MEAS 225 - CCMA Workforce Development Prep

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the healthcare systems and settings.
   1. Identify the roles and responsibilities, scope of practice, titles and credentials, and the licensing and certification process of the Medical Assistant (MA), other healthcare providers, and allied health personal
   2. Describe the various healthcare delivery models (HMOs, PPOs, POS, PCMH, accountable care organizations/payment for performance (ACOs), hospice, and collaborative care models).
   3. Describe the differences between general and specialty services, ancillary and alternative therapies that that take place within the healthcare setting
   4. Explain insurance fundamentals
2. Demonstrate an understanding of Medical Terminology
   1. Define and use common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols accurately
   2. Define and properly use prefixes and suffixes with word roots and combining forms to build medical terms
   3. Define medical conditions, procedures, and instruments
   4. Identify and use positional and directional terminology accurately
3. Demonstrate an understanding of basic pharmacology
   1. Identify commonly prescribed medications and approved abbreviations, forms of medication (pill, capsule, ointment), and discern between look alike/sound alike medications
   2. Identify the classifications of medications including, side effects, adverse effects, indications, and contraindications
   3. Calculate proper measurement (metric and household), mathematical conversions, and dosage calculations
   4. Explain routes of administration
   5. Describe the processes involved with Pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion).
   6. Demonstrate an understanding of the rights of drug/medication administrations.
   7. Use the Physicians’ Desk Reference and online resources
   8. Describe the principles of proper storage and disposal of medications.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of nutrition
   1. Identify the nutrients necessary for good nutrition (general and related to diseases and conditions)
   2. Explain the role vitamins and supplements play in nutrition and health wellness.
   3. Demonstrate how to read food labels
   4. Discuss disease states and treatments related to nutritional health
5. Demonstrate an understanding of psychology
   1. Describe the developmental states of an individual, including end-of-life and stages of grief
   2. Describe the psychology the physically disabled, developmentally delayed, and those with diseases
   3. Explain how environmental and socio-economic stressors impact psychology of an individual
   4. Explain the role mental health screening can play on the health of an individual
   5. Identify defense mechanisms that impact the psychology of an individual.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of anatomy and physiology
   1. Identify the anatomical structures, locations, and positions of the body structures and organ systems
   2. Explain the structure and function of major body systems, and the interactions between organ systems
   3. Describe the signs, symptoms, and etiology of common diseases, conditions, and injuries due to pathophysiology and disease processes.
   4. Explain diagnostic measures and treatment modalities
   5. Describe incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and factors leading to high mortality and morbidity
   6. Explain epidemics and pandemics
   7. Identify cell structures, common pathogens and nonpathogens, organisms and microorganisms, and infectious agents, chain of infection, and conditions for growth.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of general patient care
   1. Identify patient
   2. Prepare examination/procedure room
   3. Ensure patient safety within the clinical setting
   4. Complete a comprehensive clinical intake process, including the purpose of the visit
   5. Measure vital signs
   6. Obtain anthropomorphic measurements
   7. Identify/document/report abnormal signs and symptoms
   8. Assist provider with general physical examination
   9. Assist provider with specialty examinations
   10. Prepare patient for procedures
   11. Prepare and administer medications and/or injectables using non parenteral and parenteral routes (excluding IV) (for example, oral, buccal, sublingual, intramuscular, intradermal, subcutaneous, topical, transdermal, and inhalation)
   12. Perform staple and suture removal
   13. Administer eye, ear, and topical medications
   14. Perform ear and eye irrigation
   15. Administer first aid and basic wound care
   16. Identify and respond to emergency/priority situations
   17. Perform CPR
   18. Assist provider with patients presenting with minor and traumatic injury
   19. Assist with surgical interventions (for example, sebaceous cyst removal, toenail removal, colposcopy, cryosurgery)
   20. Review provider’s discharge instructions/plan of care with patients
   21. Follow guidelines for sending orders for prescriptions and refills by telephone, fax, or email
   22. Document relevant aspects of patient care in patient record
   23. Operate basic functions of an EHR/EMR system
   24. Enter orders into CPOE
   25. Identify Patient identifiers and elements of a patient medical/surgical/family/social history
   26. Perform various methods for obtaining vital signs (manual & electronic blood pressure; respiration, temperature, pulse, pulse oximetry)
   27. Recognize normal and abnormal vital signs
   28. Perform methods for measuring height, weight, BMI; special considerations related to age, health, status, disability; growth chart
