Key Areas and Course Topics
The purpose of this program is to prepare students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office. This course covers the following key areas and topics:
- Clinical responsibilities of the medical office – assisting the physician with patient related care
- Preparing patients for examination and treatment, routine procedures and diagnostic testing
- HIPAA, patient confidentiality, legal aspects of healthcare and regulatory patient care issues
- Recording and taking of vital signs, blood pressure, and other patient care items related to the physician office visit
- Review and administration of medications, allergies and other pharmacology related items
- Laboratory procedures, phlebotomy and the proper techniques required to collect specimens for laboratory analysis
- Cardiology and the proper placement of leads when taking a 12 lead EKG
Detailed Course Topics Covered
- Responsibilities of the clinical medical assistant and introduction to healthcare facilities
- Medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, circulation of the heart and blood vessels
- Care & safety of patients, medical & legal aspects of care, confidentiality and HIPAA
- Effective verbal and non-verbal communication, interpersonal skills and human behavior
- Aseptic techniques, infection prevention, universal precautions, proper use and disposal of biohazards and sharps
- Documenting patient medical histories, updating patient medical files, vital signs and documentation
- Appling sterile dressings, preparing patients for x-rays, performing various injections, administering oral medications, instructing patients on the proper usage of medications
- Phlebotomy, venipunctures and capillary sampling, collecting specimens and point of care testing
- Performing 12 lead EKGs and EKG strip analysis (P,Q,R,S,T wave form)