The Certified Medical Assistant is one of the most sought after careers in the healthcare field as a result of the diversity in the skill preparation. The Medical Assistant’s skills are utilized in both the administrative and clinical aspects of the medical office. Phlebotomy, medication administration and surgical assisting are among the many clinical skills acquired in the Medical Assisting Program. Some of the administrative skills a Medical Assistant may perform are: health insurance coding and billing, insurance processing, patient scheduling and the entering of data into the Electronic Medical Record.

The Glen Oaks Community College Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). The Commission on Accreditation of the Allied Health Programs is located at 25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, Phone: 727-210-2350.

Graduates of the accredited program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination. Passing the examination allows the graduate to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA-AAMA). The Medical Assistant can further his or her education by earning an Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health. The Medical Assistant Certificate is a competency-based program of study.

NOTE: Placement Evaluation required prior to admission into the Medical Assistant program:

• Placement into BUS 111 Contemporary Business & Technical Communications
• Placement into MATH 100 Introductory Algebra or higher or meet corresponding ACT/SAT scores

Required Coursework (36 Credit Hours)

1. The student will make application for Medical Assistant Certificate program to the Medical Assisting Program Chair. A guided pathway is then planned with the student for successful completion of the program.
2. The student must maintain a GPA of 2.5 in order to enter the clinical portion of the program. No grade can be lower than 2.0. A 2.5 GPA in clinical courses, ALH 230, 235 and 236 and administrative courses, ALH 232 and 233 must be achieved and special behavioral grading criteria must be met.
3. Qualification for the practicum requires the student to have completed with an overall 2.5 GPA or above. ALH 290 – Medical Assistant Certification Exam Review is taken concurrently with the practicum and includes completing the Certification Exam for Medical Assisting.

Effective: Fall 2015

Employment Information

Medical assistants help physicians and other health care professionals examine and treat patients, as well as perform routine tasks needed to keep a medical office running efficiently. They measure vital signs, help patients feel comfortable in the doctor’s office, document patient history, and often explain the doctor’s instructions.

Jobs are available in physician offices, hospitals, outpatient or health care facilities, such as specialty offices and clinics. Work ranges from answering phones, greeting patients and scheduling appointments to taking medical histories, performing basic laboratory tests and administering medications, assisting the physician with minor surgical procedures, and removing sutures and changing dressings.

Requirements of the role include knowledge of medical terminology, communication skills, technical skills and office management skills. The ability to maintain confidentiality is a must, as medical assistants deal with sensitive patient data.

1. Register for admission to the college
2. Declare Medical Assistant Program interest; (students are not considered to be in the Medical Assistant Program certificate completion rotation until they have met all course requirements to enter the Fall semester clinical courses: ALH 230 and ALH 235 as below)
3. Meet Placement Evaluation in basic math and English criteria:
   1. Placement in BUS 111 Contemporary Business and Technical Communications
   2. Placement in MATH 060 Basic Mathematics Skills or higher
   3. OR meet Corresponding ACT/SAT scores
   4. No course may be transferred into the Medical Assistant program that contains AAMA core competencies. No experiential credit is awarded.
   5. Meet with Medical Assistant Program chair to plan a guided pathway for successful completion of the program.
4. If course placement criteria not met, student may enroll in appropriate remedial course/s to bring skill level up to criteria.
5. Complete course prerequisite: (minimum of 2.0 required)
   1. ALH 218 Medical Terminology
6. The Medical Assistant Program may be completed, as outlined below, in three semesters beginning in the fall. A student may choose to take courses over a longer period of time and enter the clinical portion of the program after those are completed. Courses that may be taken before the clinical portion of the program include: ALH 222 Disease Conditions, ALH 232 Administrative I, ALH 233 Administrative II, and ALH 250 Medical Law and Bioethics. These courses are a part of other ALH certificates and if successfully passed may be brought into the Medical Assisting Certificate.

Required Coursework

Business Focus – Add these courses

Coding Focus – Add these courses

1. The student must achieve a “C” or 2.0 GPA in all curriculum courses.
2. Qualifications for the practicum requires that students have all course work completed and an overall 2.5 GPA or above.
3. All instructors must recommend the student for practicum.
4. The process of determining who will enter the program will be selective.

