NC 657: Medical Front Office Clerk Procedures

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2024
Credits: 0
Total Contact Hours: 16
Lecture Hours : 16
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 32
Total Student Learning Hours: 48
Strongly Recommended: Intermediate English language skills.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Non-Credit Course

Catalog Course Description

This course will introduce students to the medical front office clerk procedures in preparation for entry-level positions in a medical front office setting. It includes interpersonal communications, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), telephone techniques related to medical front office management, appointment scheduling, data entry using EHR (electronic health records), authorization processing of private and managed care patients, and patient accounts. 16 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Gain the entry level skills needed to work in a medical front office setting.
  • Practice professional communication skills.
  • Understand the proper way to handle patient privacy and medical records.

Major Course Content

  1. Patient Relations
    1. Making Appointments
    2. Appointment Reminders
    3. Scheduling Procedures
    4. Patient Sign In
    5. Calling Patients in the Waiting Room
    6. Missed Appointments
    7. Noncompliant Patients
    8. Patient Complaints
  2. Communication Skills
    1. Telephone Etiquette
    2. Release of Patient information over the Phone
    3. Email Communication
  3. Privacy and Security
    1. HIPAA Basics
    2. Patient Privacy Notice
    3. Maintaining and Preparing Records
    4. Reporting Privacy Concerns
    5. Computer Workstation Security
  4. Medical Records
    1. Basics of the Electronic Health Record (EHR)
    2. New Patient Records
    3. Management of Paper Charts
  5. Insurance and Payments
    1. Patient Billing Basics
    2. Collecting Payments
    3. Insurance Validation
    4. Claim Denials

Examples of Outside Assignments

Role play scenarios involving phone etiquette, dealing with patient complaints and/or other various situations that are common to the medical front office.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture