Medical Administrative Assistant (Certificate) Curriculum

This course provides an overview of commonly available software tools used in healthcare, including an introduction to encoding tools and computer-assisted coding software used in healthcare data processing. Focus is placed specifically on healthcare software and its many uses, functions and applications in the medical office. Other processes such as medical office billing and information technology are also discussed.

This course teaches the foundation of the language of healthcare. Students will learn how to pronounce medical terms and communicate medical information to both health professionals and patients. Students will also learn the principles of word-building needed for the extensive medical vocabulary used in healthcare. Students will utilize interactive technology to assist with learning, pronunciation and application in Anatomy and Physiology.

This course introduces students to different types of healthcare delivery systems and how to analyze the organization, financing, regulatory issues, and delivery of different healthcare services. Topics covered include the "continuum of care" concept, and methods and theories in healthcare delivery systems and computer applications in healthcare. Focus is placed on evolution and trends in managed healthcare, including research, statistics, quality management, and integrating information technologies into medical office practices. Other processes such as staffing, productivity, and improving quality are also discussed.

This course examines medical billing and coding in medical practice. All basic medical billing and coding issues are discussed, including coding diagnosis, the International Classification of Diseases Manual (ICD-10-CM), coding compliance and legal and ethical compliance. Students extrapolate coding information from the ICD-10-CM manual and examine usage guidelines for Volumes I, II and III.

This course covers an overview of medical assisting as a career. Students analyze job responsibilities of a medical assistant including patient interaction and communication, scheduling and maintaining accurate patient records. Processing insurance claims is described and students examine various bookkeeping systems. The importance of taking inventory is discussed, as well as the steps in making a purchasing decision. Students also explore specialized options for an administrative medical assistant.

In this Capstone course students will continue to prepare for the role of medical administrative assistant. By completing this course, you will validate your ability to perform routine administrative tasks in a physician’s office or clinic. You will also finalize your ePortfolio which will showcase to potential employers your achievement.