Medical Front Office Assistant Information Packet

Transcription

1 Medical Front Office Assistant Information Packet Thank you for your interest in obtaining information about our program. This guide provides information regarding the Medical Front Office Assistant Marketable Skills Achievement Award (first semester) and the Certificate (first and second semester). Program Mission Statement The mission of the Medical Office Management/Administration program is to provide a supportive environment in which students will develop knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for successful employment in a medical front office setting including practices, clinics and hospitals. Contact Information Nehal Rangnekar, MS, CPC, professor, coordinator of Medical Front Office, Medical Coder programs, nrangnekar@dcccd.edu, , Bldg. Q, Room Q213 Gale Wilson, instructional specialist, grwilson@dcccd.edu, Bldg. M, Room 128 For continuing education (non-credit) units: o Susana Ruelas, sruelas@dcccd.edu, coordinator of Health Careers, , Bldg. S, Room S038 identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 1

2 Medical Front Office Overview: Special skills are necessary for handling a busy and demanding medical office and skilled, technologically-sophisticated medical office workers are in high demand. More and more health care facilities are seeking employees who have computer and internet knowledge, communication skills, interpersonal skills as well as the ability to work as part of team and with a diverse clientele to meet the needs of today s medical office. Medical front office assistants work in clinics, hospitals, doctors offices, medical insurance companies, health care organizations and more. Front office skills allow you to work in a medical setting without direct patient contact. They prepare you to perform administrative duties such as dealing with incoming and outgoing patients, scheduling and monitoring appointments, creating and maintaining patient records, applying standardized codes to patient records, and insurance billing. Brookhaven College s Medical Front Office Assistant Medical Front Office program is designed to develop and strengthen office skills for a medical setting. The curriculum prepares students to work in entry-level office positions in a variety of health care settings with skills in medical terminology, medical office procedures and medical software applications. Why is this a Good Career Bet? Health care reform and an aging population play a large role in the growth of all medical-related jobs, According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Medical secretaries are listed by America s Career Infonet as number 19 of the top 100 fastest-growing jobs requiring at least an associate degree, with an annual growth rate of 36 percent. Potential Employers: As a medical front office assistant, you will find opportunities for employment with a family practice, specialist s practice, primary healthcare organization, long-term care home or extended care home, medical insurance company, billing service organization, identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 2

3 agency related to healthcare, or surgical center. Medical Office Management/Administration Entry-level position titles: health information management associate health unit coordinator medical receptionist medical office assistant medical administrative office assistant medical front office support Career options: health information management medical billing and coding medical insurance medical records medical office management Typical Job Duties Work noted with a * shows a primary focus. 1. Perform Clerical Functions a. Schedule and manage appointments* b. Record and update patient information* c. File medical records* d. Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence 2. Perform Bookkeeping Procedures a. Perform accounts receivable procedures* b. Perform billing procedures* c. Establish and maintain a petty cash fund 3. Prepare Special Accounting Entries a. Post adjustments* b. Process credit balance* c. Process refunds* 4. Process Insurance Claims a. Apply managed care policies and procedures* b. Apply third-party guidelines* c. Obtain managed care referrals and pre-certifications* d. Perform procedural coding* identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 3

4 e. Perform diagnostic coding* f. Complete insurance claim forms* g. Use physician s fee schedule* 5. Communicate a. Respond to communications* b. Recognize and respond to verbal communications* c. Recognize and respond to non-verbal communications* d. Demonstrate telephone techniques* e. Interact with a variety of patients of all ages and backgrounds* f. Greet patients* 6. Apply Legal Concepts a. Identify and respond to issues of confidentiality* b. Perform within legal and ethical boundaries* c. Document appropriately* 7. Provide Patient Instruction a. Explain general office procedures* 8. Perform Operational Functions a. Perform and inventory office supplies* b. Perform routine maintenance of administrative equipment* c. Utilize computer software to maintain office systems* d. Perform copying, faxing and scanning tasks Application Criteria-New Students: 1. Complete application for admission to a Dallas County Community College District college. (available online) a. Applicants to the Medical Front Office Program must meet college admission requirements of the DCCCD as outlined in the college catalog. b. Applicants must have earned either a high school diploma or General Education Development, GED, certificate 2. Submit official transcripts and proof of accreditation from every undergraduate college (HS, GED, or college) attended outside of the DCCCD to the Brookhaven College Admissions Office: a. Brookhaven College Attention: General Admissions 3939 Valley View Lane Farmers Branch, TX b. All official transcripts from all colleges attended must be submitted PRIOR to applying to the program identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 4

