CH 9 General Office Duties

Flats

A category for large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines. To be considered a flat, a mailpiece must be at least inches high or inches long or inch thick. It should not be more than 12 inches high by 15 inches long by inch thick.

Dress code

Appearance is very important. The way you look, speak, and act reflects on who you are. Everything you do in the office is a reflection on the facility, the physician, and your coworkers. Each medical facility has its own dress code.

Reading material

Appropriate reading material should be placed on the tables in the reception area. The material should not be frightening, disturbing, or otherwise inappropriate.

Dress Code General rules include

Attire should be clean, neat, and fresh. Shoes should be clean, neat, comfortable, & appropriate for the job. Hair should be clean, neat, & off the shoulders or collar. Nails should be cut to an appropriate length to ensure safety to patients. Assistants should not have visible tattoos or body-piercing jewelry other than earrings worn in the earlobes. Makeup should be applied conservatively. No cologne or perfume should be worn. Facial hair should be clean and appropriately trimmed.

Body

Begins two lines below the salutation or subject line. It is single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs. Leave a blank line above and below a list, and indent each item on the list ½ inch to 1 inch from the left margin.

First impression

Both the receptionist and the reception area help the patient form a first impression about the medical facility and its employees. This first impression should be of a positive, comfortable, safe, and clean environment.

Components

Business letters consist of letterhead on which are printed a dateline, an inside address, a salutation, a subject line, the body of the letter, a complimentary closing, a signature block, an identification line, and notations.

Certificate of Mailing

Can be purchased at the time of mailing. The certificate does not provide coverage for loss or damage, nor does it provide proof of delivery.

Capitalization

Capitalize: All proper names. All titles, positions, or indications of family relation when preceding a proper name or in place of a proper noun. Days of the week, months, and holidays. Names of organizations and membership designations. Racial, religious, and political designations. Specific addresses and geographic locations. Sums of money written in legal or business documents. Titles or headings of books, magazines, and newspapers.

Postal money orders

Cash should never be sent through the mail. Postal money orders are a safe way to send money. You can purchase one or multiple money orders at your local post office. If your money order is lost or stolen, you must present your customer receipt to apply for a replacement. For a small fee, you can obtain a copy of a paid money order up to 2 years after the date on which it is cashed. A money order may be purchased in amounts as high as $700.

Telephone calls

Classified as incoming, outgoing, and interoffice. Medical assistants can communicate with patients, pharmacies, laboratories, and other medical offices via telephone. First impressions matter in telephone communications. Because you are usually the first contact most people have with a medical office, you should convey a professional and positive attitude by what you say and how you sound to the caller. You also need to take care to maintain patient confidentiality.

Collating records

Collect all records, test results, and information pertaining to the patient who is scheduled to be seen by the physician. Collation is usually done the day before the patient is seen.

Bound Printed Matter

Consists of advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial material. It must be securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching. It must also contain material that is mostly typed, not handwritten, and it should not be personal correspondence or stationery (including pads of blank printed forms).

Basic Rules of Writing: Word Division

Divide: According to pronunciation. Compound words between the two words from which they are derived. Hyphenated compound words at the hyphen. After a prefix. Before a suffix. Between two consonants that appear between vowels. Before -ing unless the last consonant is doubled, in which case, divide before the second consonant. Do not divide: Such suffixes as -sion, -tial, and -tion. A word so that only one letter is left on a line.

Cards

Eligible for First-Class services such as forwarding and return. Cards must be at least inches high by 5 inches long by .007 inch thick and no more than inches high by 6 inches long by .016 inch thick.

The guidelines for formatting letters are as follows

For most letters, your margins should be 1 inch wide. For shorter letters, you can use wider margins and start the address farther down the page. The body of the letter should be single spaced. Between paragraphs, use double spacing. Use short sentences (fewer than 20 words). Use short paragraphs. Most of your business correspondence should be no more than a page long. Sign letters of routine business (such as ordering office supplies). Most other letters should be signed by the physician.

