Course Prefix/Number:
ALHE-108
Medical Office Procedures/Billing Review
Division: Outreach and Workforce Development
Program: Allied
Health
Credit Hours:
3.0
Initiation/Revised Date:
Spring 2006
CLASSIFICATION
OF INSTRUCTION
Vocational
This online seminar course will
provide a structured program of study which emphasizes the acquisition of
knowledge/or skills in a specific area of health care.
This
program has been designed to introduce the student to the procedures performed in the physician
front office (medical office assistant). It is designed for students with a
healthcare experience to enter the health care industry or advance from an
existing entry level health care position.
* Student should have completed
course work in or have a working knowledge of medical terminology and business
computer applications. This course meets the requirements of the medical assistant program course
Health
Care Experience
Young, Alexandra.
Kinn’The Administrative Medical Assistant An Applied Learning Approach , 5th
ED, Saunders.
CPT-4, HCPCS, ICD-9-CM,
Current Year
Upon completion of the course
the student will be able to:
Describe the scheduling and management of appointments
Compare how to schedule
inpatient and outpatient admissions and procedures
Explain
the organization of a patient’s medical record
Describe
how to file medical records
Discuss the preparation of a bank deposit
Discuss
the posting of entries on a day sheet
Summarize
accounts receivable procedures
Identify
correct performance of billing and collection procedures
Describe
how to post adjustments
Relate how to process a credit
balance
Explain the processing of refunds
Describe how to post NSF checks
Describe how to post collection
agency payments
Define managed care policies and procedures
Apply third party guidelines
Relate the performance of procedural
coding
Discuss how to perform diagnostic
coding
Describe how to complete insurance
claim forms
Respond to and explain
methods to initiate written communications
Recognize and describe responses to
verbal communications
Recognize and respond to nonverbal
communications
Describe good telephone techniques
Identify and respond
to issues of confidentiality
Perform
within legal and ethical boundaries
Discuss the establishment and maintenance
of the medical record
Discuss how to document
appropriately
Identify risk-management procedures
Describe policy for an inventory of supplies and
equipment
Discuss the
performance of routine maintenance of administrative and clinical equipment
Describe
computer software requirements to maintain office systems
I. Introduction
to Medical Assisting
A. The Medical Assisting Profession
B.
Professional Behavior in the Workplace
C.
Interpersonal Skills and Human Behavior
D.
Medicine and Ethics
C.
Medicine and Law
II. Administrative
Medical Assisting
A. Computers in the Medical
Office
B. Telephone Techniques
C. Scheduling Appointments
D. Patient Reception and
Processing
E. Written Communications and
Mail Processing
F. Medical Records Management
III.
Financial Management
A.
Professional Fees, Billing, and Collecting
B.
Basics of Diagnostic Coding
C.
Basics of Procedural Coding
D.
The Health Insurance Claim Form
E.
Third-Party Reimbursement
F.
Banking Services and Procedures
IV.
Medical Practice and Health Information Management
A. Medical Practice Management
B. Medical Practice Marketing
and Customer Service
C. Health Information
Management
Instructional methods will
include online lecture, visual demonstrations, and discussion board activities.
Students will complete all
sessions and participate in group activities and discussions
Failure to complete sessions or participate will result in a nonpassing grade.
Chapter includes
an examination(s) that students must complete and submit for evaluation. Each
course contains several exams. Unlike the confusing tests students may have
taken elsewhere, these examinations are designed with a particular purpose in
mind: They are open-book exercises (with the exception of the final) that help
students learn not by just understanding what they have read, but by knowing
where to look for information.
When you complete a lesson exam you will submit it online for grading. To
submit an exam online, you must have access to the Internet for an
“uninterrupted” time period. Some exams
must be graded by hand, which may include, short answer and essay
questions.
90 – 100 A
80
- 89 B
70
- 79 C
60
- 69 D
Attendance Policy
Absences that occur due to students participating in official
college activities are excused except in those cases where outside bodies, such
as the State Board of Nursing, have requirements for minimum class minutes for
each student. Students who are excused will be given reasonable opportunity to
make up any missed work or receive substitute assignments from the instructor
and should not be penalized for the absence.
Proper procedure should be followed in notifying faculty in advance of
the student’s planned participation in the event. Ultimately it is the student’s responsibility
to notify the instructor in advance of the planned absence.
Unless students are participating in a school activity or are excused by the instructor,
they are expected to attend class. If a
student’s absences exceed one-hundred (100) minutes per credit hour for the
course or, in the case of on-line or other non-traditional courses, the student
is inactive for one-eighth of the total course duration, the instructor has the
right, but is not required, to withdraw a student from the course. Once the student has been dropped for excessive
absences, the registrar’s office will send a letter to the student, stating
that he or she has been dropped. A
student may petition the chief academic officer for reinstatement by submitting
a letter stating valid reasons for the absences within one week of the
registrar’s notification. If the student
is reinstated into the class, the instructor and the registrar will be
notified.
Academic Integrity
NCCC expects
every student to demonstrate ethical behavior with regard to academic
pursuits. Academic integrity in
coursework is a specific requirement.
Definitions, examples, and possible consequences for violations of
Academic Integrity, as well as the appeals process, can be found in the College
Catalog, Student Handbook, and/or Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.
Cell
Phone Policy
Student cell phones and
pagers must be turned off during class times. Faculty may approve an exception
for special circumstances.
Assessment begins
at the beginning of the course when the instructor and the student determine
through conference and observation the skill level of the student. During the beginning of the class each
student will be observed and/or interviewed and initial exercises will be
examined to determine needed competency development throughout the course. Both student and instructor will analyze
student gain at the conclusion of the course through a formal evaluation tool.
Note:
Information and statements in
this document are subject to change at the discretion of NCCC. Changes will be published in writing and made
available to students.
NOTE: If you are a student with a disability who may need
accommodation(s) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please notify
the Director of Advising and Counseling,
Chanute Campus, Student Union, 620-431-2820 ext 280 or the Dean, Ottawa Campus, 785-242-2607
ext 312, as soon as possible. You
will need to bring your documentation for review in order to determine
reasonable accommodations, and then we can assist you in arranging any
necessary accommodations.
Course Plan
The course Program is divided into a number of chapters and lessons that are
available to you through the Internet as you advance through your course of
study. After being accepted into the course and enrolling in you will be
required to attend an On Campus orientation session or make other suitable
arrangements. After completing the orientation session you will have access to
course site and your course. Your initial Userid and Password will be assigned
by your instructor. Your course will not be available until after the date of
the orientation session.
The Course has been developed so that each new lesson builds on the material of
previous lessons. Therefore, you must study the materials in the order in which
they are listed on the course schedule. The course is instructor led courses
therefore students are required to complete assignments in a timely manner. To
assure that students in the course are working on schedule.
Learning
Strategies
This program has the advantage that you may complete the course right from your
own home. During the course you will be reading and studying textbooks,
handouts, computer self-learning programs, and Internet sites as you improve
your education and work toward advancement in performing medical (front)
administrative office procedures.
One of the many advantages of your program is that it enables you to progress
and study at your own pace. You do have an explicit weekly timetable to assure
that you stay on track otherwise you set the time and place of your study. If
you are having difficulty with a particular course or lesson, you do not have
to worry about keeping up with your classmates. You can take your time, review
and study the material until you have mastered it. On the other hand, if you
find certain material easy and you have a command of the content, you do not
have to be held back by others in your class. You may move on to the subsequent
lesson, handout, or section as soon as you feel happy with the substance
presented. You will also be able to study the course material when it’s
convenient for you. In your traditional studies, you attended classes when they
were scheduled. With this program you can choose when you address the material,
based on your schedule.
Communicating
With Your Instructor
As a student in the course, you may be physically separated from your
instructor, however you still have a direct communication line via email,
telephone, or the Internet (discussion board and chat classroom).
Here’s how you
can use these services and support lines to your benefit: You can receive
answers to course, lesson, chapter, and examination questions. With the just a
click of your mouse, you can find out your last exam grade, what your next
assignment is, or print required course forms. These features are available
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Any place that you have Internet
access you will also have access to your course(s).
Importantly, you have the ability to talk to your instructor about your lessons
via conventional methods such as the telephone or an office visit. You also
have the benefits of email to communicate with your instructor during evening
or weekend hours. If you have a question or a concern with course material you
do not understand or if you find a particular concept needing addition
explanation, your instructor is available to provide guidance and answer your
questions.
Using The
Course Website
While enrolled in
the program you may log onto the course Web site to access information
regarding course(s), grades, and so on. You can even submit an examination
through this site. It is important that you complete the orientation session.
During this
session you will be introduced to the Inside NC and Blackboard Course structure
including how to update personal information, review grades, change passwords,
view the course schedule and calendar, submit papers via the Digital Drop Box,
discussion board access, etc.
Course Calendar
To be successful in this program you must learn how to develop and follow a
schedule. Since the Course does have a set overall schedule and fixed
assignment terminal due dates it is important that you learn to plan your time
and course activities. The course requires that lesson material and
examinations be completed in a timely manner. All lessons and projects assigned
during the first half of the course must be completed by the course mid-term
date to receive credit. All lessons and projects assigned after the course
mid-term date must be submitted before the final course “on-campus” date to
receive credit. You will need to develop a course schedule plan by visiting
individual chapters and reviewing specific assignment and project submission
dates.
Program
Projected Schedule
Start with the big picture. You should have a target date for completing the
chapters of the course? If so, what is the start date? End date? For example,
your goal is to complete the course in one semester. You need to set a deadline
for completing each chapter
Weekly Schedule
You should break down your life schedule into a weekly plan that you can
manage. A day has twenty-four hours and a week seven days therefore each week
contains one hundred and sixty eight hours. To plan a week, use the student
course calendar, available on line, to estimate the number of hours to spend
each week on certain activities. After completion of the calendar, subtract the
total from one hundred and sixty eight. The answer is the number of hours
available each week for study. Is it enough time to complete course studies?
Estimate at least three clock hours per week per credit hour enrolled for
course work i.e. 3 credit hour course equals 9 clock hours per week. If not
enough hours are available for studies; you may have to make some changes. For
example, suppose it is indicated that television is watched 25 hours each week.
Decide to eliminate an hour or an hour and a half of television every day and
devote that time to studying.