Transcript Business Letters, cont.

Chapter 42
Written Communications
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Pretest
True or False
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Business letters are more formal than personal
correspondence in form and content.
The body of a business letter is double spaced.
The name of the individual sending a business
letter should always be printed below the
handwritten signature.
If additional forms or printed material is included
with a letter, this should be indicated in an end
notation.
In the semiblock letter style, all lines of the letter
are left justified.
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Pretest, cont.
True or False
6.
7.
An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
Sentence fragments and comma splices are errors that
should always be corrected in a business letter.
8. A comma should be used to separate two sentences that are
not joined by a conjunction or separated by a period.
9. The common headings for a memo are: TO, FROM,
SUBJECT, and DATE.
10. Because e-mail and fax transmissions are considered
secure, they are a good way to transmit confidential
information about patients.
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Introduction to Written
Communication
1. In the past, written communication was
usually sent through the mail
2. Today, written communication is also sent
electronically
a. Can be viewed or printed after transmission
b. Must adhere to professional standards
3. If written communication contains protected
health information, a consent for its release
must be obtained from the patient
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Business Letters
1. Letters must be formatted correctly to
maintain a professional image
a. May be dictated by the physician and prepared
by the medical assistant (MA)
b. May be composed by the MA
2. Form letters or letters based on templates
may be used for routine correspondence
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Business Letters, cont.
Equipment and Supplies
1. Computer and printer are usually used to
create a letter
2. Word processing software facilitates
formatting and corrections
3. Letterhead stationery is used with matching
envelopes
4. Letters are usually photocopied for the
medical record and if copies are sent to
other recipients
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Business Letters, cont.
Parts of a Business Letter
Heading
1. Return address is placed at the top of the
letter or letterhead stationery is used
2. Date line on second line below return
address or two to three spaces below
letterhead
a. Month is written out in full
b. Written as month, day, and year (e.g., January
5, 2009)
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Business Letters, cont.
Inside Address
1. Includes the name and address of the party
to whom the letter is being sent
a. Located just above the salutation
b. Placed on the paper so that the body of the
letter is centered top to bottom
c. Inside address is single spaced
2. If the letter will require 2 pages, inside
address begins on the second or third line
below the date line
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Business Letters, cont.
Salutation or Greeting
1. Formal greeting uses “Dear” plus a title with
the recipient’s surname
a. Use of the first name is informal and should be
avoided
b. Not correct to use credentials
c. Example: Dear Dr. Taylor:
2. In a business letter, the salutation is
punctuated with a colon
3. Salutation is followed by one blank line
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Business Letters, cont.
Body of the Letter
1. Contains the substance of the letter
2. Each paragraph is single spaced with a
double space between paragraphs
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Business Letters, cont.
Complimentary Close or Closing
1. Placed on the second line below the body of
the letter
2. First word is capitalized and closing is
followed by a comma
3. The standard complimentary close is
“Sincerely” or “Sincerely yours,”
4. More formal closing is “Yours truly,” or “Very
truly yours,”
5. Example: “Sincerely yours,”
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Business Letters, cont.
Signature, Printed Signature, and Title
1. Four to five spaces are left after the closing
for the handwritten signature
2. The printed signature includes the full name
of the individual sending the letter, including
credentials
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Business Letters, cont.
3. A title may be entered on the line below the
printed signature
4. If the MA composes the letter, he or she
usually also signs the letter
5. If the physician dictates the letter, the
physician will proofread and sign the letter
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Business Letters, cont.
End Notations
1. The order of information given below the
signature may vary according to office policy
2. End notations include enclosures, copies,
and initials of the individual who prepared
the letter
a. The initials of the individual who dictated the
letter are entered in uppercase followed by a
slash or colon and the initials of the individual
who prepared the letter in lowercase
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Business Letters, cont.
b. Enclosure(s) may be written out or abbreviated
“Enc.”
c. The number of enclosures is given so that the
recipient can be sure everything was actually
included with the letter
d. The copy notation indicates recipients of copies
of the letter. The copy retained by the office is
not included in the copy notation
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Business Letters, cont.
