Chapter 44: Written Communications and Mail

What type of computer program does the medical assistant usually use to prepare letters?

word processing

What part of a letter will contain the date line?

heading

How is the return address formatted on a letter sent by the medical office?

most offices use letterhead stationery and the placement varies

What part of a letter includes the name and address of the party to whom a letter is being sent?

inside address

Which of the following is the correct way for the medical assistant to begin a letter from Dr. Taylor to Samuel Matthews, M.D.?

Dear Dr. Matthews:

Which of the following best describes the spacing in the body of a business letter?

single-spaced with double space between paragraphs

Which of the following comes last in a business letter?

reference line

Which of the following is the most formal closing for a business letter?

Very truly yours

What punctuation mark follows the complimentary closing of a business letter?

comma

If the physician wants to use a printed title, such as "Professor of Medicine", in the closing of a letter, where would it be placed?

on the line immediately below the typed signature

Which of the following is considered an end notation in a business letter?

enclosure line

Whose initials are placed in uppercase in the reference notation of a letter from a medical office?

individual who composed the letter

Which of the following statements is true about the margins of a business letter?

the top margin of a letter should be 2 to 2 1/2 inches

What is the advantage of using or creating a template for letters from a medical office?

it is easier to maintain the same format for all letters

What is the letter style in which the first line of each new paragraph is indented five spaces?

semiblock

Which of the following letter styles requires all lines to begin at the left margin?

full block

Which part(s) of a standard letter is/are not used in the simplified letter style?

salutation and complimentary closing

Where is the date line placed in the full block letter style?

left-justified

Which of the following letters would most likely be signed by the medical assistant?

order for office supplies

Which of the following is NOT a way to monitor laboratory test results using the electronic medical record?

tracking how fast patients follow up with additional tests

In the sentence, "Roger is a very tall boy," which word is a proper noun?

Roger

Which part of speech can modify a noun, adjective, or adverb?

adverb

What is the function of a conjunction?

it joins words, phrases, or clauses

Which part of speech shows relationships of space, time, or possession?

preposition

What type of sentence is composed of two independent clauses?

compound sentence

Which of the following is an example of a complex sentence?

After I open the envelope, I will read its contents.

What sentence error occurs when a sentence does not have a verb?

sentence fragment

When should a comma be used to separate elements in a series?

if there are three or more elements

What punctuation mark is used before beginning a direct quotation using quotation marks?

none

Which of the following is punctuated correctly?

June 13, 1987

Why should the medical assistant proofread all letters, memos, or other documents that will be distributed?

the computer spell check function cannot verify that a word is used in its correct context

What proofreader's mark is used to indicate that a period should be added?

a circle around a period

After printing a letter to be sent by the medical office, a medical assistant notices that a word is not spelled correctly. What should the medical assistant do?

correct the computer file and reprint the letter

Which of the following is NOT usually one of the headings in a memo?

ADDRESS

When the medical assistant answers an e-mail, why is it customary to create the answer as a reply?

to allow the recipient to read previous correspondence

Why should the medical assistant avoid opening e-mail attachments from individuals who are strangers?

if an attachment contains a virus, opening the attachment will launch the virus

What is the process used by a fax (facsimile) machine to send documents from one location to another?

the fax machine encodes the images on the document into signals to be sent over the telephone

Why is a cover sheet recommended when sending information about patients by fax?

it helps protect patient confidentiality and privacy

Which of the following is/are special features that are often found on the photocopier in a medical office?

all of the above

How should the medical assistant protect patient confidentiality when photocopying a patient's medical record to send to another health care facility?

check for a signed authorization for release of information