Chapter 10: Written and Electronic Communication

What does editing check for in a finished document? - Grammatical errors - Data errors - Proper formatting - Appropriate style - Logical organization

- Appropriate style - Logical organization

Letter-folding equipment may be used for which types of items? - Brochures - Business cards - Letters - Invoices

- Brochures - Letters - Invoices

What are 3 types of proofreading errors? - Formatting - Language usage - Mechanical - Data

- Formatting - Mechanical - Data

Which letter styles are typed with all lines flush left? - Modified-block with indented paragraphs - Modified-block - Full-block - Simplified

- Full-block - Simplified

Which of the following are examples of annotating mail? - Sorting mail to the appropriate personnel - Highlighting key points - Distributing mail in batches to staff - Marking "please sign here" on a letter

- Highlighting key points - Marking "please sign here" on a letter

Which of the following are correct procedures for signing medical office letters? - If the medical assistant is authorized to sign letters for the doctor, sign the doctor's name and initial after it. - The medical assistant can sign his or her name and type the doctor's name in the signature block. - To save time, mail medical office letters without the doctor's signature or your initials. - If the doctor prefers to sign all letters, place the letters on the doctor's desk in a file marked "for your signature."

- If the medical assistant is authorized to sign letters for the doctor, sign the doctor's name and initial after it. - If the doctor prefers to sign all letters, place the letters on the doctor's desk in a file marked "for your signature."

In which of the following ways should a business letter be folded? - In horizontal thirds - Twice - Four times - In vertical halves

- In horizontal thirds - Twice

What correspondence supplies might a medical assistant be responsible for ordering? - Syringes - Labels - Letterhead paper - Invoices - Envelopes - Needles - Statements

- Labels - Letterhead paper - Invoices - Envelopes - Statements

The purpose of most patient correspondence is to explain, clarify, or give instructions or other information. Correspondence includes:

- Letters of referral. - Letters about scheduling, canceling, or rescheduling appointments. - Patient reports for insurance companies. - Instructions for examinations or laboratory tests. - Answers to insurance or billing questions. - Cover letters or form letters to order supplies, equipment, or magazine subscriptions.

Which of the following can be used for editing or proofreading a document? - Electronic Health Record software - Medical dictionary - Thesaurus - Physicians' Desk Reference

- Medical dictionary - Thesaurus - Physicians' Desk Reference

Which of the following are punctuation styles used in correspondence? - Closed - Mixed - Open - Partial

- Mixed - Open

Which of the following strategies can help manage your Inbox and saved e-mails? - Not deleting any unwanted e-mails - Deleting all e-mail responses that contain protected health information - Not opening unidentifiable e-mails - Setting up subfolders for e-mails that must be saved - Regularly checking office e-mail

- Not opening unidentifiable e-mails - Setting up subfolders for e-mails that must be saved - Regularly checking office e-mail

Identify the information that appears on business letterhead. - Office hours - Office address - Office name - Patient name - Date

- Office address - Office name

Which of the following supplies can be obtained from the USPS? - Letterhead - Packaging - Forms - Labels

- Packaging - Forms - Labels

Which of the following are the purposes of patient correspondence? - Provide information - Request lab tests - Explain or clarify - Give instructions

- Provide information - Explain or clarify - Give instructions

A medical assistant may be responsible for creating which types of correspondence? - Reports for insurance companies - Scheduling letters - Referral letters - Prescriptions - Address labels - Cover letters

- Reports for insurance companies - Scheduling letters - Referral letters - Cover letters

Which areas are checked when proofreading a document? - Spelling - Grammar - Formatting - Conciseness - Tone

- Spelling - Grammar - Formatting

What correspondence supplies might a medical assistant be - responsible for ordering? - Needles - Statements - Labels - Letterhead paper - Invoices - Syringes - Envelopes

- Statements - Labels - Letterhead paper - Invoices - Envelopes

Why should a log or daily record be kept of each day's mail? - The log keeps track of whom the mail is addressed to each day. - The log reflects the date the correspondence is completed. - The log keeps a list of follow-up correspondence. - The log keeps a list of mail received.

