Chapter 49 The Medical Assistant as Office Manager

how are old telephone logs, payroll records, minutes of practice management meetings, and canceled checks categorized?

- recyclable paper

- confidential documents

- nonessential bits of information

- regular office maintenance documents

confidential documents

in the medical office, what measures should be taken when discarding confidential documents?

- by tearing them up before placing in a waste basket

- by placing them in a recycle bin

- by first shredding them and then placing them in a recycling bin

- confidential documents should never be discarded

by first shredding them and then placing them in a recycling bin

what should be available for hand hygiene in every examination room?

- sink only

- hand sanitizer only

- hand sanitizer and a sink

- hand sanitizer, sink with foot controls, and package of sterile towels

hand sanitizer only

What may be stored in examination rooms in cupboards or drawers?

- syringes

- medication samples

- alcohol prep pads

- cleaning solutions

- all

alcohol prep pads

what type of waste containers should needles and glass slides be discarded in?

- ordinary trash container

- rigid biohazard waste container

- covered biohazard waste container with plastic liner

- it depends on whether the item is contaminated with blood or potentially infectious material

rigid biohazard waste container

what is an important feature of biohazard waste containers?

- a foot pedal is used to open and close them

- they should have a biohazard emblem on them

- they are kept closed, except when adding new materials

- the plastic liner is usually red or marked with a red biohazard emblem

- all

all

what is the best location for storage of cleaning supplies and chemical solutions to clean the examination room?

- in the examination room, under the counter

- in a central area used to store all cleaning materials

- in the medical assistant's work area

- in the office manager's desk

in a central area used to store all cleaning materials

what furniture should be located in the waiting room?

- ten to twelve chairs

- two couches so that patients can sit together

- two to four chairs per doctor in the office at one time

- one chair per doctor so that the doctor will hurry and not have patients waiting

two to four chairs per doctor in the office at one time

what type of magazines should be located in the waiting room?

- current magazines of general interest

- magazines the staff have brought from home

- medical journals that the physician has finished reading

- mainly free magazines obtained from medical supply companies

current magazines of general interest

If there is a rack of brochures with medical information in the waiting room, who should oversee the selection available?

- the physician should approve all materials

- the medical assistant should select and order brochures

- the office manager is responsible for selecting brochures

- the office should consult with a registered nurse to select informational material

the physician should approve all materials

who is usually responsible for minor, routine office maintenance?

- office staff

- the physician

- the rental agent

- a maintenance company

office staff

how should workplace injuries be minimized or avoided?

- staff members should wear sturdy shoes with low heels

- minimal lighting in corridors can save on energy costs

- sturdy stepladders should be used to place items on high shelves

- a note should be left for the cleaners about any spills that occurred during the day

sturdy stepladders should be used to place items on high shelves

what is a comfortable temperature for treatment rooms or special procedure rooms?

- 68 to 70 F

- 70 to 72 F

- 72 to 74 F

- 74 to 76 F

68 to 70 F

how should spills that occur in the patient restrooms be handled?

- they should be treated as biohazard waste

- they should be reported to the office manager

- they should be taken care of by the cleaning company

- they should be cleaned by staff wearing disposable gloves

they should be cleaned by staff wearing disposable gloves

what color should be used for caution signs?

- white with red lettering or red with white lettering

- green with white lettering or white with green lettering

- red on the upper panel with black lettering and a white background

- yellow lettering on a black background or black lettering on a yellow background

yellow lettering on a black background or black lettering on a yellow background

how should biohazard waste containers be emptied?

- by the staff, daily

- nightly, by the cleaning staff

- by the staff, when they are three-quarters full

- only when a pickup is scheduled by the company that collects biohazard waste

by the staff, when they are three-quarters full

what items in the medical office should have labels or be color-coded for safety reasons?

- flammable gases

- plastic biohazard bags

- rigid biohazard waste containers

- refrigerators containing biohazardous materials

- all

all

which parts of the office require the ability to be locked in addition to the main office doors?

- treatment rooms

- medical laboratory

- examination rooms

- medical assistant work area

- all

medical laboratory

if controlled substances are stored in the office, how should they be stored?

- in the office safe

- in the physician's office

- in a locked medication cabinet with other medications

- in a locked drawer within a locked cabinet separate from other items

in a locked drawer within a locked cabinet separate from other items

what should be assessed during a safety inspection?

- adequate supply of soap in all soap dispensers

- serial number of each piece of medical equipment

- presence of a biohazard container in each exam room

- electrical cords in good repair and not obstructing walkways

- all

electrical cords in good repair and not obstructing walkways

how should lighted exit signs be tested?

- room lights should be switched off

- exit sign lights should be turned off and on

- a test button on the light switch should be pressed

- it is not necessary to test them; a burned-out bulb will be obvious

room lights should be switched off

how should all medical records, including computer data backup disks, be stored?

- in boxes

- in the physician's office

- in the physician's house

- in locked, fire-resistant file cabinet

in locked, fire-resistant file cabinet

what is important information about the equipment purchased for the medical office?

- serial number

- date of purchase

- type and length of warranty

- suggested service schedule, and name of provider who provides service

- all

all

equipment wears out. which of the following would be most likely to result in a decision to replace a piece of equipment instead of repairing it?

- it is 10 years old

- it costs more than $1000

- the manufacturer no longer produces parts for repair

- it is used for special tests or procedures about once a week

the manufacturer no longer produce parts for repair

what is involved in keeping a supply inventory?

- supplies can only be ordered from approved suppliers

- supplies must have secure labels, or be discarded

- a list is maintained of all supplies used in the medical office

- expiration dates on all supplies are checked before using them

a list is maintained of all supplies used in the medical office

what is necessary in order to prevent running out of needed supplies?

- create a good relationship with each supplier

- order as many supplies as there is room to store

- keep supplies with expiration date closest to the current date to the front

- determine a realistic reorder point, and order new supplies when that point is reached

determine a realistic reorder point, and order new supplies when that point is reached

when newly ordered supplies arrive in the office, what should the medical assistant do?

- give the delivery man a tip from petty cash

- keep the supplies in the reception area until there is time to put them away

- put the new supplies away in front of the supplies that are already in the storage area

- check the supplies received against the packing slip to make sure that everything that has been ordered has arrived

check the supplies received against the packing slip to make sure everything that has been ordered has arrived

what is the general term for establishing and maintaining policies and procedures that protect the medical office and staff from lawsuits?

- prioritizing

- risk management

- liability insurance

- policies and procedures

risk management

what protects physicians and office staff if patients claim that diagnostic procedures, tests, or treatments caused an injury?

- small claims court

- property and theft insurance

- professional liability insurance

- none

- all

professional liability insurance