medical assistant in patient education and coaching.
8. Apply professional telephone etiquette and techniques used in a medical office including triage, screening, directing, and prioritizing calls and document telephone messages accurately
9. Perform a physical inventory of supplies for the medical assisting department, identifying the steps involved in completing an inventory
10. Demonstrate behavior consistent with acceptable professional conduct standards such as appearance, quality of work, human relation skills, and reading skills
11. Effectively manage time to complete required assignments