Effective: Fall 2011
Current as: 7/16/14

Employment Information

Medical Administrative Specialists are multi-skilled in medical records and health information and play key roles in the medical office, clinic or hospital setting. They organize and manage health information data, insurance processing, coding and billing, practice finance and fundamental office management tasks. A Medical Administrative Specialist is very familiar with clinical and technical concepts required to coordinate administrative office functions in a health care setting.

Jobs are available in physicians’ offices, health clinics, outpatient facilities, medical laboratories, hospitals, health insurance companies, medical supply and equipment businesses, and pharmaceutical companies.

Duties and skills vary by the size of office. In a small practice, the job may include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, composing and processing correspondence, collecting and recording payments, maintaining financial reports and patient files. In a large office, the job will focus on more of the non-patient, office duties and work more directly with the facility’s administrative office team.

Physician office coding specialists are in high demand; these medical records employees classify diagnoses and procedures to facilitate billing
and reimbursement from insurance companies.

Required Coursework

1. The student must achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 in all curriculum courses. The student must pass ALH 230 with a minimum grade of 2.5.
2. Qualifications for the practicum require the student to have all coursework completed with an overall 2.5 GPA or above. All program instructors must recommend the student for practicum.
3. The process of determining who will enter the program will be selective.
4. This certificate can be applied to the Health Care Worker Certificate that offers the student the choice of pursuing an Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health Degree.

Effective: Fall 2011
Current as 7/16/14

Employment Information

Since physicians rely on blood samples to assess their patients’ health accurately, laboratories depend on phlebotomy technicians to collect quality samples to produce excellent results. To do this, phlebotomy technicians must create an atmosphere of trust and confidence with patients in a skillful, safe and reliable manner.

Jobs are available in hospital laboratories, medical and diagnostic laboratories, blood donor centers and doctors’ offices. Dedicated phlebotomy technicians can enhance their employability by becoming certified nationally. Since blood analysis remains an essential function in medical laboratories and hospitals the demand for phlebotomist is likely to remain high.

1. Register for admission to the college.
2. Declare Phlebotomy Technician Program interest (by filling out application and returning to Carol Naccarato).
3. Meet Compass (or other course placement determined by the college) basic math and English criteria:
   1. ENG 063 – Reading for College or placement in BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Technical Communications or higher on Compass test.
   2. ENG 073 – Essentials for College Writing or placement in BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Technical Communications or higher on Compass test.
   3. Placement in MATH 060 – Basic Mathematics Skills or higher on Compass test OR meet corresponding ACT/SAT scores.
4. If course placement criteria not met, student may enroll in appropriate remedial course/s to bring skill level up to criteria.
5. Complete course prerequisites: (minimum of a 2.5 GPA required – with no grade lower than 2.0)
   1. ALH 218 – Medical Terminology
   2. BIO 101 – Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology or BIO 210 Human Anatomy & Physiology I & BIO 211 – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
6. SUGGESTED COURSE ROTATION: (minimum of a 2.5 GPA required at all times – with no grade lower than 2.0)
   SEMESTER ONE:
   1. ALH 250 – Medical Law & Bioethics
   2. ALH 222 – Disease Conditions

    

   PROGRAM CAPPED FOR ENTRY AT THIS POINT AT 10 STUDENTS – Selected by GPA
   SEMESTER TWO:

   1. ALH 230 – Medical Office Laboratory Procedures (does NOT take ALH 235 as a co-req)
   2. BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Technical Communications

    

   SEMESTER THREE: (AN OVERALL GPA OF 2.5 MUST BE MET TO ENTER PRACTICUM – NO GRADE CAN BE LOWER THAN 2.0 – ALL PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS MUST RECOMMEND THE STUDENT FOR PRACTICUM PLACEMENT)

   1. Complete practicum preparations
   2. Complete ALH 285 – Phlebotomy Technician Practicum (100 hours in a hospital setting and 100 successful blood draws)
   3. Complete suggested preparations and review for Phlebotomy Technician exam (online) through the ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology-Route #2)
   4. Complete Phlebotomy Technician exam

Required Coursework

1. The student must achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 in all curriculum courses. The student must pass ALH 230 with a minimum grade of 2.5.
2. Qualifications for the Phlebotomy practicum requires the student to have all course work completed as determined by the practicum coordinator with an overall 2.5 GPA or above. All program instructors must recommend the student for practicum.

