Chapter Seven: Essentials of Written Communication for Medical Assistants

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to written communication essential for medical assistants.

Parts of Speech

The building blocks of writing, including nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Professional Correspondence

Written communication within a professional setting, such as emails, letters, and memos, requiring clarity and adherence to etiquette.

Independent Clause

A group of words containing a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.

Dependent Clause

A group of words that contains a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete thought.

Punctuation

Symbols used in writing to clarify meaning and indicate pauses, such as periods, commas, and semicolons.

Capitalization

The practice of using uppercase letters in writing to denote the beginning of a sentence or to signify proper nouns.

Formatting Letters

The structured organization of letters including sender's address, date, recipient's address, greeting, body, closing, and signature.

Internal Memos

Brief, direct written communications used to inform staff about policies or procedures within a healthcare facility.

Email Etiquette

The standards of politeness and professionalism in email communications, including proper greetings and clarity.

HIPAA Compliance

Regulations ensuring patient information is protected and maintained confidentially in healthcare communications.

Common Nouns

General names for a person, place, thing, or idea, such as 'medical assistant'.

Proper Nouns

Specific names of people, places, or organizations, such as 'Mayo Clinic'.

Word Usage Errors

Mistakes in communication that can weaken a message, such as misused words or unclear pronouns.

Templates in Communication

Pre-written formats for routine messages that can be personalized for efficiency in healthcare settings.

Folding Techniques

Methods for folding documents to fit standard envelopes without wrinkling, ensuring a professional appearance.

Postage Systems

The different methods used to send mail, including stamped, metered, and pre-canceled options, important for timely delivery.

Professionalism in Communication

The quality of being respectful, clear, and organized in all written forms of communication.

Proofreading

The process of reviewing written documents to identify and correct errors in spelling, grammar, and format.

Avoiding Slang

The practice of steering clear of informal language in professional writing to maintain clarity and respect.

Delivery Services

Various means of transporting documents, including USPS, private carriers, and couriers, especially for sensitive healthcare communications.

Clarity in Communication

The quality of being clear and easy to understand in writing, crucial for effective healthcare practices.

Authorized Agent

A person who has written documentation that they can accept a shipment for another individual.

Bonded

A term describing employees for whom an employer has obtained a fidelity bond from an insurance company, which will cover losses from any dishonest acts (e.g., embezzlement, theft) committed by those employees.

Electronic Health Record (EHR)

An electronic record that conforms to nationally recognized standards and contains health-related information about a specific patient. It can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff from more than one healthcare organization.

Girth

The measurement around something; when referring to mail, it is the measurement around the middle of the package that is being shipped.

Media (ME de ah)

Types of communication (e.g., social media sites); with computers, the term refers to data storage devices.

Portrait Orientation

The most common layout for a printed page; the height of the paper is greater than its width.

Practice Management Software

A type of software that allows the user to enter demographic information, schedule appointments, maintain lists of insurance payers, perform billing tasks, and generate reports.

Template (TEM plit)

A document or file that has a preset format; this is used as a starting point for composing something and eliminates the need to recreate it each time it is used.

Termination Letters

Documents sent to patients explaining that the provider is ending the physician-patient relationship and the patient needs to see other providers.

Zone

A region or geographic area used for shipping.

what are parts of speech

are the building blocks of language. They include nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

what are Punctuation marks

essential tools in writing that help clarify meaning and indicate pauses. Common punctuation marks include periods, commas, and semicolons.

what can proper use of punctuation do

can significantly enhance the readability of a document and prevent misunderstandings.

how is confidentiality used

All patient-related documents must be handled with discretion and in compliance with HIPAA regulations. This includes careful storage, sharing, and disposal of sensitive information to protect patient privacy.

what is the purpose of pronouns

to replace nouns to make our sentences more readable, especially when describing patient scenarios

Verb show what

action like document explain or evaluate ( doing) where by showing a state of being like is or seems

what is the purpose of adjectives?

helps us to be precise by describing nouns “Urgent” message or “confidential” file

what is the purpose of adverbs?

to describe how something is done

(accurately, quickly or politely)

what is the purpose of prepositional?

indicate a relationship or location between a noun or pronoun, and the rest of the sentence

on the desk, before noon, or with the provider

what is the purpose of a conjunction?