- The log reflects the date the correspondence is completed. - The log keeps a list of follow-up correspondence. - The log keeps a list of mail received.

Which of the following private delivery companies provide shipping supplies? - UPS - FedEx - couriers - USPS

- UPS - FedEx

Which of the following are ways to create professional correspondence that reflects well on a practice? - Use clear language. - Use the passive voice for all circumstances. - Use the active voice. - Use acronyms.

- Use clear language. - Use the active voice.

Table 10-2: Basic Rules of Writing

- word division - capitalization - plurals - possessives - numbers

Beginning with the first item on top, list the items in the inside address on a professional letter. - Addressee's courtesy title and name - Business title - Company name - Street address - City, state, and zip code

1. Addressee's courtesy title and name 2. Business title 3. Company name 4. Street address 5. City, state, and zip code

Beginning with the first step on top, list the steps for sorting and opening mail.

1. Check that the mail was delivered to the correct location. 2. Sort mail into piles according to priority. 3. Set aside mail labeled "Confidential." 4. Open all letters. 5. Compare the number of enclosures with the number listed on the letter. 6. Stamp each piece of correspondence with the date to document its receipt.

Beginning with the first step on top, list the parts of a professional letter in order.

1. Dateline 2. Inside address 3. Salutation 4. Body 5. Complimentary closing 6. Signature block

steps for processing incoming mail in order

1. sorting and opening 2. recording 3. annotating 4. distributing

Labels

Address labels, printed from a computerized mailing list, can make the process of addressing envelopes for bulk mailings much speedier. For example, you may have to send a notice of a change in office hours or a quarterly office newsletter to a large number of patients in a practice. You may choose to set up a system for frequently used labels. Many practices write insurance inquiries and other business letters to the same addresses repeatedly. For fast and easy access, it is helpful to print out labels of the same address a full page at a time. Pages of labels can then be stored in alphabetized folders near the transcription desk. Excel databases also can be set up to print labels and to insert names and addresses in standardized formats known as templates.

optical character reader (OCR) (op'ti-kăl kar'ăk-tĕr rēd'ĕr)

An electronic scanner that can "read" typed letters. -- Electronic device that helps speed mail processing

signature block (sig'nă-chŭr blok)

The writer's name and business title found four lines below the complimentary closing in a business letter. -- Name and address of the person to whom a letter is being sent

Mixed Punctuation

This style includes the following punctuation marks used in specific instances: . A colon after Attention in the attention line • A colon after the salutation • A comma after the complimentary closing • A colon or period after the enclosure notation • A colon after the copy notation

Open Punctuation

This style uses no punctuation after the following items when they appear in a letter: • The word Attention in the attention line • The salutation • The complimentary closing • The signature block • The enclosure and copy notations

annotate (an'ō-tāt')

To underline or highlight key points of a document or to write reminders, make comments, and suggest actions in the margins.

Match the mail items with their most likely priority levels.

Top priority = Overnight mail Second priority = Confidential mail Third priority = First-class mail Fourth priority = Packages Fifth priority = Magazines

10.1 Explain why well-written documents are important to the image of the medical practice.

Well-written, neatlv prepared documents are one of the most important means of communicating a professional image for the medical practice

concise (kon-sīs')

Breif; using no unnecessary words -- Using brief, specific sentences.

There are ______ different types of punctuation styles used in correspondence. A) 3 B) 5 C) 2 D) 4

C) 2 (Open Punctuation, Mixed Punctuation)

When should you process all incoming mail? A) As each piece of mail comes in B) First of every week C) At a specific time of day D) First of every month

C) At a specific time of day

Multiple Choice Question What is another name for the No. 10 envelope most commonly used in a medical office? A) Personal B) Common C) Business D) Legal

C) Business

Which of the following can be useful in creating frequently used labels? A) Handwriting B) Photocopier C) Excel databases D) Scanner

