Chapter 7 Technology and Written Communication

Semi-Block Business Letter Format

. Left Justified: Sender's address (if not using letterhead) and inside address . Center point or right-justified: Date, closing, and signature block start . Indented paragraphs 5 spaces

Full Block Business Letter Format

. Left justified: All elements . Professional business letters use "closed" punctuation . Informal letters can use "open" punctuation

Modified Block Business Letter Format

. Left justified: Sender's address (if not using letterhead) and inside address . Center point or right-justified: Date, closing, and signature block start

Peripheral Device

A device that is attached to the computer and aids in input and/or output.

Network and Internet Access Devices

All computers and output devices in a healthcare facility are usually connected to the clinic's network (local area network [LAN]) Router may be used to allow multiple devices on the same network Medical office must subscribe with an Internet services provider (ISP) and be connected to a modem

Flash Memory Devices

Becoming cheaper and has large storage capacity, are replacing older magnetic media.

BDs

Blu-Ray Discs

Preparing Letter for Delivery

Business letters should be enclosed in business-sized envelopes To ensure timely delivery: Type envelope using simple black font of at least 10-point size Put one space between the city and state and two spaces between state and ZIP code Use ZIP code + 4 code (e.g., 55555-1111) as often as possible Use only approved U.S. Postal Service abbreviations

The ________ ________ contains data and instructions for opened programs.

Cache Memory

What memory is quicker than the main memory and allows programs to operate more quickly and efficiently

Cache Memory

CPU

Central Processing Unit

The ___________ _______ _______ ( ___ ___ ___) or processor is the "brains" of the computer. It is responsible for interpreting and executing commands from the software or the program.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

CDs

Compact Discs

What types of devices can a Personal Computer be?

Desktop, Laptop, or tablet computer

DvDs

Digital Versatile/Video Discs

Computer Network Security

Electronic security is becoming more important in today's society Most clinics also need to comply with Meaningful Use requirements Administrators and employees must work together to keep the computer network safe Administrators have additional security responsibilities Encryption software is used to encode or change the information into nonreadable or encrypted data Healthcare agencies' IT departments manage audit trails IT departments also perform security risk analysis Perform backup procedures

Desktop computers are typically used for?

Employees who primarily perform word processing, data entry, and business tasks, such as scheduling, bookkeeping, and billing.

_____________ ___________ help reduce repetitive strain injuries by minimizing muscle strain; these keyboards allow the user's hands to be in a natural position when typing.

Ergonomic Keyboards

Dependent Clause

Example: Because the patient felt sick Use: The receptionist immediately notified the clinical medical assistant because the patient was sick.

Preposition

Example: Beside Use: The student sat beside the receptionist.

Noun

Example: Computer Use: The medical assistant used the computer.

Verb

Example: Greeted Use: The receptionist greeted the patient.

Subject

Example: receptionist Use: The receptionist of the Orthopedic and Pediatric departments answers the phone.

Adverb

Example: softly Use: The patient spoke softly.

Adjective

Example: warm Use: The warm room was full of patients.

Phrase

Example: warm exam room Use: A warm exam room helps keep the patient comfortable during a physical exam.

Optical Storage Device

Examples: Blu-Ray Discs (BDs), Compact Discs (CDs), Digital Versatile/Video Disc (DVDs)

Magnetic Storage Device

Examples: Internal Hard Drive, Portable Hard Drive

Flash Memory

Examples: Jump Drive, Memory Card, Memory Stick, Solid-State Disk or Drive (SSD)

Capitalization, Numbers, and Punctuation

First letter of the first word in a sentence or question should be capitalized Pronoun "I" should be capitalized First letter of proper nouns should be capitalized Spell out all numbers at the beginning of a sentence Commas are used in written punctuation Semicolons are used before certain words (e.g., however, therefore, for example) and when separating two complete sentences in a series A colon is used to introduce a series of items

The most common type of business letter is

Full Block Business Letter

Hard Disk Drive

HDD is often referred to as the "hard drive". It reads and writes on the hard disk, which provides the largest amount of permanent storage for the computer.

HDD

Hard Disk Drive

Control keys are

Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down, Control, Escape, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space Bar, Print Screen and Tab.

Computer Workstation Ergonomics

Important to arrange the workstation correctly Torso and neck should be vertical; in line For standing workstations, your legs, torso, head, and neck should be vertical and in line Important to change position every 30 minutes Preventing repetitive stress injuries is important for all computer users

Signature Pads

In ambulatory care settings, _________ __________ are used in the reception area.

Two most common types of printer used in the ambulatory care center are ?

Inkjet and Laser

An _________ ________ is any peripheral hardware that allows the user to provide data to the computer.

Input Device

Computer hardware can be divided into what categories?

Input devices, Output devices, internal components, secondary storage devices.

What is the most common input device?

Keyboards

Input Devices

Keyboards Mouse and other pointing devices Touch screens Webcams Microphones Scanners Signature pads

What devices are portable allowing healthcare staff to be more mobile while accessing technology?

Laptops and Tablets

The most common monitor in the health care setting is the _________ _______ ________ ( ___ ___ ___).

Liquid crystal display (LCD)

Types of computer storage

Magnetic, Optical or Flash.

Professional E-mails

Medical assistants need to know how to compose a professional e-mail Separate e-mail addresses with semicolons Start with a greeting Refrain from using all caps Always end with "Thank you" or "Sincerely" Zip large attachments Use the urgent feature only for crucial e-mails

Closing Comments

Medical assistants should proofread all documents carefully before printing/sending Medical assistants should keep a copy of all documents produced using word processing All patient-related documents are confidential

Electronic Technology in the Medical Office

Medical software Reduced prices Time saved Understand the capabilities

Output Devices

Monitors Printers Speakers

Common output devices are

Monitors, Printers, and Speakers

The CPU sits on the _______________.

