Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) (Voucher Included)

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OVERVIEW

Administrative medical assistants are skilled multi-taskers who direct the flow of patients through an office. Effective patient flow allows the practice to operate efficiently, increase revenue, and provide a positive experience for the patient.

Their duties can include scheduling appointments, entering demographic and insurance information into practice software, managing patient check-in and check-out, answering phone calls, filing and retrieving paper records, maintaining electronic records, composing correspondence, performing daily financial practices, assigning medical codes and processing insurance claims.

Upon completion of this course you will be prepared for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) national certification exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). This course includes a voucher which covers the fee of the exam.

Disclaimer: To qualify for the externship applications process, students must successfully complete the online course content and have account balances up to date (at a minimum). Going through the externship application process does not guarantee an externship. COVID may be affecting the externship process or site availability in your area. Students can begin researching the steps of the application process 2 weeks prior to completing courses.

What you will learn

  • Learn what is required to succeed as a Medical Administrative Assistant
  • Master multitasking as it relates to scheduling appointments, processing insurance requests, maintaining records and corresponding with patients
  • Learn best financial practices for a medical center
  • Master the fundamentals of medical terminology and ethical best practices
  • Understand the basics of working with medical documents, medical billing, and coding processes

How you will benefit

  • Jump-start your career in the medical field
  • Learn how to effectively communicate with prospective patients and fellow professionals in the medical industry
  • Understand how to create positive, efficient experiences for patients to make them more comfortable

SYLLABUS

  1. Becoming an Administrative Medical Assistant
    1. Qualities of a Medical Assistant
    2. Job Duties
    3. Certification
    4. Scope of Practice
    5. Ambulatory Healthcare Settings
    6. The Healthcare Team
  2. Managing Stress and Improving Communication
    1. Stress and Burnout
    2. Types of Communication
    3. Barriers to Effective Communication
    4. Patient Interview Techniques
    5. The Stages of Grief
  3. Law, Ethics and Healthcare
    1. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
    2. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
    3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
    4. Informed Consent
    5. Advance Directives
    6. Ethical Guidelines for Healthcare Providers
    7. Medical Identify Theft
  4. Improving Your Medical Office
    1. The Reception Area
    2. The Medical Receptionist
    3. Safety Issues
    4. Opening and Closing the Facility
  5. Computers in the Ambulatory Care Setting
    1. Use of Computers in the Medical Office
    2. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR)
    3. Safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI)
    4. Cloud Computing
    5. Mobile Health (mHealth)
  6. Telecommunications and Patient Scheduling
    1. Telephone Techniques
    2. Faxing
    3. Emails
    4. Patient Portal
    5. Patient Scheduling Methods
    6. Cancellations and No Shows
    7. Dealing with Irate Patients
  7. MIDTERM
  8. Medical Terminology: Word Parts, Plurals, Abbreviations
    1. Importance of Medical Terminology
    2. Understanding Word Parts: Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes
    3. Abbreviations and Acronyms in Medical Records
    4. Plural Endings
  9. Managing Medical Records
    1. Purposes of Medical Records
    2. Electronic, Paper and Hybrid Medical Records
    3. Categories of Medical Records
    4. Flow Sheets
    5. SOAP Notes
    6. Filing Paper Records
    7. Release of Information (ROI)
    8. Personal Health Record (PHR)
  10. Written Communication
    1. Components of a Business Letter
    2. Proofreading
    3. Meeting Agendas
    4. Business Emails
  11. Working with Medical Documents
    1. Purposes of Medical Records
    2. Types of Medical Record
    3. Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Scribe
    4. Electronic Signatures
  12. Medical Billing and Coding: An Overview
    1. Health Insurance Terms
    2. Private and Government-Sponsored Insurers
    3. Code Sets: ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT, HCPCS Level II
    4. CMS-1500 and UB-04
    5. Electronic Claims
    6. Pre-authorizations
    7. Medical Necessity
    8. Explanation of Benefits (EOBs)
    9. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
    10. Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN)
  13. Daily Financial Practices
    1. Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
    2. Provider Fees
    3. Improving Patient Payments
    4. Claims Denial Strategies
    5. Practice Management Software
    6. Managing Patient Accounts
    7. Petty Cash
  14. The Administrative Medical Assistant as Office Manager
    1. Qualities of an Office Manager
    2. Job Duties
    3. Policy & Procedure Manual
    4. Staff Meetings
    5. Physician Credentialing
    6. Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
    7. Practice Websites
  15. FINAL

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word (not included in enrollment).
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

  • Comprehensive Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Competencies

Please Note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, in order to sit for national certification exams, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent; therefore, it is recommended you have this before enrolling for this course.

INSTRUCTOR

Hilary Khouri has ten years of experience in the medical field. After college, she began her medical career working in the front office of a group practice handling daily administrative tasks. Her medical experience also includes working at a healthcare consulting firm, where she reviewed electronic health records for completeness and educated providers on documentation improvement in addition to performing risk adjustment coding. She holds a bachelor’s in fashion merchandising from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) through the University of Alabama.

LaTisha Cottingham has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has six years of teaching experience in the field of medical billing and coding and Medical Assisting. Currently she is employed as an HIM Analyst for a Long-Term Care establishment that is based out of Alabama. Previously she was employed as the lead instructor for the Allied Health Department for a local career institute. LaTisha’s field of expertise is in the area of physician-based inpatient coding and Emergency Department coding. The certifications that she holds are as follows: a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA). In preparation for ICD-10-CM, LaTisha received her ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Certification from American Health Information Association (AHIMA), where she is currently a member. LaTisha is also a member of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the National Healthcare Association (NHA) where she is a test proctor.

