THE MEDICAL SECRETARY Dr. Nasser Ali Al JarALLAH

THE MEDICAL THE MEDICAL SECRETARYSECRETARY

Dr. Nasser Ali Al JarALLAHDr. Nasser Ali Al JarALLAH

THE MEDICAL SECRETARYTHE MEDICAL SECRETARY

What a medical secretary is.What a medical secretary is. Medical communications.Medical communications. Records in a medical office.Records in a medical office. Insurance claims processing Insurance claims processing

and accounting procedures.and accounting procedures. Medical office technology.Medical office technology. Medical mini-glossary.Medical mini-glossary.


What a medical secretary is.What a medical secretary is. The medical secretary is a The medical secretary is a

trained member of the trained member of the medical health-care team, medical health-care team, who can performs the who can performs the administrative and administrative and secretarial functions required secretarial functions required at particular medical facility.at particular medical facility.

THE MEDICAL SECRETARYTHE MEDICAL SECRETARY Tasks of medical secretary:Tasks of medical secretary:There can be no routine in handling There can be no routine in handling

patients because each patient is patients because each patient is different, with specific needs.different, with specific needs.

A.A. Administrative/Secretarial Duties;Administrative/Secretarial Duties;1.1. Handling the telephone.Handling the telephone.2.2. Obtaining and recording messages Obtaining and recording messages

from the answering service.from the answering service.3.3. Scheduling, canceling, Scheduling, canceling,

rescheduling patients’ rescheduling patients’ appointments.appointments.


A.A. Administrative/Secretarial Administrative/Secretarial Duties (cont.);Duties (cont.);

4.4. Greeting patients.Greeting patients.5.5. Recording patients’ visits.Recording patients’ visits.6.6. Quoting and collecting fees.Quoting and collecting fees.7.7. Sending out bills.Sending out bills.8.8. Preparing and processing Preparing and processing

insurance claim forms.insurance claim forms.9.9. Maintaining financial records.Maintaining financial records.


A.A. Administrative/Secretarial Administrative/Secretarial Duties (cont.);Duties (cont.);

10.10. Ordering and maintaining Ordering and maintaining office supplies and equipment.office supplies and equipment.

11.11. Typing and transcribing Typing and transcribing dictated and handwritten dictated and handwritten correspondence and case correspondence and case histories.histories.

12.12. Composing correspondence.Composing correspondence.13.13. Maintaining patients’ records.Maintaining patients’ records.


A.A. Administrative/Secretarial Duties (cont.);Administrative/Secretarial Duties (cont.);14.14. Opening, sorting, and distributing mail.Opening, sorting, and distributing mail.15.15. Handling petty cash.Handling petty cash.16.16. Making bank deposits.Making bank deposits.17.17. Taking patients’ medical histories.Taking patients’ medical histories.18.18. Assisting patients in understanding the Assisting patients in understanding the

doctor’s instructions regarding their doctor’s instructions regarding their prescribed health-care treatment.prescribed health-care treatment.

19.19. Filing and pulling patients’ charts, reports, Filing and pulling patients’ charts, reports, and records for their visits.and records for their visits.

20.20. Arranging for patients’ hospital Arranging for patients’ hospital reservations.reservations.


B.B. Clinical duties;Clinical duties;

1.1. Taking patients’ medical histories.Taking patients’ medical histories.

2.2. Measuring patients’ vital signs : Measuring patients’ vital signs : temperature, pulse, respiration, temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure.blood pressure.

3.3. Sterilizing instruments and Sterilizing instruments and equipment.equipment.

4.4. Positioning and draping patients for Positioning and draping patients for examination.examination.


B.B. Clinical duties (cont.);Clinical duties (cont.);5.5. Collecting specimens form patients Collecting specimens form patients

and either sending them to a and either sending them to a laboratory or performing certain laboratory or performing certain diagnostic tests for which one has diagnostic tests for which one has been trained.been trained.

6.6. Taking electrocardiograms.Taking electrocardiograms.7.7. Assisting doctors with the patients’ Assisting doctors with the patients’

examinations or treatment, if examinations or treatment, if needed.needed.

8.8. Keeping medical supply cabinets Keeping medical supply cabinets well stocked.well stocked.


Qualifications for medical secretary Qualifications for medical secretary depend:depend:

1.1. On whether the specific position On whether the specific position requires mainly requires mainly secretarial/administrative tasks, secretarial/administrative tasks, clinical tasks, or both.clinical tasks, or both.