Motherboard

The _____________ is a platform where all the internal computer parts attach, including the primary memory, hard drive, optical drive, sound and video cards, and ports.

Motherboard

One of the most common input devices is the ?

Mouse

Business envelope size

No. 10

OCR

Optical Character Recognition; scanners convert images to digital text.

Mouse

Palm sized box with a laser sensor that tracks the user's movement of the mouse and sends those messages back to the computer.

Secondary Storage Devices

Permanently store data until they are replaced or deleted by the user Types: Magnetic (internal hard drive, portable hard drive) Optical (i.e., blue ray disc, compact disc, DVD) Flash (jump drive/USB drive, memory stick)

PC means

Personal Computer

________ produce the output on paper.

Printers

The Standard Keyboard for computers is the?

QWERTY

________ contains hardwired instructions that are used when the computer boots up and starts.

ROM

RAM

Random Access Memory

ROM

Read Only Memory

The primary memory is accessed directly by the CPU and includes ______ _____ _____ (____ ____ ____), _______ ______, and __________ ________ _______ (___ ____ ___).

Read Only Memory (ROM), Cache Memory, Random Access Memory (RAM)

Personal Computer Hardware

Relatively inexpensive piece of hardware that is used by a single person System hardware Electronic processing device that accepts, stores, and processes data

Surface Acoustic Wave Touch Screen

Responds to an inaudible wave of sound that is created on the screen from a finger. Like the resistive touch screen, it is very common and can be found in kiosks and ordering screens. A stylus with a rubber or soft tip the size of a pencil eraser is required.

Capacitive Touch Screen

Responds to the electrical characteristics of a finger and is found in smart phones and other electrical devices. It requires a specialized stylus that has more surface area in the point.

What drive can replace a hard drive in a computer, but is more expensive?

SSD; Solid State Drive

Parts of a Professional Letter

Salutation Subject line Body of the letter Closing Signature block End notations Continuation pages

Parts of a Professional Letter

Sender's address Date Inside address Reference line

Technology Advances in Healthcare

Sign-in sheets are being replaced with sign-in kiosks Clinics are using wristbands with bar codes Medical labs, ambulatory surgery centers, and walk-in clinics are using patient tracking systems Some clinics use wireless mobile workstations Point-of-care tools and apps are available for providers to use in the exam rooms with patients E-prescribing allows providers to send prescriptions electronically

Software Used in the Medical Office

Software Set of electronic instructions to operate and perform different tasks Two main categories System software Application software Electronic medical record (EMR) and EHR are often used interchangeably When patients' records became electronic (or computerized), they were called "electronic medical records" EHR allows sharing of information with other providers outside the facility

SSD

Solid State Drive

What drive has the faster access speed and better performance and reliability and is not affected by magnetism?

Solid State Drive

What are the two most common ergonomic keyboards?

Split Key Models and the Waved or Curved Key layout.

Maintaining Computer Hardware

The MA must maintain the computer hardware All computer and peripheral devices should be located on a stable, even surface away from heat sources Liquids and food should be kept away from devices To remove dirt from the keyboard, turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake; use compressed air dusters

Internal Components

The central processing unit is the "brains" of the computer Random access memory (RAM) is the working memory of the computer Hard disk drive (HDD) reads and writes on the hard disk Solid-state drive (SSD) is more expensive than an HDD; it is not affected by magnetism Most desktops and laptops have a number of USB ports

The twelve keys at the top of the keyboard is called?

The function keys

True

The hard drive is considered a secondary storage device and is not required to operate the computer.

Continuation pages consist of three elements

The recipient's name, the page number, and the date.

RAM

The working memory of the computer, which is needed for the computer to operate.

What is the function of control keys?

To move the cursor and the screen

__________ __________ are becoming more popular on laptops because they are portable and compact.

Touch Pads

A _________ _________allows a person to interact with the computer by touching the display screen with a finger or stylus.

Touch Screen

Memorandums

Use portrait orientation for the document and 1-inch margins Typically have four headings: To From Date Subject

Optical drives

Uses lasers and lights to read and write data onto optical storage devices. Some are recordable and others allow read/write.

Letter Templates

Using one of the business letter formats, the medical assistant can design a letter template Use the practice management software to merge patient data into the letter template to create an individualized letter

Dumb Terminal

Without a storage device, the computer would be considered a ______ _______. It provides user access to software, the network, and/or internet but don't allow user to save data to the C drive of the computer.

Optical Drive

_________ ______can read or read and save data on optical discs, such as compact discs (CDs), Digital Versatile/Video Discs (DVDs), and Blu-Ray Discs (BDs), which are removable storage discs.

System Unit

a computer case that contains the CPU, power supply, memory, and storage

USB ports

allow hardware (ex: printers, mice, keyboards, and external hard drives) to connect to the computer.

Video Card

also called a graphic card or video adapter it allows the computer to send graphic information to output devices, such as projectors or monitors.

Sound card

also called the audio card or audio adapter allows audio information to be sent to the speakers or headphones.

Cloud Storage

also known as file sharing or online storage.

Secondary Storage Device or Medium

capable of permanently storing data until it is replaced or deleted by the user. Devices can be considered removable, internal or external.

Common input devices include

keyboards, mice and other pointing devices, touch screens, webcams, microphones, scanners, and signature pads.

Monitors display the output as images, which are created by tiny dots called __________.

pixels

Resistive Touch Screen

responds to the touch of almost anything that can generate pressure, found in many hand held devices.

The different types of keyboards are

standard, internet, wireless, and ergonomic.

Keyboards typically have what type of category keys?

typing, numeric, function, control, and special purpose keys.

Magnetic Storage

uses magnetic technology to read and write data to the device.