5 c. Five-Year Time Limit: All coursework must have been completed less than five years prior to the start of the class for which you are applying. Courses taken five years or more prior to the enrollment at the college will not count as credit hours toward the Medical Front Office certificate. d. No coursework will be accepted from a college outside of the United States. e. Brookhaven College reserves the right to accept or reject any coursework completed at other colleges presented for transfer evaluation toward the Medical Front Office Program and will be at the discretion of the program coordinator. f. NOTE: You must earn at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for graduation through the Brookhaven College Medical Front Office Program. 3. Submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis (for students under age 22) 4. Arrange for financial resources: a. Financial Aid: Students needing financial assistance are encouraged to complete the applications for financial aid as early as possible. b. Financial aid information may be obtained by visiting the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, Building S, S015, for application forms, filing procedures and deadlines. For more information, bhcfa@dcccd.edu. c. Following application submittal, allow an 8 to 10 week period for processing. d. Early application assures availability of funds, if qualified, and allows the Financial Aid Office to prepare a realistic financial aid package. 5. Attend an information session in its entirety; this is MANDATORY to apply to the Brookhaven College Medical Front Office Program. 6. Register for classes with program advisor; students may not self-advise or self-register in our Medical Front Office programs. 7. Make payment: a. Tuition, textbooks and other fees stated are approximate and are subject to change. This cost estimate does not include the fees for immunizations, criminal background check or drug testing. See the Brookhaven College Cashiers Office for Tuition Payment Plan option. identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 5

6 Currently Enrolled Students: 1. Must participate in an advising session led by the program advisors each semester to obtain approval to register for the upcoming semester; students may not self-advise or self-register in our Medical Front Office programs. 2. Must maintain a minimum of C in each class to be eligible to enroll in the next classes. If a grade of D or F is earned, the student must schedule an appointment with a program adviser before enrolling in any additional classes. 3. For successful preparation and future employment in a medical office setting, you are required to have the following items. a. Social Security Number (international students are advised to contact the Brookhaven College Multicultural Center, Bldg. S, Room S136, concerning this requirement.) b. Valid ID with photo c. Vaccinations (in some environments) d. Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check i. All students enrolled in the Medical Front Office Certificate Program will be required to undergo a criminal background check and drug testing prior to beginning their practicum/externship experience. ii. This procedure is conducted after a student has been accepted to the program. iii. Students are responsible for all charges incurred (approximately $85) for these screenings. iv. Students are responsible for their own transportation arrangements to campus and to their assigned healthcare facilities for practicum experience. v. Students are responsible for their own actions and must not engage in any activities considered non-professional or non-conducive to proper patient care. Failure of a student to maintain a professional attitude may result in reduction of course grade, course failure, and possible expulsion from the program. identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 6

7 Semester I - Marketable Skills Achievement Award Medical Office Management/Administration If students complete the group of courses and do not continue to the second semester of courses, they may apply for graduation to receive a Marketable Skills Achievement Award, which is recognized by the college and allows students to go through graduation activities. Students may enroll in the program on either a full- or part-time basis. The first semester offers 13 college credit hours or Continuing Education Units. Course Prefix Course No. Course Name Credit/CEU POFI 1301 (1001)* Computer Applications I 3/4.8 POFT 1127 (1027) Intro to Keyboarding 1/1.6 MDCA 1313 (1013) Medical Terminology 3/ 4.8 POFM 1317 (1017) ** Medical Administrative Support 3/ 4.8 POFM 1327 (1007) Medical Insurance 3/ 4.8 Total 13/20.80 *Course numbers shown in parentheses are used for workforce and continuing education courses. **POFM 1317 Medical Administrative Support is the capstone course for this award. Notes: College credit earned from the courses above will apply to the Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) earned from the courses above may be applied to the Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate. See the program coordinator about the process to follow. If a student completes the first semester for CEUs, he/she must complete the process to convert the CEUs to credits before enrolling in semester II. identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 7