2.2. On the specialty of the physician.On the specialty of the physician.

3.3. On the nature and size of the On the nature and size of the medical facility.medical facility.


Qualifications ( cont.):Qualifications ( cont.):Medical secretary should have:Medical secretary should have: A desire to help people.A desire to help people. Strong interpersonal skills.Strong interpersonal skills. Personal characteristics such as Personal characteristics such as

patience, poise, tact, consideration, patience, poise, tact, consideration, dependability, punctuality, and dependability, punctuality, and flexibility.flexibility.

Carefulness, accuracy, and attention Carefulness, accuracy, and attention to detail, as well as respect for to detail, as well as respect for confidentiality.confidentiality.

A well-groomed appearance .A well-groomed appearance .


Qualifications ( cont.):Qualifications ( cont.):

Medical secretary should have:Medical secretary should have: Proficient in English Proficient in English

pronunciation, spelling, pronunciation, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.grammar, and punctuation.

A basic understanding of A basic understanding of anatomy, medical terminology, anatomy, medical terminology, and the legal implications of the and the legal implications of the practice of medicine. practice of medicine.


If medical secretary is required to perform If medical secretary is required to perform clinical duties, he/she should:clinical duties, he/she should:

Know about the instruments used in the Know about the instruments used in the medical practice and their proper care medical practice and their proper care and use.and use.

Be familiar with the methods of Be familiar with the methods of sterilization.sterilization.

Other related medical knowledge.Other related medical knowledge.Educational requirements:Educational requirements: The minimum is a high school diploma, The minimum is a high school diploma,

however, many positions require however, many positions require additional education. additional education.


Educational requirements (cont.):Educational requirements (cont.): Vocational/technical institutes offer Vocational/technical institutes offer

three-to-six month training programs.three-to-six month training programs. Many of them tow-years colleges offer Many of them tow-years colleges offer

an associate’s degree program.an associate’s degree program. Courses cover medical transcription, Courses cover medical transcription,

medical assisting procedures, medical assisting procedures, keyboarding , business English, keyboarding , business English, accounting , word processing, basic accounting , word processing, basic biological sciences, basic laboratory biological sciences, basic laboratory techniques, cardio-pulmonary techniques, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and human resuscitation (CPR), and human relations.relations.


Places of employment:Places of employment: May be employed in;May be employed in;

A doctor’s office.A doctor’s office.A medical clinic.A medical clinic.A hospital.A hospital.A public health facility.A public health facility.A health maintenance A health maintenance

organization (HMO).organization (HMO).A nursing home.A nursing home.A research center.A research center.


Places of employment:Places of employment: Places of employment (cont.):Places of employment (cont.):

A laboratory. A laboratory. An insurance company.An insurance company. A pharmaceutical company.A pharmaceutical company. A government or private health A government or private health

services agency.services agency. A medical transcription services.A medical transcription services. A business of manufactures medical A business of manufactures medical

supplies and equipment.supplies and equipment.


Medical ethics and the Law:Medical ethics and the Law: Medicine is the oldest profession to Medicine is the oldest profession to

have developed a code to govern its have developed a code to govern its practitioners.practitioners.

The principles of right and wrong are The principles of right and wrong are referred to as medical ethics.referred to as medical ethics.

Medical ethics concerns itself with a Medical ethics concerns itself with a standard of conduct, medical standard of conduct, medical etiquette deals with courtesy, etiquette deals with courtesy, manners, and customs.manners, and customs.

These tow areas complement each These tow areas complement each other.other.


Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Medical ethics and the Law (cont.): Oath of Hippocrates (400 B.C) has been Oath of Hippocrates (400 B.C) has been

taken by physicians for centuries and taken by physicians for centuries and remains an inspiration to the physicians remains an inspiration to the physicians of today.of today.

The American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) formulated its own principles of (AMA) formulated its own principles of medical ethics.medical ethics.

In general, principles prescribe who In general, principles prescribe who must be licensed to perform various must be licensed to perform various procedures, the requirement for procedures, the requirement for licensure, the duties imposed by licensure, the duties imposed by licensure, and government regulations. licensure, and government regulations.


Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Medical ethics and the Law (cont.): Professional liability Professional liability

encompasses all civil liability encompasses all civil liability that a physician can incur as a that a physician can incur as a result of professional acts. result of professional acts.