As a bridge, connecting thoughts

what is the purpose of interjections?

Express emotion words such as oh or wow

every sentence begins with a ?

Subject and a verb

what is a subject?

The main person or thing being discussed

what is a verb in a sentence

Shows the action or state of being

what is an independent clause?

when a subject and verb form a complete thought

what is a dependent clause?

Contains a subject and a verb, but can’t stand alone

what is a non-essential clause?

extra details that can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence

What is a essential or restrictive clause?

they define or limit the noun they describe

The patient who missed the appointment, the clause who missed the

appointment is essential because it specifies which patient

What is a phrase?

groups of words that add detail but do not contain a complete subject verb relationship

A group of words without a subject or verb

what is a fragment?

A sentence missing a critical piece often a subject verb complete thought

what are major writing errors ?

fragments because they interrupt the flow of communication and can lead to misinterpretation, especially in clinical documentation

T/F all punctuation goes inside the closing quotation mark

True

what is the purpose of a comma?

To break up ideas

what is the purpose of a semicolon (;)

Joins two related sentences together

what is the purpose of a colon? (:)

To introduce list or examples such as appointment reminders

what is a common mistake with Quotation marks?

To emphasize words or phrases

True or false numbers in the beginning of a sentence should be spelled out

T

True or false always hyphenate compound numbers from 21 to 99 and all written out fractions

T

when writing out smalls less than a dollar do not use

dollar sign Or decimal point

what does a professional letter start with?

senders address and a date on the left in most formats

what is the inside address?

recipient information

what should the inside address not include

Errors in personal titles, street abbreviations, or city state formatting

what does a reference line indicate?

Subject or case number

the closing of the letter is usually

vertically aligned with the date and followed by the signature block

how many blank lines between the closing and typed name

4

why should there be 4 lines between the blank lines and typed name

handwritten signature

what is rarely used in a healthcare letter

subject line

what is an end notation

enclosure

what is a cc

shows whos receiving a copy

what is included on the continuation page

header, senders name, the date, and the page number

when is the letterhead not used?

on continuation pages

what does writing a professional letter involve

following a specific format that includes the sender's address, date, recipient's address, salutation, body, closing, and signature.

what is the full black letter format?

every element from the senders address for the signature is aligned to the left margin

what is the modified block letter format?

The body and inside addresses are still left the aligned but the date closing and signature block start at the center or are right align

what is the semi block letter format?

similar to the modified block format, but the paragraphs are indented about five spaces

what is the simplified letter format?

used less often in healthcare

why is the simplified letter format use less often in healthcare

it removes the salutation and closing altogether

what is the purpose of a memo?

to communicate within the facility

What are the four headings of a memo?

to, from, date, subject

memos use

portrait orientation, single-line spacing, and 1-inch margins

what is email etiquette

This includes using a clear subject line, maintaining a polite tone, avoiding slang, and ensuring proper grammar and spelling.

T/F emails should start with a greeting

true

what should be included in the subject line

something that reflects the purpose of the email

what must every facts include?

A face sheet and a cover page

what should the face sheet of a fax include?

Confidentiality statement, contact information for both sender and receiver, the date in the total number of pages, instructions on what to do if the fax was received in error

all business leaders should be enclosed. What kind of envelope?

#10 Business Size Envelope

what are the measurements of the business envelope?

4.125 × 9.5 inches

proper folding technique #10

Fold letter by pulling up bottom end until it reaches just below the inside address or two-thirds of the way up the letter; crease at the fold; fold top of letter down so that it is flush with bottom fold, and crease paper

proper folding technique #6 ½

Fold letter by pulling up bottom end until it is ½ inch from top edge of document; crease at the fold; fold document vertically starting at right edge

what happens if you open mail that does not belong to you

tape it shut, add a note with your name and the date