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Business Letters, cont.
Format of Business Letters
Setting up a Letter
1. Margins
a. Top margin should accommodate the
letterhead
b. Side margins may be 1-2 inches
c. A short letter usually has wider side margins
d. Body of the letter should be centered top to
bottom on the page
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Business Letters, cont.
2. Font
a. Generally accepted font for business letters is
Times or Times New Roman
b. Entire letter (except for letterhead) should be in
the same font
3. A header should be placed at the top of a 2page letter including recipient, page number,
and date
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Business Letters, cont.
Letter Styles
1. Full block style
a. All lines are left justified, but letterhead may be
centered
b. Left justified means that the line begins at the
left margin
c. A double space is used between the
paragraphs of the body of the letter
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Business Letters, cont.
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Business Letters, cont.
2. Modified block style
a. All lines in the inside address, salutation, and
body of the letter are left justified
b. Date line, complimentary close, and printed
signature are right justified or set on a tab at
the center or to the right of the center
c. Right justified means ending at the right
margin
d. A double space is used between the
paragraphs of the body of the letter
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Business Letters, cont.
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Business Letters, cont.
3. Semiblock style
a. All lines in the inside address, salutation, and
body of the letter are left justified
b. Date line, complimentary close, and printed
signature are right justified or set on a tab at
the center or to the right of the center
c. All paragraphs are indented and a double
space is used between paragraphs
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Business Letters, cont.
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Business Letters, cont.
4. Simplified style
a. All parts of the letter (except the letterhead)
must be left justified
b. The salutation is replaced by a subject line in
all upper case letters
c. The complimentary close is not used, and the
printed signature line is in all uppercase letters
five lines below the written signature
d. A double space is used between the
paragraphs of the body of the letter
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Business Letters, cont.
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Business Letters, cont.
Composing a Business Letter
1. Collect information and jot down important
points
a. Be sure information is in logical order
b. Review old letters for wording
2. Enter the letter into the word processor and
format
3. Have a draft letter proofread by the office
manager and/or physician if necessary
4. Proofread for accuracy, grammar, and
spelling
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Responding to Written
Communication
1. MA usually responds to correspondence or
e-mails related to office management
a.
b.
c.
Supply orders
Billing or insurance questions
Requests for information about the practice
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
2. Correspondence related to patient care is
referred to the physician
a. If paper-based medical records are used, MA
attaches letter to medical record
b. If physician dictates a reply to a letter related
to patient care, MA transcribes the dictation
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
Grammar and Sentence Structure
1. Grammar is a term meaning the accepted
rules to create meaningful sentences
2. MA must always use correct grammar and
spelling
3. Parts of speech are categories that describe
how words are used
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
Parts of Speech
1. Nouns
a. A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing
b. Common nouns refer to general things or
categories
c. Proper nouns refer to specific individuals or
places and begin with an uppercase letter
d. Examples of common nouns: baseball, rabbit,
medical assistant
e. Examples of proper nouns: Dean Johnson,
Bugs Bunny, New Orleans
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
2. Pronouns
a.
b.
c.
d.
A pronoun is used in place of a noun
Possessive pronouns show ownership
Examples of pronouns: he, she, you, I, them
Examples of possessive pronouns: mine, his,
their, theirs
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
3. Verbs
a. A verb either shows action or a state of being
b. A verb that shows a state of being may also
be called a linking verb
c. A sentence requires a subject (noun or
pronoun) and a verb to be complete
d. Examples of action verbs: run, sing, dance
e. Examples of verbs that show a state of
being: is, are, seems
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
4. Adjectives and articles
a. An adjective modifies a noun
b. Two or more words used together as one
modifier may be joined by a hyphen (e.g., 20year-old)
c. English has three articles: a, an, the
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
5. Adverbs
a. An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other
adverb
b. Words that end in -ly are usually adverbs
c. Question words are also adverbs (e.g., who?
where? why?)
6. Prepositions
a. A preposition shows the connection of a noun
to some other word
b. Prepositions often show relationships of space,
time, or possession
c. Examples of prepositions: to, on, above, of, in
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Communication, cont.