Negligence as applied to the Negligence as applied to the medical is called “malpractice”.medical is called “malpractice”.

Most of patients never consider Most of patients never consider taking legal actions against their taking legal actions against their physicians.physicians.


Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Preventing litigation can be by :Preventing litigation can be by : Establishing good patient rapport.Establishing good patient rapport. Keeping all information confidential.Keeping all information confidential. Avoiding the transmittal of criticisms of Avoiding the transmittal of criticisms of

physicians to a patient.physicians to a patient. Avoiding discussion of a patient’s Avoiding discussion of a patient’s

condition, diagnosis, or treatment with condition, diagnosis, or treatment with him or her.him or her.

Keeping complete and accurate records.Keeping complete and accurate records. Obtaining proper authorization, releases Obtaining proper authorization, releases

and consents.and consents.


Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):Preventing litigation can be by ;Preventing litigation can be by ; Using discretion in telephone Using discretion in telephone

and office conversations.and office conversations. Notifying the physician if Notifying the physician if

learning that the patient is learning that the patient is under treatment by another under treatment by another physician for the same physician for the same condition.condition.

Being available to assist the Being available to assist the doctor.doctor.


Medical ethics and the Law Medical ethics and the Law (cont.):(cont.):

The relationship between The relationship between doctor and patient is legally doctor and patient is legally considered as a contract.considered as a contract.

All information furnished to a All information furnished to a doctor by patient is doctor by patient is considered confidential and considered confidential and may not be divulged to any may not be divulged to any unauthorized person.unauthorized person.


Professional organization and Professional organization and certifications;certifications;

Join professional associations Join professional associations and apply for certification.and apply for certification.

Associations such as;Associations such as; American association of medical American association of medical

assistants (AAMA).assistants (AAMA). American association of medical American association of medical

transcription (AAMT).transcription (AAMT).


Medical communications:Medical communications:

1.1. Telephone;Telephone; Dealing Patient Health Dealing Patient Health

problems.problems. The telephone should be The telephone should be

answered by the second answered by the second ring at the latest.ring at the latest.



1.1. Telephone (cont,);Telephone (cont,); Save the doctor’s time.Save the doctor’s time. Complete information for Complete information for

each call in message each call in message book with carbons book with carbons copies.copies.

THE MEDICAL SECRETARYTHE MEDICAL SECRETARYMedical communications:Medical communications:1.1. Telephone;Telephone; The information noted should The information noted should

include;include; Date and time of call.Date and time of call. Person called.Person called. Caller’s name.Caller’s name. Caller’s phone number.Caller’s phone number. Action to be taken.Action to be taken. Complete message.Complete message. Name of the person who took Name of the person who took

the call.the call.



2.2. Answering service ;Answering service ; Used for after-office hours.Used for after-office hours. Automatically or Automatically or

programmed .programmed . Checks for messages.Checks for messages. Recorded message can be Recorded message can be

used.used.


Medical communications:Medical communications:3.3. Appointment ;Appointment ; Should Not be too Should Not be too

closely or far.closely or far. Vary in length according Vary in length according

the purpose and doctor the purpose and doctor specialty.specialty.



3.3. Appointment ;Appointment ; Details should be Details should be

recorded.recorded. Check mark should be Check mark should be

placed.placed.



3.3. Appointment ;Appointment ; Ditto marks for Ditto marks for

appointments .appointments . Diagonal lines for not Diagonal lines for not

available.available.



3.3. Appointment ;Appointment ; A medical emergency is A medical emergency is

immediate.immediate. Patient should be called Patient should be called

for rescheduled other for rescheduled other than canceling.than canceling.


Medical communications:Medical communications:4.4. Greeting patients ;Greeting patients ; Make the patient feel at Make the patient feel at

ease.ease. Patients should be Patients should be

identified and asked to identified and asked to be seated in the waiting be seated in the waiting room.room.


Medical communications:Medical communications:5.5. Correspondence ;Correspondence ; The letters must be The letters must be

courteous, concise, courteous, concise, complete, accurately, complete, accurately, typewritten, properly typewritten, properly formatted, and proofread.formatted, and proofread.

Correspondence leaving is Correspondence leaving is like the proper telephone like the proper telephone use.use.

Documents

THE MEDICAL SECRETARY Dr. Nasser Ali Al JarALLAH