Kinn's Chapter 1- CCMA

Learning Objectives for the Professional Medical Assistant

• Typical Responsibilities and Roles:
  • Discuss the standard duties assigned to a medical assistant.
  • Describe the specific function of the medical assistant serving as a patient navigator.
• Professionalism and Image:
  • Identify the essential attributes of a professional medical assistant.
  • Project a professional image within the ambulatory care environment.
  • Demonstrate show of respect for individual diversity among patients and staff.
• Legal and Ethical Frameworks:
  • Differentiate between the "scope of practice" (what one is allowed to do) and "standards of care" (how well one does it).
• Organizations and Education:
  • List and engage with professional medical assisting organizations.
  • Evaluate personal learning preferences and understand how learning styles influence academic and professional success.
• Practical Skills and Success Strategies:
  • Integrate effective study skills into daily routines.
  • Design test-taking strategies to maintain control over academic outcomes.
  • Incorporate critical thinking skills and reflection to build mental connections during the learning process.
• Medical History and Context:
  • Summarize the history of medicine and its specific relevance to the medical assisting profession.
• Healthcare Professionals and Facilities:
  • Summarize various types of medical professionals, allied health professionals, and the diverse landscape of healthcare facilities.
• Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH):
  • Define the PCMH model and discuss its five core functions and attributes.
• Workplace Ethics and Teamwork:
  • Explain why professionalism is vital in the medical field.
  • Describe work ethics and emphasize the importance of cooperation.
• Prioritization and Crisis Management:
  • Apply time management strategies to prioritize a medical assistant’s responsibilities as part of a healthcare team.
  • Respond appropriately to criticism and utilize problem-solving skills.
  • Identify common obstacles to professional behavior and define principles for maintaining self-boundaries.

Responsibilities and Roles of the Medical Assistant

• Clinical Skills:
  • Assisting physicians and practitioners during physical examinations.
  • Performing patient screening procedures.
  • Executing diagnostic and emergency procedures, including ECGs, phlebotomy, first aid, and rigorous infection control.
• Administrative Skills:
  • Answering telephones and managing scheduling for patients.
  • Maintaining accurate and detailed documentation within patient health records.
  • Managing facility correspondence and ensuring adherence to legal and ethical principles.
• The Medical Assistant as a Patient Navigator:
  • The medical assistant functions as a patient advocate, helping guided them through the healthcare system.
  • The concept of care coordination originated from patient navigator programs.
  • In modern practice, these positions are frequently titled "care coordinators" and are located in both ambulatory care settings and hospitals.

Customer Service and Professional Attributes

• Customer Service Definitions:
  • Customer: Defined as one who purchases goods or services.
  • External Customers: In the healthcare context, patients are considered external customers.
  • Internal Customers: These are the individuals one interacts with within the work environment, such as colleagues and supervisors.
  • Service Definition: Any action taken for customers to improve their overall experience.
• Core Professional Characteristics:
  • Professionalism and a professional appearance.
  • Courtesy, respect, and respect for individual diversity.
  • Empathy, compassion, tact, and diplomacy.
  • Honesty, dependability, and responsibility.

Scope of Practice, Standards of Care, and Organizations

• Scope of Practice: This refers to the range of responsibilities and practice guidelines that determine the boundaries within which a healthcare worker practices. Medical assistants are and must remain dependent practitioners, meaning they are not independent practitioners.
• Standards of Care: A legal term referring to whether the level and quality of service provided to a patient is the same as what another healthcare worker with similar training and experience would provide in a similar situation. Failure to meet these standards may result in charges of professional negligence.
• Professional Organizations:
  • AAMA: American Association of Medical Assistants.
  • AMT: American Medical Technologists.
  • NHA: National Healthcareer Association (Note: The NHA is not involved in program curriculum standards or program accreditation).
• Continuing Education:
  • Necessary to stay current with new medications, treatments, and diagnostic tests.
  • Options include reading professional journals, visiting reputable health websites, attending on-the-job educational conferences, and participating in local, state, or national conferences.

Educational Success and Critical Thinking

• Learning Styles:
  • The first step in learning is perceiving information; the second step is processing information.
  • Stage 1 Learners: Concrete reflective style.
  • Stage 2 Learners: Abstract reflective style.
  • Stage 3 Learners: Abstract active style.
  • Stage 4 Learners: Concrete active style.
• Study and Test-Taking Skills:
  • Utilize memory techniques, active learning, and "brain tricks."
  • Effective note-taking involves coming to class prepared, requesting slide copies before lectures, and creating mind maps.
  • Manage test anxiety by preparing adequately and controlling negative thoughts.
• Critical Thinking Process:
  • 1. Sort out conflicting information.
  • 2. Weigh existing knowledge against new info.
  • 3. Ignore and let go of personal biases.
  • 4. Decide on a reasonable belief or action.

The Medical Professional Landscape

• Historical Context:
  • Hippocrates: Known as the "Father of Medicine," associated with the Hippocratic Oath.
  • 17th Century: European academics and societies began providing structure to medicine.
  • Evolution of Medical Assisting: As physician practices became more complicated and administrative work became time-consuming, the need for help grew. The first medical assistants were trained on-the-job in individual physicians' offices.
• Medical and Allied Health Professionals:
  • Common practitioners include MDs (Doctors of Medicine), DOs (Doctors of Osteopathy), Chiropractors, Hospitalists, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Physician Assistants (PAs).
  • Eye Care Specialist Distinctions:
    • Ophthalmologist: A medical doctor specialty that performs medical and surgical procedures.
    • Optometrist: Performs eye examinations and applies some prescriptions for contacts or glasses.
    • Optician: Ensures the physical fit of glasses.
  • Allied Health Professionals: Those who act only under the authority of a licensed medical practitioner. Includes two categories: Technicians (assistants) and Therapists.
• Healthcare Facilities:
  • Hospitals provide primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care.
  • Ambulatory care includes physician offices, group practices, and multispecialty groups.
  • Other facilities include diagnostic laboratories and home health agencies.

Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and Workplace Dynamics

• Five Core Functions of PCMH:
  • 1. Comprehensive care.
  • 2. Patient-centered care.
  • 3. Coordinated care.
  • 4. Accessible service.
  • 5. Quality and safety.
• Time Management and Prioritization:
  • Spend approximately $10\,\text{minutes}$ writing down tasks for the day.
  • M (Must): Tasks that must be completed that day.
  • S (Should): Tasks that should be completed that day.
  • C (Could): Tasks that could be done if time permits.
• Communication and Problem Solving:
  • Use "I" statements instead of "You are…" statements to avoid defensiveness.
  • Remove emotion from conflict resolution; follow the chain of command for serious issues like theft, confidentiality breaches, or harassment.
• Barriers to Professionalism:
  • Negative attitude and procrastination.
  • Bringing personal "baggage" or problems to work.
  • Engaging in gossip, excessive personal communication, or dating coworkers.
• Self-Boundaries: Necessary to establish realistic limits that protect professional relationships with patients.