C) Excel databases

Which of the following types of communications helps facilitate informal written communication within an office? A) Newsletters B) Business letters C) Interoffice memos D) Text messages

C) Interoffice memos

In order for OCRs to read properly, what size envelopes should be used? A) Any size B) Any size, as long as the address is placed correctly C) No smaller than 3.5 by 5 inches and no larger than 6.0 by 11.5 D) No smaller than 4.0 by 6.0 inches and no larger than 8.5 by 11.0 inches

C) No smaller than 3.5 by 5 inches and no larger than 6.0 by 11.5

Whereas ______ is checking a document for factual accuracy and clarity, ______ is checking the document for grammar, spelling, and format errors. A) proofreading; editing B) fact checking; formatting C) editing; proofreading D) spell-checking; grammar-checking

C) editing; proofreading

To help speed mail processing, the USPS uses ______ to read the last 2 lines of an address and sort mail accordingly. A) human staff B) bar code scanners C) optical character readers D) address scanners

C) optical character readers

Commonly used paragraphs and entire letter formats can be saved in the computer as A) backgrounds. B) outlines. C) templates. D) models.

C) templates.

proofreading (prūf'rēd-ing)

Checking a document for formatting, data, and mechanical errors. -- Checking a document for grammatical, spelling, and formatting errors

clarity (klār'i-tē)

Clearness in writing or stating a message. -- Stating a message so that it can be understood easily

Invoices and Statements

Several types of invoices and statements are currently used. An invoice lists a product or service rendered and is used when billing for that product or service. A statement is a summary of total amounts owed, including outstanding charges as well as payments received.

Interjections

Show strong feeling or emotion

statement (stāt'mĕnt)

Similar to an invoice; a summary of total amounts owed, including outstanding charges as well as payments received for services provided by the office.

body (bod'ē)

Single-spaced lines of text that are the content of a business letter. -- Content of a letter

complimentary closing (kom'plĕ-mĕnt-ă-rē klōz-ing)

The closing remark of a business letter found two lines below the last line of the body of the letter. == "Sincerely" or "Best Regards"

A business size envelope is also referred to as a No. ______ envelope. A) 10 B) 8 C) 2 D) 5

A) 10

Most letters, postcards, and invoices generated in a medical office are sent by ______ mail. A) first-class B) regular C) priority D) express

A) first-class

Professional correspondence should be clear and well written to reflect ______ on the practice. A) positively B) neutrally C) negatively D) poorly

A) positively

Keeping a daily record of each day's mail is called A) recording. B) distributing. C) annotating. D) sorting.

A) recording.

Before beginning e-mail communication with a patient, be sure to have a signed ______ for e-mail communication on file. A) written consent B) patient information form C) insurance card D) credit card

A) written consent

Conjunctions

Join words or phrases together

10.3 Outline the general guidelines to effective writing.

Know the type of person to whom you are writing. Know the purpose of the letter and be concise, brief, and specific in meeting that purpose, using clarity in the writing. Use active voice whenever possible, being polite and courteous. Check spelling, grammar, and accuracy. Avoid leaving widows and orphans."

Letterhead Paper

Letterhead refers to formal business stationery on which the practice name and address are printed at the top, often with the names of the associates in the practice included. In most cases, the office phone and fax numbers are listed along with the office website information and an e-mail address. Letterhead is used for all professional, written correspondence coming from the office, but it is important to note that letterhead is used only for the first page of a letter. If a letter is more than one page, all the additional pages are printed on plain paper, using the same color and bond as the letterhead. - Standard (letter-sized): 8.5 X 11 inches - Legal: 8.5 X 14 inches

Table 10-1 The Parts of Speech

Noun - Medical assistant Verb - Speak Adjective - Talented Adverb - Slowly Conjunction - And

salutation (sal'yū-tā'shŭn)

A written greeting, such as "Dear," used at the beginning of a letter. --Written greeting

What is the standard setting for the margins in business correspondence? A) 1 inch B) 0.5 inch C) 2 inches D) 1.5 inch