   29. Understand and demonstrate positioning and draping requirements for general and specialty examinations, procedures, and treatments
   30. Use various equipment, instruments, and supplies necessary to prepare the examination or procedure room, required equipment, supplies and instruments related to general physical examinations, and required equipment, supplies, and instruments related to specialty examinations
   31. Demonstrate an understanding of immunization schedules and requirements
   32. Record allergies (for example, common drug and non-drug allergies such as latex, bee stings; type of reactions [mild, moderate and severe] how to respond to allergic reactions or anaphylactic shock)
   33. Recognize the signs of infection
   34. Utilize sterile techniques related to examinations, procedures, injections and medication administration
   35. Calculate dosage measurements related to oral medications and injectables
   36. Explain commonly used oral and parenteral medications, including forms, packaging, routes of administration; rights of medication administration, and demonstrate techniques of administration
   37. Describe storage; labeling; and medication logs, supplies and equipment related to injections, and storage of injectables
   38. Demonstrate techniques and use of instruments for suture and staple removal; types and sizes of sutures
   39. Demonstrate methods of administration, techniques, procedures and supplies related to eye, ear, and topical medications
   40. Demonstrate use of instruments, supplies, and techniques related to eye and ear irrigation
   41. Identify commonly occurring types of injuries (for example, lacerations, abrasions, fractures, sprains) and demonstrate treatment for commonly occurring types of injuries, (for example, bandaging, ice, elevation)
   42. Identify commonly occurring types of surgical interventions and the signs and symptoms related to urgent and emergency situations (for example, diabetic shock, heat stroke, allergic reactions, choking, syncope, seizure)
   43. Explain emergency action plans (for example, crash cart, emergency injectables)
   44. Demonstrate procedures to perform CPR, basic life support and AED
8. Demonstrate an understanding of Infection Control
   1. Adhere to regulations and guidelines related to infection control
   2. Adhere to guidelines regarding hand hygiene
   3. Perform disinfection/sanitization
   4. Perform sterilization of medical equipment
   5. Perform appropriate aseptic techniques for various clinical situations
   6. Perform Universal precautions and demonstrate proper hand-washing techniques
   7. Explain Alcohol-based rubs/sanitizer
   8. Describe infectious agents, modes of transmission, precautions for bloodborne pathogens
   9. Demonstrate understanding of personal protective equipment (PPE)
   10. Demonstrate sterilization techniques (autoclave, instrument cleaner, germicidal disinfectants, disposables) and techniques for medical and surgical asepsis
   11. Order of cleaning and types of cleaning products
   12. Demonstrate an understanding of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), cautions related to chemicals, disposal methods, and exposure control plan
   13. Calibration of equipment and maintain logs (for example, maintenance, equipment servicing, temperature (refrigerator), quality control)
9. Demonstrate an understanding of testing and laboratory procedures
   1. Collect non-blood specimens (for example, urine, stool, cultures, sputum)
   2. Perform CLIA-waived testing (labs)
   3. Perform vision and hearing tests
   4. Perform allergy testing
   5. Perform spirometry/pulmonary function tests (electronic or manual)
   6. Recognize, document, and report normal and abnormal laboratory and test values
   7. Match and label specimen to patient and completed requisition
   8. Process, handle, and transport collected specimens
   9. Point of care testing and information required on provider request or requisition form
   10. Demonstrate specimen collection techniques and requirements
   11. Explain CLIA-waived testing regulations and COLA accreditation standards
   12. Explain Controls/calibration/quality control
   13. Recognize normal and abnormal lab values and test values
   14. Describe the elements related to vision and hearing tests including color, acuity/distance, visual fields; tone, speech and word recognition, tympanometry
   15. Identify peak flow rates
   16. Identify common allergens and demonstrate understanding of scratch test and intradermal allergy test
   17. Describe Requirements for transportation, diagnosis, storage, and disposal of specimens, including patient identifiers, site or test
   18. Perform content of requisition, including date and time, and ICD-10
10. Demonstrate an understanding of phlebotomy
    1. Verify order details
    2. Select appropriate supplies for test(s) ordered
    3. Determine venipuncture site accessibility based on patient age and condition
    4. Prepare site for venipuncture
    5. Perform venipuncture
    6. Perform capillary puncture
    7. Perform post-procedural care
    8. Handle blood samples as required for diagnostic purposes
    9. Process blood specimens for laboratory
    10. Match and label specimen to patient and completed requisition
    11. Recognize and respond to abnormal test results
    12. Prepare samples for transportation to a reference (outside) laboratory
    13. Follow guidelines in distributing laboratory results to ordering providers after matching patient to provider
    14. Patient identifiers, including site or test; and content of requisition
    15. Requirements related to patient preparation for phlebotomy, including fasting/non-fasting
