Transcript File - Mackay Education

Chapter 10
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Learning Objectives
Define, spell, & pronounce the terms listed in the vocabulary.
Describe the administrative & clinical opening duties performed by the MA.
Discuss the administrative & clinical closing responsibilities performed by the
MA, as well as the daily & monthly duties.
Explain safety & security procedures important in the healthcare facility
Do the following related to equipment in a medical practice:
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Do the following related to supplies in the medical practice:
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Describe the elements of an equipment inventory list
Explain the purpose of routine maintains of administrative & clinical
equipment.
Explain the steps of creating a maintenance log, performing maintenance, &
documenting the maintenance.
Describe the MA’s role in ordering equipment.
Discuss the elements on a supply inventory list
List the steps involved in completing an inventory
Perform an inventory with documentation
Prepare a supply order
Describe how the healthcare facility utilize USPS & other delivery agencies
Use proper body mechanics
Daily
Operations in
the Ambulatory
Care Setting
Pages 161 - 180
Page 162
Medical Office Environment
Opening the Healthcare Facility
 Arrive before patients & prepare for them (how?)
• In smaller agencies: you may be given keys to
doors & codes to deactivate alarms systems.
• In larger agencies: employees must use the
employee entrance & enter with unique codes or
key cards. Usually security, custodial, or
supervisory personnel have the responsibility to
deactivate the alarm.
• The main patient doors are then opened by staff
at a set time.
Page 162
Medical Office Environment: Cont.
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It will be your responsibility to prepare the
department or office for patients.
• Check voice mail (& update the log) or messages
from the answering service (these may be e-mailed
or faxed). These need to be read & documented in
patient records. Then “turn on” the phones.
• Computers, copy machines, & other equipment
must be turned on.
• Print schedules for the day, keep one for chart
preparation & place the other on the provider’s
desk. Pull the required paperwork for the patients.
• Make the reception area ready for patients
Page 163
Medical Office Environment: Cont.
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You also have to prepare the examination rooms:
 Turning on lights
 Checking supplies are stocked
 If your practice doesn’t use e-prescribing make
sure that there are not any prescription pads in
the examine rooms.
 Supply cabinets must be unlocked except the
narcotic cabinet.
 Check the restrooms are clean & well stocked
 Quality control tests must be done on all
laboratory equipment.
Page 164
Medical Office Environment: Cont.
Closing the Healthcare Facility
 You have to help with the closing duties:
• Prepare patient records & documents for the
next day.
• Turn off computers & other equipment.
• Switch the phones to voice mail or the
answering service
• Take care of any money from co-payments
• Put away all patient records from the day
• Clean up the reception area & disinfect
everything
Page 164
Medical Office Environment: Cont.
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Take out the garbage
Lights, TV, stereo & other devices need to be
shut off.
Make sure all patients have left by checking
exam & treatment rooms
Restock & organize these rooms
Sanitized/disinfect/sterilize all equipment in the
exam & treatment rooms
Supply & medication cabinets need to be locked
Page 164
Medical Office Environment: Cont.
Daily & Monthly Duties
 You are also responsible for:
Cleaning & organizing the reception area during
the slow times throughout the day.
 Restocking all medical & office supplies (such as
forms, & patient literature)
 Straightening & reorganizing the cabinets &
drawers
 Checking the expiration dates on all supplies
 Taking an inventory of all emergency supplies
(such as those on the crash cart)
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Page 165
Security in the Healthcare Facility
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Medical offices are targets for those wanting to
steal money, narcotic medication, & prescription
pads.
• You need to stay alert for suspicious people.
• Limit the amount of money available in the
building
• Narcotic medications, if present in the agency,
should always be in a double-locked cabinet with
the keys hidden.
• Prescription pads should remain out of view &
reach of patients.
Page 165
Equipment & Supplies
 Managing
the equipment & supplies is another
important responsibility you have as an MA.
Equipment
 You need to know how to operate, maintain, &
handle issues with the equipment.
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For financial purposes you will need to know
details about the equipment (such as purchase cost
& age)
 Inventory
management = creating a list of the
equipment in the facility
Pages 165 – 166
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Equipment Inventory
 The healthcare facility must be able to account for
all of the equipment used & owned by the practice.
• To create an equipment inventory list, you should
create a spreadsheet & include all the
administrative & clinical equipment. For each
item include the follow:
 Equipment name, manufacturer, & serial
number
 Purchase date, cost, & supplier
 Warranty information (e.g., start & end date,
warranty coverage)
Pages 166 – 167
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Equipment Safety & Maintenance
 You are responsible for monitoring equipment
safety & proper functioning.
• Potential issues should not be overlooked &
action should be taken to prevent injury to staff
&/or patients & costly damage to the
equipment.
• Equipment should be routinely cleaned &
maintained in accordance with the operation
manual, which will help with the life of the
machine. (make a schedule as a reminder)
Page 168
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Service Calls & Warranties
 Service calls can be expensive that’s why it’s
good to have a warranty. But even with one have
a piece of equipment out of order costs the
practice money.
 Sometimes the service provider will loan out
equipment while your equipment is being fixed,
which greatly lessens the burden on the practice.
Pages 168 – 169
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Purchasing Equipment
 Depending on the size of the practice you work
for you may or may not be involved in purchasing
equipment.
• Using the internet to do research & contacting
sales people representing new models are two
ways of getting additional information about
new machines.
 Ultimately
it is the supervisor’s or provider’s
call about which model to get.
Page 169
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Supplies
 You need to ensure that the practice has enough
supplies to treat patients. To little & you run out
which is expensive for last minute ordering &
unprofessional. Too much & it becomes a
financial waste because many supplies have
expiration dates that they can’t be used beyond.