Folding letters

For standard letters that fit into a Number 10 envelope, fold the bottom third of the letter up & make a crease, then fold the top edge of the letter down to within about inch of the first crease & make a second crease. Folding the top third toward you produces a D-fold; folding it away from you produces a Z-fold. For a Number envelope, fold an by 11-inch sheet in half, fold the right third to the left, & fold the left third to the right.

Letterhead

Formal business stationery on which the name and address of the office or the physician are printed. Letterhead is usually printed on high-quality paper of various fiber content (such as cotton bond) that usually bears a watermark. The quality is often described in terms of weight, which is based on 500 sheets of 17- by 22-inch paper. For letterhead, this weight is often 20 or 24 pounds, also referred to as Sub 20 and Sub 24. Letterhead paper is available in three sizes: standard, monarch or executive, and baronial.

Standard letterhead

Letterhead that is by 11 inches in size and is used in professional correspondence and letters that discuss general business.

Baronial letterhead

Letterhead that is by inches in size and is used for short letters and memos.

Executive letterhead

Letterhead that is by inches in size and is used for social and informal correspondence.

Classification

Mail can be classified according to type, weight, and destination. The measurement units are the ounce and pound. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has recently updated its classification system. Because the medical assistant exam could contain questions about either the old or the new postal systems, both are included and explained here.

Restricted Delivery

Mail is delivered only to a specific addressee or to someone authorized in writing to receive mail for the addressee. Restricted Delivery is available only for Registered Mail, Certified Mail, COD mail, and mail insured for more than $50.

Opening mail

Mail processing involves sorting, opening, recording, annotating, and distributing. When you transmit letters to the physician, place the most important letters on the top & the least important ones on the bottom. Usually something marked Special Delivery is considered important mail. After opening the mail, you usually need to date-stamp the letters, check for enclosures, and in some cases annotate the letter.

Playroom

Make sure that the toys, games, videos, and books are safe for children to play with. Toys and any toy parts should be free of sharp edges, too large to accidentally swallow, and easy to clean.

Private delivery services

Many private services offer various delivery options and also deliver mail overnight. They include FedEx, UPS, Emery, Airborne Express, and DHL. These services are well advertised and competitive.

Scheduling

Set up appointments according to the method used by the physician to provide efficient services.

Memorandum

The purpose is to expedite the communication of a message in a manner that provides a record without becoming cumbersome. Interoffice memoranda are also called memos. You should not use salutations and complimentary closings in memos. The standard format for a memorandum begins with four lines specifying the recipient (the "to" line), the sender (the "from" line), the date, and the subject. The body of the memo starts two blank lines after the subject line and has no paragraph indentations.

Opening the office

The receptionist responsible for opening the office should arrive 15 to 20 minutes before office hours begin.

Full-block

Typed with all lines in standard letter format, flush left. It is quick and easy to write. This style is one of the most common formats used in medical practices.

Sealing envelopes

Use a damp sponge and seal many envelopes at one time.

Tips:

Use commas when numerals have more than three digits. Do not use commas when referring to account numbers, page numbers, or policy numbers. Use a hyphen (or an en dash if possible) with numerals to indicate a range.

Numbers

Use numerals: In general writing, when the number is 11 or greater: With abbreviations and symbols. When discussing laboratory results or statistics. When referring to specific sums of money. When using a series of numbers in a sentence

Service endorsements

Used by mailers to notify the USPS about what to do with mail that is undeliverable as addressed. These endorsements consist of the keywords Address, Forwarding, Return, & Change followed by the two words Service Requested.

Collect on Delivery (COD)

Used when the mailer wants to collect payment for merchandise or postage from the recipient when the mail is delivered. COD service can be used for merchandise sent as First-Class Mail, Express Mail, Priority Mail, and Standard Mail or as Registered Mail.