8 Semester II - Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate Medical Office Management/Administration Students must have completed the courses listed under Semester I for college credit in order to enroll in the courses listed below. Students may pursue the program on either a full- or part-time basis. The second semester offers a total of 27 college credits: (Semester I 13 credits + Semester II 14 credits) Course Prefix Course No. Course Name Credit/CEU HITT 1341 Coding & Classification Systems 3 POFM 1302 Medical Software Applications 3 POFT 1301 Business English 3 HITT 1311 Health Information Systems 3 POFM 1280 Co-Op Work Experience/Externship* 2 Total 14 *POFM 1280 Cooperative Education Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary is the capstone course for this award. The course requires students to complete 160 hours of unpaid, hands-on work experience at selected medical offices to perform the skills they have obtained through classroom application. Notes: Credit by Examination: The following courses have been identified in which students may earn credit by exam. o MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (required in semester I) o POFT 1301 Business English (required in semester II) To take a Credit by Exam, you must be enrolled in at least one credit course during the semester in which you take the exam. Students must request a Credit by Exam form from Admissions in Bldg. S and pay a nonrefundable fee ($25.00) at the Cashiers Office before the examination is taken. Once the fee has been paid, students should contact the instructional specialist at to schedule an appointment to take the exam. Once the exam has been completed, the earned grade will be entered on the form. The student will be contacted regarding the final course grade earned. If a minimum grade of C identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 8

9 is not earned on the Credit by Exam, the student must enroll in the course. The grade earned on the exam is the one that is placed on your college transcript. Estimated Expenses for Medical Front Office Assistant MSA/Certificate Program The tuition is charged according to the number of credit hours for which a student enrolls and location of legal residence (for information about residency, refer to the listing titled Residency Requirements and Your Tuition in the college catalog). Tuition, textbooks and other fees stated are approximate and are subject to change. This cost estimate does not include the fees for immunizations, criminal background check, or drug testing. See the Brookhaven College Accounting Office for Tuition Payment Plan option. Tuition Costs for Semester I Semester I - Medical Front Office Assistant Marketable Skills Achievement Award Credit Hrs. Tuition In-County ($59.00) Tuition Out-of-County ($111.00) POFI 1301 Computer Applications I 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFT 1127 Intro to Keyboarding 1 $ 59 $ 111 MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFM 1317 Medical Administrative Support 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFM 1327 (1002) Medical Insurance 3 $ 177 $ 333 Total Cost of Tuition 13 $ 767 $ 1,443 identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/2016 9

10 Tuition, Textbooks, and Supplies Medical Office Management/Administration Semester I Marketable Skills Achievement Award Tuition Textbooks Supplies Est. Total for Semester I In-County Resident $ $ $ $ 1, Out-of-County Resident $ 1, $ $ $ 1, Tuition Costs for Semester II Semester II- Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate HITT 1341 Coding & Classification Systems Credit Hrs. Tuition In-County ($59.00) Tuition Out-of-County ($111.00) 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFM 1302 Medical Software Applications 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFT 1301 Business English 3 $ 177 $ 333 HITT 1311 Health Information Systems 3 $ 177 $ 333 POFM 1280 Co-Op Work Experience/Externship 2 $ 118 $ 222 Total Cost of Tuition 14 $ 826 $ 1,554 Tuition, Textbooks, and Supplies Semester II Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate Tuition Textbooks Supplies Est. Total for Semester II In-County Resident $ $ $ $ 1, Out-of-County Resident $ 1, $ $ $ 2, identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/

11 Tuition, Book, Supplies Costs for Semesters I & II Estimated Total Tuition/Book Expenses (27 Credits) Medical Office Management/Administration In-County Resident Out-of-County Resident Semester I & Semester II $ 2, $ 4, Regardless of funds, textbooks are required by the second class session. Financial Aid: Determine financial needs. See financial aid counselor for questions, if needed. Apply early for the next semester! Program Sequence Courses are scheduled in a particular sequence for a reason. Knowledge, skills, and attitudes are developed throughout each course and they build upon each other, moving from the simple to the complex. You are considered to be a Semester I students until you complete all the classes required. You may enroll in the classes either as full-time or part-time. You may combine classes from the day schedule with the evening schedule. If you complete only the first semester, apply for the following: Marketable Skills Achievement Award If you complete both Semesters I & II, apply for the Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/