    16. Assessment of patient comfort/anxiety level with procedure
    17. Blood vacuum tubes required for chemistry, hematology, and microbiology testing
    18. Blood-borne pathogens
    19. Medical conditions or history and medications impacting collection of blood order of draw for venipuncture
    20. Anatomy, skin integrity, venous sufficiency, contra-indications
    21. Phlebotomy site preparation including cleansing, wrapping, order of draw with micro-tubes
    22. Insertion and removal techniques
    23. Evacuated tube, syringe, and butterfly methods
    24. Types of tubes, tube positions, number of tube inversions, and fill level/ratios
    25. Additives and preservatives
    26. Bandaging procedures, including allergies and skin types
    27. Pre-analytical considerations pertaining to specimen quality and consistency
    28. Special collections (for example, timed specimens, drug levels, blood cultures, fasting)
    29. Centrifuge and aliquot
    30. Normal and abnormal test values, control values
    31. Equipment calibration
    32. Storage conditions related to sensitivity to light and temperature
    33. Requirements for transportation, diagnosis, storage, disposal
    34. Processing and labeling requirements
    35. External databases (for example, outside labs, reference sources)
11. Demonstrates an understanding in EKG and Cardiovascular Testing
    1. Prepare patients for procedure
    2. Perform cardiac monitoring (EKG, ECG) tests
    3. Ensure proper functioning of EKG equipment
    4. Recognize abnormal or emergent EKG results (for example, dysrhythmia, arrhythmia, versus artifact)
    5. Assist provider with non-invasive cardiovascular profiling (for example, stress test, Holter monitoring, event monitoring)
    6. Transmit results or report to patient’s EMR or paper chart, and provider
    7. Procedures and instructions to minimize artifacts
    8. Artifacts, signal distortions, and electrical interference (for example, fuzz and wandering baseline)
    9. Preparation, positioning, and draping of patient
    10. Supplies (paper, proper leads)
    11. Placement of limb and chest electrodes
    12. Techniques and methods for EKGs
    13. Signs of adverse reaction during testing (for example, signs of distress, elevated BP and respiration)
    14. Calibration of equipment
    15. Abnormal rhythms or dysrhythmias associated with cardiovascular testing
    16. Waveforms, intervals, segment
12. Demonstrate an understanding in Patient Care Coordination and Education
    1. Review patient record prior to visit to ensure health care is comprehensively addressed
    2. Collaborate with healthcare providers and community-based organizations
    3. Assist providers in coordinating care with community agencies for clinical and non-clinical services
    4. Facilitate patient compliance (for example, continuity of care, follow up, medication compliance) to optimize health outcomes
    5. Participate in transition of care for patients
    6. Participate in team-based patient care (for example, patient centered medical home [PCMH], Accountable Care Organization [ACO])
    7. Preventive medicine and wellness
    8. Demonstrate an understanding of education delivery methods and instructional techniques and learning styles
    9. Utilize resources and procedures to coordinate care outpatient services
    10. Access available resources for clinical services (for example, home health care), available community resources for non-clinical services (for example, adult day care, transportation vouchers), and specialty resources for patient/family medical and mental needs
    11. Complete referral forms and processes
    12. Recognize barriers to care (for example, socio-economic, cultural differences, language, education)
    13. Utilize tracking and reporting technologies
    14. Identify roles and responsibilities of team members involved in patient centered medical home
13. Demonstrate an understanding in Administrative Assisting
    1. Schedule and monitor patient appointments using electronic and paper-based systems
    2. Verify insurance coverage/financial eligibility
    3. Identify and check patients in/out
    4. Verify diagnostic and procedural codes
    5. Obtain and verify prior authorizations and pre-certifications
    6. Prepare documentation and billing requests using current coding guidelines
    7. Ensure that documentation complies with government and insurance requirements
    8. Perform charge reconciliation (for example, correct use of EHR software, entering charges, making adjustments, accounts receivable procedures)
    9. Bill patients, insurers, and third party payers for services performed
    10. Resolve billing issues with insurers and third party payers, including appeals and denials
    11. Manage electronic and paper medical records
    12. Facilitate/generate referrals to other healthcare providers and allied healthcare professionals
    13. Provide customer service and facilitate service recovery (for example, follow up patient calls, appointment confirmations, monitor patient flow sheets, collect on accounts, make up for poor customer service)
    14. Enter information into databases or spreadsheets (for example, Excel, EHR & EMR, billing modules, scheduling systems)
    15. Participate in safety evaluations and report safety concerns
    16. Maintain inventory of clinical and administrative supplies
    17. Demonstrate competency with filing systems, scheduling software, recognition of urgency of appointment needs, telephone etiquette, and records management systems and software (for example, manual filing systems - alphabetical, numeric, office storage for archived files, EMR/EHR software applications)