Dateline

Usually keyed inches below the top edge or inch below the letterhead. (Most word processors and typewriters are set to print 6 lines to the inch, so inches is 15 lines and inch is 3 lines.) The date should be completely written out, as in December 15, 2011.

Forwarding Service Requested

Provides forwarding and return, but new address notification is provided only for returned items. (With an Address Service Requested endorsement, you would get a new address notification even if the mail was forwarded.) First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Express Mail automatically get this service without any endorsement and free of charge. Periodicals are forwarded without charge for 60 days when postage is fully prepaid by the sender. Standard Mail (B) also automatically gets this service, but the addressee is responsible for paying any applicable forwarding charges.

Return Service Requested

Provides no forwarding service, only return with a new address notification. This service is free for First-Class and Priority Mail; Standard Mail (A) is charged First-Class or Priority Mail rates for the return.

Receptionist duties

Receptionists should be professional, confident, and caring. They are responsible for ensuring patient safety and confidentiality at all times. Other duties vary depending on the facility. Some medical practices require different, specific tasks to be done each day. These tasks also differ between medical specialties.

Special Handling

Required for parcels whose unusual contents require additional care in transit and handling. Special Handling is not required for those parcels sent by First-Class, Express, or Priority Mail. Special Handling is available for Standard Mail only, including insured and COD mail. If Special Handling is required, the words SPECIAL HANDLING should be printed in capital letters two lines (at least inch) below the postage.

The following classifications of mail are used under the new system

First-Class Mail. Priority Mail. Periodicals. Standard Mail (A). Standard Mail (B). Express Mail

The following classifications of mail were used under the old system

First-Class Mail. Priority Mail. Second-Class Mail. Third-Class Mail. Fourth-Class Mail. Express Mail

Prohibited items

The USPS prohibits the mailing of fraudulent or pornographic materials. The responsibility for mailing any materials, whether or not they are prohibited or hazardous, rests with the mailer.

Insurance

Any piece of domestic mail may be insured for damage or loss. Insurance is available for Priority Mail, First-Class, and Standard Mail. The post office must reimburse the sender for an insured item that is lost or damaged.

Combination mailing

A package with an accompanying letter is called combination mail. The letter should be attached to the outside of the package, or the letter should be placed inside the package and the package marked Letter enclosed just below the space for the postage. Separate postage is paid for the parcel and the letter. This method is commonly used to send X-rays with an accompanying report.

Return Receipt

A receipt that will be returned to the sender to prove that the item was delivered. For a small fee, this signed receipt may be obtained on Express Mail and on COD, Registered Mail, Certified Mail, and most insured mail.

Return address

A return address for the sender should always be placed in the upper-left corner.

Interim room

A room in which people can talk or meet without being seen or heard from the patient reception area. This room provides an ideal location for medical staff to confer privately with patients about appointments or bills. An interim room also allows patients privacy to make telephone calls or to feed or diaper babies.

Special Delivery

A service that was used to ensure that mail got delivered as soon as it reached the recipient's post office. Special Delivery stamps could be purchased at the post office. Special Delivery could be used for regular First-Class, Second-Class, and insured mail. It could not be used for mail addressed to a post office box or military installation. Although Special Delivery is no longer available, please note that questions about this service may still appear on the certification exams.

Address Service Requested

A special service endorsement that allows mail either (1) to be forwarded if the addressee left a change of address with the post office or (2) to be returned to the mailer if the mail is undeliverable. This service also provides the mailer with the new address. Forwarding is offered free of charge for Priority, First-Class, and Standard Mail.

Subject

A subject line is sometimes used to bring the subject of the letter to the reader's attention. It should be typed two lines below the salutation and two lines above the body of the letter.