7. Conjunctions
a. A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses
in a sentence
b. Examples of conjunctions: and, but, or,
because
8. Interjections
a. An interjection is a word that expresses
feelings
b. Examples of interjections: oh! yeah! ouch!
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
Sentence Structure
1. Simple sentence
a. A simple sentence is composed of one
independent clause
b. Example: The dog was very hungry.
2. Compound sentence
a. A compound sentence is composed of two
independent clauses
b. A comma separates the two independent
clauses in a compound sentence
c. Example: The dog returned from its walk, and it
drank all the water in its bowl.
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Communication, cont.
3. Complex sentence
a. A complex sentence consists of one independent
clause and one or more dependent clauses
b. A dependent clause cannot stand alone
c. If a dependent clause begins a sentence, it is
followed by a comma
d. If a dependent clause follows an independent
clause, a comma is not used
e. Examples:
•
•
When it returned from its walk, the dog drank all the
water in its bowl.
The dog drank all the water in its bowl when it
returned from its walk.
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
Sentence Errors
1. Sentence fragment
a. A dependent clause is used to stand alone as
a sentence
b. An additional independent clause is necessary
for meaning
c. Example: When I arrive for my appointment.
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Communication, cont.
2. Run-on sentence
a.
b.
It is a sentence in which two or more
independent clauses are used without a
conjunction
My appointment is on Thursday I will bring my
insurance card.
3. Comma splice
a.
b.
It is the incorrect use of a comma to separate
two sentences
Example: My appointment is on Thursday, I will
bring my appointment card.
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Communication, cont.
When to Use a Comma
1. To separate the elements in a series of
three or more things
a. Example: The patient complained of abdominal
pain, difficulty breathing, and headache.
2. Before a conjunction that joins an
independent clause
a. Example: The patient called an ambulance,
and the ambulance brought her to Memorial
Hospital.
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Communication, cont.
3. To set off introductory elements like
prepositional phrases or dependent clauses
a. Example: After the upper GI, the patient
continued to experience abdominal pain.
4. To set off information that could be omitted
or placed in parentheses without changing
the meaning of the sentence
a. Example: The patient, who was referred by Dr.
Johnson, had an appointment today.
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
5. Before quotations marks that open a
quotation
a. Example: The patient said, “My incision burns
like fire.”
6. To avoid confusion
a. Example: For most, the academic year is
already finished.
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
7. Between the city and state, the day of the
month and the year, a name and the title
a. Example: June 17, 1987 BUT June 1987
8. With terms like not, however, and but to
express contrast
a. Example: The wound was large, but it was
healing well.
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
9.
To separate appositives, nouns of direct
address, titles that follow a person’s name,
and introductory words from the rest of the
sentence
a. Example: We will make an appointment with
Dr. Cannon, a gynecologist.
10. To separate parenthetical expressions
from the rest of the sentence
a. Example: The report, I hope, will give you
more specific information.
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Responding to Written
Communication, cont.
Spelling
1. Proofread all documents for spelling
2. Spell check is helpful but cannot verify that
a word is correct in context
3. Keep a list of difficult words and try to learn
them
4. A medical dictionary and computer program
can be helpful
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Transcription
1. Purpose of transcription is to change dictated
notes into a printed format
2. Most physicians either dictate notes or use
an electronic medical record
3. Dictated files are usually transferred from a
hand-held machine to a computer
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Transcription, cont.
4. Transcription is done using headphones and
a foot pedal to start and stop the dictation
5. Voice recognition system can transcribe
automatically, but the transcription must be
edited
6. Transcription is often done by a transcription
service with the returned files printed in the
office
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Transcription, cont.
Letters
1. Letters should be transcribed using one of
the standard letter formats
2. Use a reference line with the initials of the
physician who dictated the letter in
uppercase followed by the MA’s initials in
lowercase
3. Make any needed changes after the letter
has been corrected by the physician
4. Obtain the physician’s signature before
mailing
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Transcription, cont.