A) 1 inch

tools for editing and proofreading

- dictionary - medical dictionary - thesaurus - Physicians' Desk Reference - English Grammar and Usage Manuals - Word Processing Spell Checkers

Parts of a Business Letter

- letterhead - dateline - delivery notation - inside address - salutation - subject line - body - complimentary closing - signature block - identification line - notations

template (tem'plăt)

A guide that ensures consistency and accuracy.

full-block letter style (ful' blok let'ĕr stīl)

A letter format in which all lines begin flush left; also called block style. -- Letter style in which all lines are flush left

modified-block letter style (mod'i-fīd blok let'ĕr stīl)

A letter format similar to full-block style, except that the dateline, complimentary closing, signature block, and notations are aligned and begin at the center of the page or slightly to the right of center. -- Letter style in which the dateline, complimentary closing, and signature block are aligned and begin at the center of the page or slightly to the right of center

invoice (ĭn'vois)

A listing of products or services rendered that is used when billing for that product or service.

simplified letter style (sim'pli-fīd let'ĕr stīl)

A modification of the full-block style in which the salutation and complimentary closing are omitted and a subject line typed in all capital letters is placed between the address and the body of the letter. -- Letter style in which the salutation is omitted and a subject line in all capital letters is placed between the address and the body of the letter

To be considered first-class mail, items must weigh equal to or less than how many ounces? A) 8 B) 11 C) 12 D) 9

B) 11

What is the first step in preparing a professional-looking document? A) Compose the document B) Choose the right supplies C) Print the document on letterhead D) Spell-check the document

B) Choose the right supplies

Which of the following consists of the month, day, and year and begins below the letterhead? A) Inside address B) Dateline C) Letterhead D) Salutation

B) Dateline

What should be done after you proofread a document? A) Have the receiver correct your document. B) Have a coworker proofread your work. C) Send the document because it's fixed. D) Send it as is hoping the receiver understands.

B) Have a coworker proofread your work.

Why is it important for a medical assistant to learn to create, send, and receive correspondence? A) It ensures that mail is sent quickly, without regard for content. B) It ensures positive, effective communication between your office and others. C) Well-written correspondence is not important in communicating a professional image for the practice. D) It ensures that content and presentation are not a priority in receiving or sending correspondence.

B) It ensures positive, effective communication between your office and others.

Where is the dateline found in a business letter? A) One line below the letterhead B) Three lines below the letterhead C) On the right margin, 2 lines below the letterhead D) In the left margin on the second line below the inside address

B) Three lines below the letterhead

If a letter needs to have the address face out an business envelope window, it should be folded into which shape? A) C B) Z C) V D) M

B) Z

Underlining or highlighting key points of a letter or writing reminders, comments, or suggested actions in the margins or on self-adhesive notes is called: A) sorting B) annotating C) indexing D) recording

B) annotating

Written office documents also serve as ______ records. A) clinical B) legal C) electronic D) administrative

B) legal

If the doctor authorizes you to sign letters, you should sign the doctor's name and A) sign your name after the doctor's. B) place your initials after the doctor's signature. C) require the doctor to sign the letter. D) mail them immediately without putting your initials after the doctor's signature.

B) place your initials after the doctor's signature.

The body of a business letter should be __________. A) double-spaced B) single-spaced C) in 18 point font D) italicized

B) single-spaced

Letter-folding equipment can help minimize the amount of _____ spent on preparing large volumes of outgoing mail. A) paper B) time C) writing D) postage

B) time

A medical assistant has many clinical roles in the office, which of the following is an example of an administrative role of a medical assistant? A) Charting vital signs B) Performing ECGs C) Performing urinalysis D) Creating documents

D) Creating documents

Which process ensures that a document is accurate, clear, and complete? A) Writing B) Reference C) Examination D) Editing

D) Editing

Which of the following is formal business stationary on which a medical practice's name and address are at the top? A) Notations B) Legal-size paper C) Note cards D) Letterhead

D) Letterhead

What is one of the most important means of communicating a professional image for the medical office? A) Creating a vague document B) Using slang C) Sending a carelessly prepared letter D) Using well-written, neatly prepared correspondence

