Administrative medical assisting 5th by lindh chapter02

Ambulatory Health Care Settings• Individual and group medical practices – Individual practices • Also called solo practice • One primary provider sees and treats patients • One provider

Chapter 2

Health Care Settings and the Health Care Team

Ambulatory Health Care Settings

• Individual and group medical practices

– Individual practices

• Also called solo practice

• One primary provider sees and treats patients

• One provider responsible for all costs

Ambulatory Health Care Settings

• Individual and group medical practices

– Group practices

• Two or more providers share costs

• Providers consult each other

• Patients may request same provider for all appointments

• Ensures there is always provider on call

• Most medical practices groups of three or four providers

Ambulatory Health Care Settings

• Urgent care centers

– Usually private, for-profit centers

– Provide services for primary care, routine injuries and illnesses, and minor surgery

– Providers often salaried employees

– Certain retail chain stores have entered this

market

– See higher volume of patients, usually for lower cost than hospital emergency room

Ambulatory Health Care Settings

• Managed care operations

– Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) provide full range of services under one roof

– HMOs without walls is network of participating

providers within defined geographic area

– Preferred provider organization (PPO) is a

physician’s network

– Independent physician association (IPA) treats

patients for agreed-upon fee

Ambulatory Health Care Settings

• Boutique or concierge medical practice

– Sought by patients discouraged with insurance

reimbursement

– Provides immediate access to provider 24/7

– Convenient, unhurried same-day appointments

– Unlimited email, fax, phone consultations

– Home/work visits as needed

– Coordination of specialist referrals

– Set monthly or yearly fee for exclusive service

The Health Care Team

• Primary care provider

• Specialists

• Allied health professionals

• Complementary and/or alternative medical (CAM) care

The Title “Doctor”

• Physicians have earned a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD)

• Other medical degrees

– Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)

– Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

– Doctor of Optometry (OD)

– Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)

– Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)

– Doctor of Naturopathy (ND)

The Title “Doctor”

Health Care Professionals

• Doctors of Medicine (MD)

– 4 years of medical school after bachelor’s degree – 3–7 years of residency training

– Must have state license

– Must receive continuing medical education (CME)

• Doctors of Osteopathy (DO)

– 4 years of medical school after bachelor’s degree – Can work in specialty area with 2–6 years additional training

– Must have state license

– Maintain currency in education

Alternative Health Care Practitioners

• Many carry title doctor

• Training highly specialized and specific

• When licensed, these professionals

allowed to diagnose and treat medical conditions

Alternative Health Care Practitioners

• Doctors of Chiropractic (DC)

– Complete 4–5 years of chiropractic college

– Special attention to physiological and biochemical aspects of body structure

– Adjust and manipulate tissues of body, particularly spinal column

– Nonsurgical science; does not include

pharmaceuticals or surgery

– Licensed in all 50 states

Alternative Health Care Practitioners

• Doctors of Naturopathy (ND)

– Often referred to as “natural medicine”

– Remove underlying cause of disease and

stimulate natural healing process

– 2 years of science courses; 2 years of clinical work

at naturopathy college

– Licensed in 15 states, 4 Canadian provinces,

Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands

– May practice independently and unlicensed, or

Alternative Health Care Practitioners

• Oriental medicine and acupuncture

– Acupuncture, Chinese herbology and bodywork, dietary therapy, and exercise

– Attempts to restore the energy flow in body’s

The Role of the Medical Assistant

• Administrative functions

– Receptionist, secretary, office manager,

bookkeeper, patient educator, insurance coder

and biller, transcriptionist, patient educator, clinical assistant

• Clinical functions

– Administer injections, perform venipuncture,

prepare patients for examinations, assist with

examinations and special procedures, and perform

The Role of the Medical Assistant

• Perform only within scope of training

and personal capabilities

• Function within ethical and legal

boundaries and state statutes

• Positive attitude important

• Excellent communicators

• Project professional image of

themselves and their employer

Other Allied Health Professionals

Other Allied Health Professionals

Other Allied Health Professionals

Physician Assistant

• Provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and

preventive health care services delegated

by supervision of providers or surgeons

• May prescribe some medications; can

supervise technicians and medical

assistants

• Must complete accredited formal

education and pass Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination

The Value of the Medical

professionals

• First to come in contact with patient

• Directs, informs, and guides patient