Memoranda
1. A memo is used to communicate within a
business
2. Memo headings include the names of the
individuals to whom it is sent, the name of
the person sending the memo, the date, and
the subject
3. The message is informative and succinct
4. The memo may be sent in hard copy or as
an attachment to an e-mail
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Transcription, cont.
Medical Reports
Progress Notes
1. Progress notes may be set up in SOAP
format or using other headings
2. Include the patient’s name, date of birth, and
date of the office visit
3. Single space with two spaces between
paragraphs or headings
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Transcription, cont.
4. Entries under Assessment and Plan are
usually numbered
5. Leave a space for the physician to sign the
note
6. Print note on separate piece of paper or
paper with adhesive backing to mount
7. The physician may incorporate vital signs
done by the MA into the progress note
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Transcription, cont.
History and Physical Examination Reports
1. Use the format preferred by the medical
office
2. Sections usually include identifying
information, sections of the history, and
sections of the physical examination
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Transcription, cont.
3. The text of each section may be left justified
or indented
4. There is usually a separate section for each
body system examined
5. The final sections include the impression
(assessment or diagnosis) and plan for
treatment
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Transcription, cont.
Consultation Reports
1. May be dictated as a letter or in a format
similar to the physical examination
2. Physicians in a specialty send consultation
reports to the referring physician
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Proofreading
1. Look up any unfamiliar words to verify
spelling
2. Write out abbreviations for medical
conditions, but use standard abbreviations
for medication times, measurements, and
vital signs
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Transcription, cont.
3. Personalize the spell check program by
adding commonly used words
4. Leave a space if there was an unintelligible
word so that the physician can fill it in before
signing
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Electronic Data Transmission
E-Mail
1. A method of exchanging information
between individuals using a computer
a. Usually uses a format like a letter, but less
formal
b. Usually not used with patients
c. Should contain a subject line
d. Use correct grammar and spelling
2. Subsequent e-mails usually created as a
reply so that previous communication is
included
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Electronic Data Transmission, cont.
3. Abbreviations, humor, and negative
comments should be avoided in e-mails to
business contacts
4. Assume that e-mails are not private and do
not include confidential information
5. Be sure that e-mails are sent to the correct
recipient
6. Print e-mails that contain information related
to orders or other business transactions
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E-mail Attachments
1. Documents, images, and other types of files
can be sent as attachments
2. Attachments may transmit viruses, so open
them only if from a trusted source
3. Attachment must be opened with a
compatible program
a. Save documents as text file if you do not use a
standard word processing program
b. Files can also usually be saved as web pages
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Electronic Data Transmission, cont.
Fax Transmissions
1. Fax is sent with a cover sheet to identify the
sender
a. Medical office usually uses a confidentiality
statement on the fax cover sheet
b. Cover sheet often printed on office letterhead
2. Fax transmissions are not considered
secure and should be avoided for patient
information unless there is a need for rapid
transmission of information
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Electronic Data Transmission, cont.
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Photocopying
1. Learn how to use the features of the
photocopy machine
a. Remove staples and arrange documents
before copying
b. Most machines will collate pages (arrange in
order) and staple
c. If collating manually, pay attention to retain
correct order of pages
d. Many machines will produce two-sided copies
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Photocopying, cont.
2. Be sure patient has signed a release before
copying patient information
3. After copying be sure no originals are left at
the machine
4. Shred any spoiled copies containing patient
information
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Posttest
True or False
1. All business letters sent from the medical office
are dictated by the physician and prepared by
office staff.
2. The inside address of a business letter is placed
two lines below the date line.
3. The standard closing of a business letter is
“Sincerely yours.”
4. If a letter has been dictated by the physician
and prepared by the medical assistant, a
reference line should be included below the
typed signature.
5. In the modified block letter style, the date line,
complimentary close and printed signature may
be lined up at the center of the letter.
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Posttest, cont.
True or False
6. A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses
in a sentence.
7. When two sentences are connected without
punctuation, it is called a comma splice.
8. A comma should be used to set off information
that could be omitted from a sentence without
changing the meaning.
9. Progress notes dictated by a physician are
often set up in SOAP format.
10. Most office photocopy machines will collate and
staple documents, as well as copy on both
sides of a piece of paper.
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