Medical assisting Administrative and clinical procedures (5e) Chapter 10 Written and electronic documents

CHAPTER

10
Written and
Electronic
Documents


10-2

Learning Outcomes (cont.)
10.1

Explain why well-written documents are important to
the image of the medical practice.

10.2

Describe the types of document supplies that will be
used in a medical office.

10.3

Outline the general guidelines to effective writing.

10.4

List and explain the purpose of different types of
documents used in a medical office.

10.5

Explain why it is important to have a signed written
consent from the patient for e-mail communications.


10-3

Learning Outcomes (cont.)
10.6

Describe the tasks involved in editing and
proofreading a document.

10.7

Outline the steps for preparing a completed letter for
mailing.

10.8

Explain the differences among the different types of
mail services offered by the USPS.

10.9 Describe the steps involved in processing
incoming mail.


10-4

Introduction

• Written documentation

– Reflection of the office
– Legal documents
– Prepare with
• Accuracy
• Attention to detail


10-5

Professionalism and Document
Preparation
Learning to


 Create

Send



Receive

correspondence properly ensures positive,
effective communication between your office and
others.


10-6

Letterhead
• Formal business stationary

–
–
–
–

Name and address
Associates
Phone and fax numbers
Website information and e-mail

• All professional correspondence


10-7

Envelopes
• No. 10 – most common size
• Grade of paper

– A less expensive stock and quality for everyday
documents
– A more expensive stock and quality for
professional correspondence


10-8

Professionalism and Document
Preparation (cont.)
 Labels

 Invoices and statements

– Preprinted statements
– Computer-generated invoices and statements
– Superbills or encounter forms


10-9

Apply Your Knowledge
1. How does the quality of writing materials reflect back on
a medical practice?
ANSWER: Quality of writing materials conveys a
professional image that reflects on the entire office staff.
2. When sending correspondence to another physician’s
office, the medical assistant used the first envelope he
came across. It was an envelope used for invoices and he
put the address label over the window. What should he
have done?
ANSWER: The medical assistant should have looked for
an envelope that matched the letterhead paper used.


10-10

Effective Writing
• Impression of the physician or office

– Appearance
– Message
• Well written, polite and concise

– Letters
– Patient instructions
– E-mails


10-11

Effective Writing (cont.)
• Identify your reading audience
• Be concise
• Don’t use unnecessary words
• Show clarity
• Use active voice
• Use passive voice for negative news


10-12

Effective Writing (cont.)
• Be polite and courteous
• Check

– Spelling

– Dates and monetary figures
• Grammar – no slang
• Avoid leaving “widows and orphans”


10-13

Grammar
• Excellence is essential

– Parts of speech
– Rules of writing
• Templates
• Cut, copy, and paste


10-14

Nice
Work!

Match the following:

Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:

Adjectives

Join words or phrases together

Interjections

Describes nouns and pronouns

Possessives

Shows ownership

Word division

Show strong emotion

Nouns
Verbs
Adverbs
Conjunctions

Describes movement
Describe verbs
According to pronunciation
Describes a person, thing, idea


10-15

Medical Office Documents and
Correspondence
• Types of correspondence

– Letters of referral

– Letters concerning appointments
– Patient reports for insurance companies
– Instructions for examinations or laboratory tests
– Answers to insurance or billing questions
– Cover letters or form letters


10-16

Parts of a Business Letter
• Letterhead
• Dateline – 3 lines below letterhead
• Inside address
– Includes information needed for correct
delivery
– Two to four spaces below dateline


10-17

Parts of a Business Letter (cont.)
• Attention line
• Salutation

– Written greeting followed by title and last name
– May use business title or department if name is
not known
• Subject line

10-18

Parts of a Business Letter (cont.)
• Body
– Two lines below salutation or subject line
– Single-spaced, two lines between paragraphs

• Complimentary closing
• Signature block
• Identification line


10-19

Parts of a Business Letter (cont.)
• Notations

– May be abbreviated as Encl, Enc, or Encs
– Copy notation (c:)
– Number of enclosures
and copy recipients


10-20

Letter Format
 Margins – one inch for 8 ½-inch wide paper
 Letter should be centered on the page
 Single-space body of letter and double-space

between paragraphs

 Short sentences with no more than 20 words on

an average


10-21

Letter Format (cont.)
 Have at least two or three sentences per paragraph
 Divide paragraphs longer than 10 lines into shorter

paragraphs
 For multipage letters, use letterhead for first page only


10-22

Letter Styles
Letter Style
Description
Full-Block • Lines are typed flush left
• No indented paragraphs
ModifiedBlock

• Dateline, complimentary closing,
signature block, and notations are
aligned at the center of the page or
to the right

10-23

Letter Styles (cont.)
Letter Style

Description

ModifiedBlock with
Indented
Paragraphs

• Paragraphs are indented ½ inch

Simplified

• Modification of full-block style
• No salutation, courtesy title, or
closing
• Subject line in all capital letters
• Too informal for medical office


10-24

Punctuation Styles
• Open punctuation uses no punctuation after

– The word Attention

– The salutation
– The complimentary closing
– The signature block
– The enclosure and copy notations


10-25

Punctuation Styles (cont.)
• Mixed Punctuation includes

– A colon after Attention
– A colon after the salutation
– A comma after the complimentary closing
– A colon or period after the enclosure notation
– A colon after the copy notation