 Having adequate amounts of supplies in inventory
is crucial.
Page 169
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Inventory Management
 This involves ordering, tracking inventory, &
identifying the quantity of product to purchase.
• Keep a record on each item in inventory (by hand or
on computer) in the record you should have:
 Item details: Item name, size, quantity, item
number, supplier’s name & cost
 Quantity to reorder: Amount of product used
during the buying cycle.
 Reorder point: when the quantity of the item gets
to a specific number, indicating that it needs to be
reordered.
Pages 169 – 170
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Inventory Control Systems
 Barcode: each item has a barcode & is scanned when
stocked & when used
 Written in a log: you write down what you are low
on use this to reorder
 Identification slips: one on each box of supplies,
when you finish a box you put the slip in a box to
indicate it needs to be ordered.
 Two-bin system: one bin is emptied start the other &
indicate that the item needs to be reordered.
 Hand count: you count by hand all supplies each
buying cycle
Page 171
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Taking Inventory
 You have to hand count at least once a year
 Compare hand count to computer count &
identify discrepancies. Follow up on
discrepancies.
 Manual inventory provides the company with
information on actual number of items in stock &
this is used for the financial value of inventory
which is then used for financial reports & taxes.
Page 171
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Price Consideration When Ordering Supplies
 You must balance the time it takes to the money
save. Most practices compare prices every 6 to 12
months. When comparing prices make sure to
take into consideration:
• Shipping & handling charges
• The quantity & quality are the same
• Storage space & how quickly supplies are use
& expiration dates on supplies
Pages 171 – 172
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Ordering Supplies
 You will have to identify a couple of vendors
from which to purchase administrative & medical
supplies.
 You can use a printed catalog or an online
website.
 You will have to set up an account before you can
order. For some supplies you will need to have
information from the provider or the provider
themselves with have to order them (narcotics)
Pages 172 – 173
Equipment & Supplies: Cont.
Receiving the Order
 Check deliveries as soon after arrival as possible
• There are some medications that could spoil if
they are not kept at a certain temperature.
 Remove the packing slip & compare all items in
the package to the packing slip
• Make note of discrepancies or broken supplies
& contact the company a.s.a.p.
 When stocking put newer items behind older so
that older supplies will be used first
Page 174
Handling Mail
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duties here will depend on the size of the
facility.
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Large facilities usually will hire people to sort
incoming mail & deliver it to the different
departments. You will have to take care of
outgoing mail & leave it for them to pick up.
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In small facilities you will be responsible for
handling all mail duties.
Page 174
Handling Mail: Cont.
United States Postal Service
 To prepare mail to be sent, you will need to
address the envelopes & packages following the
USPS guidelines (discussed in Ch. 7). The
postage is dependent on the:
• Weight & size of the item
• Urgency for arrival
• Delivery zone
• Service required
Page 174
Handling Mail: Cont.
Domestic United States Postal Service
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need to understand the different types of mail
services:
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Priority Mail Express (up to 70lbs) provides 7day-a-week overnight delivery service.
Insurance is part of the service.
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Priority Mail (up to 70lbs) provides deliveries
in 1 to 3 days. Cost is based on weight &
delivery zones. Insurance is part of the service.
Pages 174 – 175
Handling Mail: Cont.
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First-Class Mail (up to 13oz) provides
deliveries in 3 days or less. Cost is based on
item’s size, shape, & weight. Insurance &
addition services can be added for an extra fee.
Standard Post (up to 70lbs) used for oversized,
less urgent packages. Cost depends on item’s
weight, shape, & delivery zone. Insurance &
addition services can be added for an extra fee.
Media Mail used for sending books, electronic
media, & educational materials. Cost is based
on weight. Insurance can be added for a fee.
Pages 175 – 176
Handling Mail: Cont.
Insurance & Additional Services
 Standard Insurance = insures against loss or
damage. The cost is based on the item’s declared
value.
 Registered Mail = (First-Class & Priority Mail)
This option provides insurance for items up to
$25,000.
 Certified Mail = (First-Class & Priority Mail) a
mailing receipt showing the date when the item
was mailed is included.
Pages 175 – 176
Handling Mail: Cont.
Return Receipt = provides information on when the
delivery occurred & the recipient's signature is
automatically sent either electronically or hard copy
 Signature Confirmation = (First-Class, Priority
Mail, & Media Mail) provides information about the
date & time an item was delivered, or attempted,
upon request.
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Restricted Delivery & Adult Signature Restricted
Delivery = mail can only be delivered to the
addressee, an authorized agent of the addressee, or a
parent/guardian.
Page 176
Handling Mail: Cont.
Private Delivery Services
 There are many private delivery services that do:
• Pick up & delivery of medical specimens
• Transportation of medical records &
documents
• Pick up & delivery of bank deposits, with
return of cash if required.
• Transportation of medical & hazardous wastes.
 It could be your responsibility to research
delivery services available in the area & find the
best fit for the practice.
Pages 176 – 177
Handling Mail: Cont.
Incoming Mail
 If you sort mail
• Provider receives:
 All mail mark personal, correspondence from
lawyers & accountants, professional journals,
pharmaceutical materials,
convention/continuing medical education
events flyers, & bills (iff they are responsible
for bills).
• You handle all subscriptions to magazines for
the reception area.
Page 177
Body Mechanics
 You
need to protect yourself from bodily harm
while lifting, reaching, & carrying heavy boxes &
equipment. Use proper body mechanics.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z
q97LFOSbVI
Page 178
Closing Comments
Legal & Ethical Issues
 You can protect the medical practice from
lawsuits. For any document sent to a patient, it is
important to file a copy in their medical file. Use
Certified Mail & Return Receipt to prove a letter
has been sent.