OAELEC5:

Medical Office Procedure

(for the Medical Secretary)
Week 11
The general guides in typing documents
1. Use single space, except for very short letter, double space between the
paragraph in single-spaced letters.
2. Place the inside address about an inch below the dateline and set the margin
stops for 2-inch side margins.
3. The holder of a doctor’s degree is addressed as “Doctor” in writing and
speaking.
4. No part of the salutation or address should be abbreviated in professional
correspondence.
5. Government officials are addressed as “The Honorable,” preceding the name.
6. Members of the clergy of all faiths are addressed as “Reverend” and the
salutation is “Reverend Sir,” or “Dear Reverend Father.”
• It has been said that the medical office is an office of professionals
which particularly houses the doctors, nurses, dentists, and other
health workers. In line with this, it is pretty important that prospective
medical secretary should be meaningfully oriented worth the proper
“know how” in the basics of typing documents such as letters and
other files used for communication. Thus, having a good
communication skill both verbal and nonverbal is a plus. Below are
some of the things a secretary should take into consideration when
composing a letter:
• Letter styles and punctuation
• Two most common letter styles:
• Full-blocked style: in which all Iines begin at the left margin
• Blocked style: in which the dates and closing lines begins at the center
or may be intended five (5) spaces
• Open and mixed punctuation refers to the punctuation after salutation
and the complimentary close of the letter. When the punctuation
appears on these parts, punctuation is said to be “open.”
• When a colon follows the salutation and a comma follows the
complimentary close, punctuation referred to as “mixed.”
• Date: the current date must be included in the letter. Be sure that the
year is correct, particularly at the beginning of the year when many
people tend to use the previous year’s date.
• Titles and salutations: it is essential that the secretary knows the
proper terms of address for the people to whom her employer writes.
This is a courtesy that cannot be overlooked, and there are rules to
guide the secretary who maybe in doubt.
• Medical Doctor: M.D.
• Doctor of Law: LL.D.
• Doctor of Dental Surgery: D.D.S.
• No part of the salutation or address should be abbreviated in
professional correspondence.. must always be written in full
• Titles: Professor, Director, Superintendent
• Designations of Departments: Department of Psychology, Mental
Hygiene Clinic
• Street Names: Avenue, Boulevard
• The only exception to tis rule is the title of Doctor, which usually is
abbreviated to Dr. when used before the name.
• In the absence of any professional title, the courtesy title Mr., Mrs.,
Miss must always be used.
• Government officials are addressed as “The Honorable”, preceeding
the names.
• Members of the clergy of all faiths are addressed as “Reverend” and
the salutation is “Reverend Sir,” or “Dear Reverend Father.”
• Letter in which the name is mentioned in the salutation are signed
“Sincerely yours,” or “Very sincerely yours,” “Yours very truly” is used
with the salutation “Dear Sir”
• Body of the letter
• Drop down two spaces below th salutation and start the main body of
your letter single-space each paragraph of a typed letter. Use double
spacing between paragraphs. Many modern business letter now use
full blocked format. Each paragraph starts at the left margin. But
many people stil prefer indented paragraphs, as in other kinds of
writing. Allow about one-inch margin on both sides of your sheet of
paper.
• Closing and signature
• The conditioning greeting is called the complimentary closing use
“Sincerely,” or “Sincerely yours,” but kindly note the comma at the
end of the greeting. Type or print your name below your signature or
commonly this is referred as affix signature over printed name. A
representation of a frim or group will often include a title or a position
below the name. A woman may put (Ms.) or (Mrs.) in parenthesis
before her typed name to show how she prefers to be addressed in
return correspondence.
• Appearance of letters
• A letter is the personal representative of the writer and in the case of a
physician should express his professional standing by its contents as
well as by its appearance. It should be neat, properly spaced, without
any blemishes. Smudges or erasures are likely to make poor impression.
• Some doctors do not permit a letter to be sent out if it shows any
erasures whatever. Proper spacing is necessary to produce a well-
balanced and nice-looking letter. Using single spacing, except fro very
short letters. Double space between the paragraphs in single-spaced
letters.
• All data, such as names, references, dates and figures, should be
carefully checked. No written material should leave teh doctor’s office
without having been checked back, if possible, with another person.
Before a letter is ealed, enclosures should be verified and the letter be
weight for correct postage.
• Even in a small office it is advisable to make a record of all outgoing
mail. If a book is kept for incoming mail, the two records can be
combined. The entry should also show the date of mailing, the
addressee, the sender and perhaps a word or two regarding the
contents (San Luis, R., 2016)
• Dispatching letter mail
• These are the secretary’s duties:
1. Fold each letter to size of the envelope. Standard letters, 8 ½ by 11
are folded across in half, and then twice, if a small envelop is used;
they are folded twice across, if a large envelop is the doctor’s
choice. The larger envelop may be necessary because of other
material to be enclosed with the letter.
2. Make sure that the right letter goes into teh right envelop. Many
embarrassing situations have arisen because letters reached the
wrong addressee.
3. Check the enclosures listed in the letter.
4. Seal the envelop securely.
5. Affix airmail or special delivery stickers.
• There are how many common • The conducting greeting is called
letter styles. the complimentary closing.
a. One Which of the following should be
best used as closing for letters in
b. Two which the name is mentioned in
c. Three the salutation?
d. Four a. ‘’Sincerely yours,’’
b. ‘’Best regards,’’
c. ‘’Yours very truly,’’
d. ‘’Dear Sir,’’
• It should be neat, properly • No written material should leave
spaced, without any blemishes. his office without having
Smudges or erasures on it are checked back, if possible, wit
likely to make a poor impression. another person.
a. Letter a. Nurse
b. Appointment book b. Midwife
c. Logbook c. Dentist
d. Message slip d. Doctor
• It is essential that she knows the • It is the personal representative
proper terms of address for the of the writer and in the case of a
people to whom her employer physician should express his
writes. professional standing by its
a. Nurse contents as well as its
appearance.
b. Midwife
a. Logbook
c. Dentist
b. Appointment book
d. Doctor
c. Letter
d. Message slip
• Titles, designations of • Place the inside address about
departments and street names an inch below the dateline an
must always be written in this set the margin stops for 2-inch
manner. side margins.
a. Shortened a. a guide
b. Shorthand b. a protocol
c. Full and complete c. an order
d. Abbreviated d. a procedure
• Which of the following does NOT • Many embarrassing situation have
belong to the group? arisen because letter reached the
wrong addressee. To avid the
a. Salutation occurrence of such, what should be
b. Spaces done by the secretary?
a. Affix airmail or special delivery
c. Inside address stickers
d. Date b. Seal the envelope securely
c. Check the enclosures listed in the
letter
d. Make sure that the right letter goes
to the right envelope
THANK YOU for listening..