Proofreading

All letters must be checked for errors before mailing. Proofreading requires concentration and attention. Common mistakes involve content, punctuation (including the use of apostrophes, hyphens, and parentheses), grammar, spelling, and spacing. You should use standard proofreader's marks to indicate changes that are required. Proofread each document twice, once on the screen (checking for obvious errors), and then on a hard copy (to be sure everything is accurate and makes sense).

Modified-block

All lines begin at the left margin, with the exception of the date line, complimentary closing, and keyed signature, which usually begin at the center position.

Greeting

Although it is often overlooked, one of the very important tasks of a medical assistant is greeting patients. What you say and how you pre-sent yourself to patients the first time they enter the medical facility makes a difference in the way patients respond to you and in what they think of the facility. Greet patients by name, don't ask potentially personal or embarrassing questions, and make eye contact.

Professionalism

Always be professional. Get to know your patients, but only on a professional level, not on a personal level. Call your patients by name. Be polite, tactful, and respectful.

Mailgram

An electronic message service offered by Western Union that provides next-day USPS delivery for messages sent to any address in the United States. The messages are transmitted electronically, printed, and processed for delivery with the next business day's mail. Mailgram service is also available for Canadian addresses. You can send Mailgram messages by calling Western Union and dictating your message to the operator, or you can use your office Telex or TWX.

Receptionist

An employee, often a multiskilled medical assistant, who greets patients as they come into the office. The receptionist is the first person who will have contact with the patient and help the patient form a first impression about the facility and its employees. He or she will usually sit in an area where the waiting patients can be observed.

Parcels

Fall into two categories: machinable and nonmachinable. Machinable parcels (those that can fit through the post office's automated parcel sorting machines) should be at least 3 inches high by 6 inches long by inch thick and weigh at least 8 ounces (6 ounces for regular rectangular shapes); they should be no more than 17 inches high by 34 inches long by 17 inches thick and weigh no more than 35 pounds (25 pounds for bound printed matter).

Writing style

Good writing style demands accuracy, clarity, simplicity, and courtesy.

Tracing mail

If a piece of Registered or Certified Mail is lost, you may ask the post office to trace it. You should bring any receipts associated with the item.

Outgoing mail

In order to complete tasks connected with outgoing mail, you need the following supplies and equipment, Letterhead. Envelopes. Labels. Invoices and statements. A computer with word processing capabilities and a printer. A typewriter.

Outgoing mail:

In order to complete tasks connected with outgoing mail, you need the following supplies and equipment: Letterhead. Envelopes. Labels. Invoices and statements. A computer with word processing capabilities and a printer. A typewriter.

Notation

Includes information such as the number and type of enclosures and the names of other people who receive copies of the letter (referred to as carbon copies or courtesy copies, abbreviated cc). The word enclosure(s) can be abbreviated as Enc, Encl, or Encs. The notation is typed two lines below the signature block or identification line.

Address

Individual First-Class letters must be addressed clearly and legibly. To qualify for bulk or presort discounts, mail must be addressed according to certain conventions established by the USPS. The recipient address must be printed single-spaced on the envelope in all capital letters with no punctuation. Put the addressee's name on the first line, the department on the second line, and the company name on the third line.

Handling instructions

Instructions, such as the words Personal or Confidential, should be placed three lines below the return address.

Salutation

Keyed flush with the left margin on the second line below the inside address. The formal salutation should refer to the receiver of the letter, using a title and surname (last name): Dear Mrs. Brown. If the receiver and sender know each other well, the receiver's given name (first name) may be used. In formal correspondence, the salutation is followed by a colon (:); a comma should be used only in informal letters. No salutation is necessary in a memorandum.

Hazardous materials

Materials designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as being capable of posing unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property during transportation. Certain drugs and medicines can be classified as hazardous material. Before mailing anything that might be considered hazardous, check with the post office for appropriate labeling procedures.

Television

More and more medical practices have televisions in the reception area. Monitor this area to make sure that the program selected is appropriate for all viewers and that the sound level is acceptable.