    18. Process legal requirements related to maintenance, storage, and disposal of records
    19. Identify categories of the medical record (for example, administrative, clinical, billing, procedural, notes, consents)
    20. Complete required documentation for patient review and signature, chart review, E-referrals (for example, how they are created, required information, how they are sent), financial eligibility, sliding scales, and indigent programs
    21. Demonstrate competency in government regulations (for example meaningful use, MACRA), CMS billing requirements, and Third party payer billing requirements, Advanced beneficiary notice (ABN)
    22. Specialty pharmacies (for example, compounding and nuclear pharmacies; forms of medication available such as liquid, elixir, balm, ointment)
    23. Define insurance terminology (for example, co-pay, co-insurance, deductible, tier levels, explanation of benefits
    24. Process aging reports, collections due, adjustments and write-offs, online banking for deposits and electronic transfers, authorizations to approve payment processing, auditing methods, processes, and sign-offs, and Data entry and data fields
    25. Complete equipment inspection logs, required schedules, and compliance requirements, including inspection by medical equipment servicers
14. Demonstrate an understanding of Communication and Customer Service
    1. Modify verbal and non-verbal communication for diverse audiences (for example providers, coworkers, supervisors, patients and caregivers, external providers)
    2. Modify verbal and non-verbal communications with patients and caregivers based on special considerations (for example pediatric, geriatric, hearing impaired, vision impaired, mentally handicapped or disabled)
    3. Clarify and relay communications between patients and providers
    4. Communicate on the telephone with patients and caregivers, providers, third party payers
    5. Prepare written/electronic communications/business correspondence
    6. Handle challenging/difficult customer service occurrences
    7. Engage in crucial conversations (with patients and caregivers/healthcare surrogates, staff, and providers)
    8. Facilitate and promote teamwork and team engagement
    9. Recognize patient characteristics impacting communication (for example, cultural differences and language barriers, cognitive level, developmental stage; sensory and physical disabilities; age)
    10. Define all medical terminology and jargon, layman’s terms
    11. Demonstrate proficiency in therapeutic communication, interviewing and questioning techniques, including screening questions, open-, closed-, probing questions, and scope of permitted questions and boundaries for questions, active listening, communication cycle (clear, concise message relay), coaching and feedback, positive reinforcement of effective behavior
    12. Demonstrate professional presence (for example, appearance, demeanor, tone
    13. Process patient satisfaction surveys
    14. Recognize when to escalate problem situations
    15. Perform techniques to deal with patients (for example, irate clients, custody issues between parents, chain of command)
    16. Prepare incident/event/unusual occurrence reports; documentation of event
    17. Understand Cause-and-effect analysis (for example, anxiety increases blood pressure or heart rate; risk management related to patient and employee safety [reviewing the design, setting/population, protocols, measurements of a facility to ensure overall patient and employee safety])
    18. Demonstrate Email etiquette and telephone etiquette
    19. Utilize Business letter formats
15. Demonstrate an understanding of Medical Law and Ethics
    1. Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
    2. Adhere to professional codes of ethics
    3. Obtain, review, and comply with medical directives
    4. Obtain and document healthcare proxies and agents
    5. Provide, collect, and store MOLST forms (medical order for life sustaining treatment)
    6. Protect patient privacy and confidentiality, including medical records
    7. Adhere to legal requirements regarding reportable violations or incidents
    8. Identify personal or religious beliefs and values and provide unbiased care
    9. Process an informed consent, advanced directives (for example, living will, DNR/DNI), and power of attorney
    10. Demonstrate proper storage of medical records
    11. Demonstrate competency in the conditions for sharing information/release of information, criminal and civil acts, and medical malpractice, mandatory reporting laws, triggers for reporting and reporting agencies, and the Hippocratic Oath

• Function of the clinical medical assistant in a medical office
• Introduction to health care facilities
• Medical terminology
• Anatomy of each of the body systems to include the heart, conduction system, circulation of the heart & blood vessels
• Care & safety of patients, medical & legal aspects & work ethics
• Effective verbal and non-verbal communication
• Interpersonal skills and human behavior
• Phone in prescriptions to various pharmacies
• Confidentiality and HIPAA
• Take patient medical histories
• Update patient medical files
• Instruct patients on proper usage of medications
• Vital signs and documentation
• Prepare and assist with medical examinations
• Take blood pressure and body temperatures
• Apply sterile dressings
• Prepare patients for x-rays
• Perform various injections
• Administer oral medications
• Aseptic technique and infection prevention
• Assist with minor surgeries
• Proper use and disposal of biohazards and sharps

 
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)