D) Using well-written, neatly prepared correspondence

Transmissions that are physically moved from one location to another using a disk, a compact disk, or any other portable computer drive are considered ______ media. A) mainstream B) immobile C) written D) electronic

D) electronic

A(n) ________ lists a product or service rendered and is used for billing for that product or service. A) statement B) remittance advice C) pay-to check D) invoice

D) invoice

All e-mail messages containing ______ must be saved. A) billing information B) referrals C) appointment schedules D) protected health information

D) protected health information

Full-block letter style may include a subject line 2 lines below the A) inside address. B) dateline. C) letterhead. D) salutation.

D) salutation.

A(n) __________ is a summary of total amounts owed, including outstanding charges and payments received. A) explanation of benefits B) encounter form C) invoice D) statement

D) statement

Most word processing software has ______ for formatting interoffice memos. A) print preview B) voice transcription program C) a secretary D) templates

D) templates

Prepositions

Demonstrate a relationship between nouns, pronouns, or other words

10.2 Describe the types of document supplies that will be used in a medical office.

Document supplies used in a medical office include letterhead and matching plain bond paper; matching envelopes for professional correspondence: lesser bond envelopes of varying sizes for other types of correspondence: padded envelopes and data mailers: and labels and statements

Envelopes

Envelopes are used for correspondence, invoices, and statements. Typically, business letterhead and matching envelopes are printed together on higher-quality paper. Although the letterhead format for statements and invoices may be the same, these documents and their envelopes are usually printed on a lower-quality paper. Familiarize yourself with the many types of envelopes used in the medical office. • The most common envelope size used for correspondence is the No. 10 envelope (also called business size). It measures 4.5 X 9.5 inches

subject line (sŭb'jekt līn)

Optional line of two to three words that appears three lines below the inside address of a business letter.

10.4 List and explain the purpose of different types of documents used in a medical office.

The different types of documents and correspondence used in a medical office include letters of referral; letters about scheduling, cancelling, for- insurance companies: Instructions for examinations or laboratory tests; answers to insurance or billing questions: and cover letters or form letters to order supplies, equipment, or magazine subscriptions. Also, internal documents such as memos mav be used to provide staff information.

inside address (ĭn-sīd' ă-dres')

The name and address of the person to whom the letter is being sent. It appears on a business letter two to four lines down from the date. It should be two, three, or four lines in length. -- Name and address of the person to whom a letter is being sent

editing (ed'i-ting)

The process of ensuring that a document is accurate, clear, and complete; free of grammatical errors; organized logically; and written in the appropriate style. -- Checking a document for factual accuracy and logical flow

To create effective, professional correspondence that reflects well on the practice, be sure that you use clear and concise language, the active voice, and an appropriate style. Following are some general guidelines to help you write more effectively.

• Before you write, know the type of person to whom you are writing. Consider him to be your audience. Is the letter to a medical provider, a patient, a vendor, or fellow staff members? Decide if the tone should be formal or more relaxed. • Know the purpose of the letter before you begin, and make sure your letter accurately conveys that purpose. • Be concise. Use short sentences. Be brief. Be specific. • Do not use unnecessary words. Use the simplest way to say what you mean. • Show clarity in your writing; state your message so that it can be easily understood. • Use the active voice whenever possible. Voice shows whether the subject of a sentence is acting or is being acted upon.

Letter Format Follow these general formatting guidelines for all letters.

• The margin is the space around the edges of a form or letter that is left blank. The standard setting for margins in business correspondence is 1 inch (left and right margins) for 8.5 inch-wide paper. • Roughly vertically center the letter on the page according to the length of the letter. For shorter letters, you can use wider margins and start the address farther down the page. For longer letters, use standard margins but start higher up on the page. • Single-space the body of the letter. Double-space between paragraphs or parts of the letter. • Use short sentences (no more than 20 words on average). • Include at least two or three sentences in each paragraph. • Avoid long paragraphs; use paragraphs of fewer than 10 lines.