Postage meter

Most medical offices use a postage meter that automatically stamps large mailings. The meter can print postage directly onto an envelope or a special gummed label. The cost of a postage meter must be weighed against the expense and inconvenience of making trips to the post office and keeping several different denominations of stamps on hand. Remember to change the date daily on the postage meter.

Registering new patients

New patients need to fill out a complete patient registration form containing demographic information. Assist patients who are unable to read or write.

ZIP plus 4 Codes

Nine-digit codes that identify the city, the individual post office, and the zone within the city.

Letters

Nonstandard envelopes must be at least inches high by 5 inches long by .007 inch thick and no more than inches high by inches long by inch thick.

Certified Mail

Offers a guarantee that the item has been mailed and received by the correct party by requiring the mail carrier to obtain a signature on delivery. It provides proof of mailing and delivery of mail. The sender receives a mailing receipt at the time of mailing, and a record of delivery is kept at the recipient's post office. Certified Mail service is available only for First-Class & Priority Mail.

Simplified

Omits the salutation and the complimentary closing. All lines are keyed flush with the left margin. It is the most modern letter style. However, in most situations in a medical office, the simplified letter style may be too informal.

First-Class Mail

Only items that weigh 13 ounces or less may be sent as First-Class Mail. Items that weigh more than 13 ounces must be sent as Priority. Anything the post office accepts for mailing can be sent as First-Class or Priority Mail; however, some things must be sent as First-Class Mail (or Priority Mail), such as handwritten or typewritten material, bills, statements of account or invoices, and credit cards.

Generally, a receptionist's duties include

Opening and closing the office, Replenishing supplies, Greeting patients, Signing in patients, Registering new patients, Answering patients' questions, Assisting with patient forms, Collating records, Answering the phone, Writing charge slips, Inputting no-shows, Preparing for patients to come in, Escorting and instructing patients, Making sure that the reception area is safe and clean, & Handling patients' complaints.

Complimentary closing

Placed two lines below the last line of the body and consisting of one of the following: Sincerely, Yours truly, Best regards. It is followed by a comma. Only the first letter of the first word is capitalized.

Priority Mail

Provides First-Class handling for all items that weigh 70 pounds or less. First-Class Mail that weighs more than 13 ounces must be sent as Priority Mail. Priority Mail provides second-day service between all major business markets and three-day service everywhere else within the United States. (Delivery within the stated period, however, is not guaranteed.) There is a basic rate for packages weighing up to 2 pounds. Larger packages can be sent as Priority Mail at higher rates according to weight.

Volume

Should be the same as when speaking to someone in the same room, just loud enough for them to hear clearly. Bear in mind that some patients may be hard of hearing.

Beverages

Some medical facilities make coffee and drinking water available to patients. Make sure that these items are fresh each morning and that necessary supplies such as cream and sugar are available. The storage area should be safe and clean.

Inside address

States the title and address of the person for whom the letter is intended. Degree designations should always be abbreviated, and when a professional degree is used, no other title should be placed in front of the name. For a physician, therefore, the title should read either Dr. John Smith or John Smith, M.D. The form Dr. John Smith, M.D. is incorrect.

Editing

The editing process ensures that the content of all documents is accurate, clear, complete, and organized logically. The writing style must be appropriate, and there must be no grammatical errors.

Express Mail

The fastest mail service offered by the Postal Service. It provides guaranteed expedited service for any mailable matter. Express mail is available 7 days a week including holidays. Express mail should be used for urgent business documents, such as contracts and sales orders. A flat rate is charged for anything mailed in the special USPS flat-rate envelope, regardless of weight. Overnight delivery is guaranteed. Federal Express (FedEx) and United Parcel Service (UPS) also offer next-day delivery service.

International mail

The majority of letters to distant foreign countries, as well as to Mexico and Canada, are sent by air mail at international rates determined by the USPS. Window envelopes cannot be used for international mail. Parcel Post is handled according to an agreement with countries that place restrictions on materials that enter their borders.

