OFFICE MANAGEMENT

Chapter 5

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LEARNING OUTCOMES: 5-2
WHEN YOU FINISH THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
5.1 Design a medical office waiting area that exhibits the priority of patient comfort.
5.2 Identify three stress triggers in your own life and define at least one method of
reducing the associated negative stress.
5.3 Differentiate among three common leadership/ management styles.
5.4 Explain why an administrative medical assistant needs to know how to collect and
assimilate research data.
5.5 Classify items into major categories of needed information when making traveling
arrangements.
5.6 Justify why a policies and procedures manual should be developed and used in a
medical office.

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 5-3
KEY TERMS
agenda participative/democratic
authoritarian/autocratic
patient education materials
delegative/laissez-faire
patient information
brochure
ergonomics
perfectionism
itinerary
policies and procedures
management qualifications
manual
meeting minutes reprints

outside services file

stress
travel agent

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 5-4
KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)
agenda -- an outline of the meeting, that specifies the location, time,
and major topics to be covered
authoritarian/autocratic -- leader provides clear and definitive
expectations to his or her team members
delegative/laissez-faire -- leader employs a “hands-off” policy and
tends to allow other office team members to make their own
decisions
ergonomics -- attempts to match the individual’s physiological factors
to the equipment and furniture needed to complete tasks while
reducing the risk of injury and hazards without decreasing output

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 5-5
KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)
itinerary -- daily schedule of events, including flight times listed in the
local departing and arrival destinations’ times, flight numbers, hotel
and car arrangements, and all pertinent addresses and phone
numbers
management qualifications -- the skills, abilities, and responsibilities
of the medical assistant in the role of office manager
meeting minutes -- official record of the proceedings of a meeting
outside services file -- contain the names, addresses, e-mail addresses,
and phone numbers of those to whom the physician may refer
patients for services

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 5-6
KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)
participative/democratic -- offers advice but is also a participant in
the team dynamics and seeks input from other team members
patient education materials – provide secondary materials for patient
care
patient information brochure-- provides the patient with vital
information

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 5-7
KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)
perfectionism -- is setting unrealistic expectations and goals and being
dissatisfied with anything less
policies and procedures manual-- employee handbook, is the
reference that provides all employees with information about the
work environment
reprints -- Once the article is published, the author may receive a
certain number of free copies of the article
stress -- often referred to as the body’s emotional and/or physiological
reactions to external motivators
travel agent -- it is the agent’s job to make all transportation, car
rental, and lodging arrangements requested by the traveler

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5.1 DESIGN A MEDICAL OFFICE WAITING AREA THAT EXHIBITS THE 5-8
PRIORITY OF PATIENT COMFORT

Patient Waiting Area

 size
 colors
 reading materials
 healthy/sick areas/children
Reception Area
 confidentiality

© 2012 THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

5.2 IDENTIFY THREE STRESS TRIGGERS IN YOUR OWN LIFE AND 5-9
DEFINE AT LEAST ONE METHOD OF REDUCING THE ASSOCIATED
NEGATIVE STRESS.

Certain strategies will help reduce the negative effects of stress:

 Analyzing how we use time and applying Time Management
techniques managing our anger and reactions to conflict
 Getting organized and setting priorities
 Staying physically and mentally healthy
 Taking time to relax

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 5-10
5.3 DIFFERENTIATE AMONG THREE COMMON LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT
STYLES
Office management responsibilities involve the following
managerial skills and abilities:
Being a team player
Increasing productivity
Planning strategically
Using problem-solving skills
Using available resources

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5.4 EXPLAIN WHY AN ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANT 5-11
NEEDS TO KNOW HOW TO COLLECT AND ASSIMILATE RESEARCH
DATA

Physicians often research medical cases and data to gather treatment

protocol for a condition or disease, to keep up-to-date on medical
trends, and to prepare articles for professional medical journals.
The Administrative Medical Assistant should be able to:
 Use the Library
 Review Medical Journals

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 5-12
5.5 CLASSIFY ITEMS INTO MAJOR CATEGORIES OF NEEDED
INFORMATION WHEN MAKING TRAVELING ARRANGEMENTS.

When making travel arrangements for yourself or for others, maintain a

reference folder with the following preferences:
 Method of travel
Air travel
Ground travel
 Lodging
 Membership discounts
 Past itineraries

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 5-13
5.6 JUSTIFY WHY A POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL SHOULD
BE DEVELOPED AND USED IN A MEDICAL OFFICE.

The manual serves as a reminder of tasks to be done (referred to as

policies) and how to complete the tasks (procedures).
The manual helps keep the office running smoothly. It is a great help in
training new employees, substitutes, and successors.
 Format
 Contents:
Office personnel directory
Job descriptions
Procedures

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