Carline Dalgleish has worked in medical office administration for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems, a master’s degree in Leadership, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Health Information Management. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator and an AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer. Dalgleish is the author of an ICD-10 coding system and also owns her own consulting firm, AnnGrant Educational Services.

Lydia S. Stewart, RN, BSN, currently serves as the Revenue Cycle Manager at a large regional medical center. Lydia has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years, 15 of those years specializing in Critical Care Nursing and supervision. She is responsible for Medical Audits, Charge Capture, and governmental compliance audits and reviews. Lydia is a member of the Louisiana Medical Auditor Association and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).

Bunny Reeves is the senior ambulatory surgery coder at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She trains student coders at Maimonides Medical Center and previously trained and supervised entry-level coders at Staten Island’s St. Vincent Medical Center. Reeves is a Certified Coding Specialist, accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Stacey O’Brien has more than 10 years of experience in medical coding and reimbursement. Ms. O’Brien has been a risk adjustment coder for a Medicare advantage plan, audited medical records for a consulting firm, and currently supervises the coding and electronic claims submission process for a group medical practice. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a CPC coding certification from the AAPC.

FAQS

Does this course prepare for a certification?

This course prepares you to sit for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). You will receive a voucher for the exam after successfully completing the course coursework and your financial obligation.

What is a certified medical administrative assistant?

A Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) is a certification earned by those who have proven their expertise in efficiently and effectively running healthcare offices. This nationally recognized designation is something that many employers are searching for in one of the fastest-growing careers today. Upon earning this certification, you’ll be able to confidently handle correspondence, answer calls, schedule appointments, operate computer systems, maintain files, update and maintain patient information, and create operation reports for any medical practice, essential duties for any administrative medical assistant.

What is the demand for administrative medical assistants?

The demand for Administrative Medical Assistants is high, and it is expected to grow 23 percent over the next several years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This job growth will result mainly from an increasing elderly population as well as advances in healthcare and medical office technology.

What does an administrative medical assistant do?

An Administrative Medical Assistant manages all the front desk activities for a hospital, doctor’s office, or other medical facility. This is an integral role in healthcare as it allows doctors and other medical staff to focus on caring for patients. In this role, you will need to have excellent customer service skills as you are often the first person that patients connect with at a medical facility. You will need to be able to multitask, deal with stress well, use computer systems, handle money, and communicate clearly and concisely. You’ll master all of these things and more!

What personality traits are helpful for medical admins?

As a medical admin, you will interact with patients every day. In fact, you’ll often be the first person to greet patients as they enter the medical facility. You’ll need the ability to stay calm under pressure, as well as have a friendly demeanor. You’ll need to multi-task as this is a position that requires you to juggle a lot of moving parts (answering phones, talking with patients, charting, computer systems, interacting with other office staff including doctors, etc.) You should have the ability to take initiative and be a self-starter. The most successful medical administrative assistants are also organized, dependable, and understand the importance of confidentiality.

What is the difference between an administrative medical assistant and a medical assistant?

The difference between an Administrative Medical Assistant and a Medical Assistant is that while both positions can and do perform clerical tasks, a Medical Assistant also has the ability to perform some clinical tasks such as helping with examinations, giving injections, and preparing specimens for lab tests.

How much does an administrative medical assistant make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Administrative Medical Assistants earn a median salary of $36,000. Your exact salary will vary and jobs are available everywhere, but the areas with the highest paying jobs for Administrative Medical Assistants include California, Idaho, Washington D.C., and Connecticut.

Where will I work as a medical administrative assistant?

Medical administrative assistants are found in nearly every medical office in the country. By earning your CMAA, you’ll be prepared to work for clinics, private physician offices, hospitals, surgery centers, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, and more. Professional medical offices need CMAAs to help keep their offices running smoothly as they treat patients.

Is the CMAA a multiple-choice test?

Yes. The CMAA exam consists of 110 multiple-choice questions. The questions are weighted so some are worth more points than others, and you must score a minimum of 390 points in order to pass the exam. The exam must be taken at a PSI testing center, and you will be given 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete it.

What are the system requirements for the online certification exam proctoring?

You can check the compatibility of your device at: https://home.psiexams.com/static/#/bcheck

Can I register for a course if I am an international student?

Yes, ed2go courses are completely online. However, keep in mind that not all certifying bodies or industry-specific certifications are recognized internationally. Please review your country’s regulations prior to enrolling in courses that prepare for certification.

When can I start the course?

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

How long does it take to complete this course?

This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you’ll receive six (6) months to complete the course.

What if I don’t have enough time to complete my course within the time frame provided?

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

What kind of support will I receive?

The course instructor will be available by email to answer any questions and provide feedback on your performance. Occasionally, your course may be supported by a team of industry experts. You will also receive support from the student advising team.

What happens when I complete the course?

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion. In addition, NHA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam vouchers are provided to you in the format of a digital registration process to enroll for the exam after successful completion of the course and financial obligation.

Am I guaranteed a job?

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

Can I get financial assistance?

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

How can I get more information about this course?

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the “Contact Us” form.