Maximum size

The maximum size for mailpieces is 108 inches in combined length and girth. The maximum mailable weight of any mailpiece is 70 pounds. Items mailed as Parcel Post can have a maximum combined length and girth of 130 inches.

Registered Mail

The most secure service offered by the post office is Registered Mail. Registered Mail provides insurance coverage for valuable items and is controlled from the point of mailing to the point of delivery. This service should be reserved for mailing items of tangible value, such as gifts or items that cannot be replaced in case of loss or damage. Both First-Class Mail and Priority Mail can be registered.

Minimum size

The post office prescribes minimum sizes for mail to prevent individuals from mailing items so small that they might be lost. If a mailpiece is inch thick or less, it must be at least inches high by 5 inches long. All mailable matter must be at least .007 inch thick.

Shape

The shape of your mail can determine the rate you pay. In some instances, certain shapes, such as squares and tubes, are charged a higher rate or a special surcharge because those pieces must be processed manually. Generally, mail that is inch thick or less must be rectangular. Pieces more than inch thick do not have to be rectangular. The post office separates mail into four size and shape categories: cards, letters, flats/nonletters, and parcels.

Felt side of letterhead

The side from which the watermark is readable and the side on which printing and typing should be done.

Signature

The signature block contains the sender's name on the first line and title on the second line. The block should be aligned with the closing and should be typed four lines below it to allow for the signature. Correspondence of a routine business nature, such as a supply order, is often signed by the medical assistant; however, medical reports, letters to insurance companies, consultation or referral letters, and letters clinical in nature should be signed by the physician.

Identification line

The typist's initials are sometimes included two lines below the signature block. These initials are often preceded by a colon or a slash. The traditional full form includes the initials of the person responsible for creating the letter followed by a colon or a slash and then the typist's initials.

Access

The way patients enter and exit a medical office. Patients should have easy, clear access from the parking lot to the medical office entrance. The entrance of the office should be clearly marked, noting the name of the practice and doctors associated with the practice. Doorways must be wide enough to accommodate patients using wheelchairs and walkers. Hallways should also be wide and without obstructions.

Letter styles

There are four major styles of letters: full-block, modified-block, indented, and simplified.

Envelopes

There are three commonly used sizes: Number , Number 7, and Number 10 (also called business size). Most common in the medical office are Number and Number 10. The Number size with a window is often used for mailing statements.

Media Matter

This classification is used for books, manuscript, printed test materials, film, printed music, sound recordings, and printed educational charts. It is also used for videotapes and computer recorded media (CD-ROMs and diskettes). Media mail cannot weigh over 70 pounds.

Annotate

To furnish with notes, which are usually critical or explanatory. You must highlight key points of the letter or write reminders and comments in the margins of the letter.

Possessives

To show ownership or relation to another noun: For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an s. For plural nouns that do not end in an s, add an apostrophe and an s. For plural nouns that end in an s, add just an apostrophe.

Reception area

When the receptionist arrives at the office, one of his or her first duties is to take a look at the reception area. This area should be clean and neat and should have proper lighting, so that patients may read if they desire. The area should be designed and arranged with patient comfort and safety in mind.

Plurals

With medical terms ending in is, drop the is & add es: metastasis/metastases. With terms ending in um, drop the um and & a: diverticulum/diverticula. With terms ending in us, drop the us & add i: calculus/calculi. Exception: The plural forms of some words, involve other changes: corpus/corpora, genus/genera, sinus/sinuses, virus/viruses. With most terms ending in ma, add ta: stoma/stomata. With terms otherwise ending in a, drop the a & add ae: vertebra/vertebrae.

Recalling mail

You can recall mail by filling out a written application at the post office and submitting it along with an envelope that is addressed identically to the one you want to recall. A mail carrier is not permitted to simply give mail back to you.