12 Medical Front Office Assistant Marketable Skills Achievement Award Semester I - Day Schedule (Registration for Fall & Spring) Time Monday Wednesday 9 10:20 a.m. POFM 1327 Medical Insurance (16 weeks) POFM 1327 Medical Insurance (16 weeks) 10:30 1:50 a.m. POFM 1317 Administrative Medical Support (16 weeks) POFM 1317 Administrative Medical Support (16 weeks) Noon - 1:20 p.m. POFI 1301 Computer Applications I (16 weeks) POFI 1301 Computer Applications I (16 weeks) Time Tuesday Thursday 9-10:20 a.m. 10:30-11:50 a.m. POFT 1127 Beginning Keyboard (8 weeks) MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks) POFT 1127 Beginning Keyboard (8 weeks) MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks) Time Saturday 9 a.m. noon MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks) Online MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks, 12 weeks, 8 weeks) identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/

13 Semester I -- Night Schedule (Registration for Fall & Spring) Time 5:40 7:30 p.m. 7:40 9:30 p.m. Monday POFM 1317 Administrative Medical Support (16 weeks) POFM 1327 Medical Insurance (16 weeks) POFI 1301 Computer Applications I (Online, 16 weeks) Time Saturday 9 a.m.-noon MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks) Online MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (16 weeks, 12 weeks, 8 weeks) Semester I -- Summer Schedule The following table shows typical schedule and are the only classes offered in the summer for Semester I. The content is the same as offered in fall and spring semesters; however, it is fast-paced and condensed in less time for most courses offered in the summer. Courses Semester I Online Campus POFI 1301 Computer Applications I POFT 1127 Intro to Keyboarding MDCA 1313 Medical Terminology (10 weeks) (8 weeks) (10 weeks, 12 weeks) Saturday (12 weeks) 9 a.m.-noon identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/

14 Medical Front Office Assistant Certificate Note: To enroll in the following courses, courses from Semester I must have been completed with a minimum college credit of C in each course. If courses were taken as continuing education, the units must be converted to credit before enrolling in the courses shown below. Semester II - Day Schedule (Registration for Fall & Spring) Time Tuesday Thursday 9-10:20 a.m. 10:30-11:50 a.m. Noon-1:20 p.m. HITT 1311 Health Information Systems (16 weeks) HITT 1341 Coding & Classification Systems (16 weeks) POFM 1302 Medical Software Applications (16 weeks) HITT 1311 Health Information Systems (16 weeks) HITT 1341 Coding & Classification Systems (16 weeks) POFM 1302 Medical Software Applications (16 weeks) POFT 1301 Business English (16 weeks) (Tue/Thurs anytime from 9 a.m.-noon or Online) Time 9 11 a.m. Saturday POFM 1280 Externship; two class meetings on Saturdays from 9 11 a.m., Building M, Room TBA plus two online sessions identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/

15 Semester II -- Night Schedule (Registration for Fall & Spring) Time 5:40 7:30 p.m. 7:40-9:30 p.m. Tuesday POFM 1302 Medical Software Applications (16 weeks) HITT 1341 Coding & Classification Systems (16 weeks) HITT 1311 Health Information Systems (Online, 16 weeks) Time 9 11 a.m. Saturday POFM 1280 Medical Office Co-Op Work Exp/Externship two class meetings on Saturdays from 9 11 a.m., Building M, Room TBA plus two online sessions Semester II -- Summer Schedule The following table shows typical schedule and are the only classes offered in the summer for Semester II. The content is the same as offered in fall and spring semesters; however, it is fast-paced and condensed. Time 9 11 a.m. Online Saturday POFM 1280 Medical Office Co-Op Work Exp/Externship two class meetings on Saturdays from 9 11 a.m., Building M, Room TBA plus two online sessions POFT 1301 Business English (10 weeks) NOTE: Program guidelines are subject to change. Students are advised to obtain the latest program information packet from the Brookhaven College website below. Visit the Medical Front Office Assitant Certificate Program web page at and go to M in the A-Z index. identity or gender expression. Revised 03/21/