Effective: Fall 2011
Current as: 7/16/14

Certificate Information

The Health Care Worker certificate combines the clinical skills of the nurse aide with those of the phlebotomy technician. In addition, through classes such as Introduction to Health Careers and College Skills Portfolio, the entry-level health care worker will have the chance to learn of the many opportunities available in nursing, medical assisting and other health careers that require advanced skill levels.

Nursing aides help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. This can involve cleaning, bathing and dressing residents; turning and repositioning them or moving them between beds and wheelchairs; listening to and recording their health concerns; measuring their vital signs; serving food and feeding them.

Phlebotomy technicians draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. They talk with patient and donors to help them feel less nervous about having their blood drawn.

1. Register for admission to the college.
2. Meet Placement Evaluation in basic Reading, Math and English criteria:
   1. Placement into BUS 111 – Contemporary Business and Technical Communications or higher or meet Corresponding ACT/SAT scores.
   2. Placement in to MATH 100 – Introductory Algebra or higher or meet Corresponding ACT/SAT scores.
      If course placement criteria not met, student may enroll in appropriate remedial course/s to bring skill level up to criteria.

    

3. Declare Health Care Worker Certificate interest; (by filling out application and returning it to the Director of Allied Health/Medical Assisting).
4. Meet with the Director of Allied Health to Interview and plan a Guided Pathway for successful completion of the program.
5. The Health Care Worker Certificate may be completed, as outlined below, in three semesters beginning in the fall. However, students may start the program in either the fall or the winter semester. A student may choose to take courses over a longer period of time but may not take ALH 285 – Phlebotomy Practicum until all other courses except ALH 104 have been completed. It is strongly encouraged to take ALH 285 – Phlebotomy Practicum the semester immediately following the completion of ALH 230.
6. Suggested Course Rotation: (minimum of a 2.5 GPA required at all times – with no grade lower than a 2.0)
   SEMESTER ONE:
   1. ALH 100 – Introduction to Health Careers
   2. ALH 218 – Medical Terminology
   3. BUS 101 – College Skills and Portfolio Writing
   4. ALH 250 – Medical Law & Bioethics

    

   SEMESTER TWO:

   1. BIO 101 – Human Biology
   2. BUS 111 – Contemporary Business & Technical Communication
   3. ALH 222 – Disease Conditions
   4. ALH 230 – Medical Office Lab

    

   SEMESTER THREE: Student must meets all prior GPA criteria (minimum of 2.5 required for program completion-no grade can be lower than 2.0) Instructor recommendations required for practicum placement.

   1. ALH 104 – Nurse Aide Course
   2. ALH 285 – Phlebotomy Practicum – 100 hours in a hospital laboratory with 100 independent draws. (minimum of 2.5 required for course completion)

    

7. Apply for graduation certificates and/or degrees in the Student Services Department. May also print the form online.

CCS-Ps are coding practitioners who specialize in physician-based settings such as physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, or specialty centers. They review patient records and possess in-depth knowledge of the CPT coding system and familiarity with the ICD-9-CM and HCPCS Level II coding systems. They are experts in health information documentation, data integrity, and quality and play a critical role in a health provider’s business operations for data submitted to insurance companies or the government for expense reimbursement. The new concepts in the ICD-10-CM system will be included.

This program offers the knowledge and skills to sit for both the Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Office – CCS-P (AHIMA) and/or the Certified Coding Specialist- CCS (AHIMA) American Health Information Management Association and meets the education eligibility requirements as outlined by that association.

Required Coursework

1. The student must achieve a “C” or 2.0 GPA in all curriculum courses.
2. Qualifications for the practicum require that students have all course work completed and an overall 2.5 GPA or above.
3. All instructors must recommend the student for practicum.
4. The process of determining who will enter the program will be selective.

Winter 2014
Current as: 7/16/14

Employment Information

Coding specialists compile, process and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients. They are familiar with coding systems and stay up-to-date on health care documentation.

Day-to-day responsibilities include reviewing patient records for accuracy and completeness, and tracking patient outcomes for quality, organization and maintenance of data for clinical databases and registries. Coding specialists are familiar with classification software and assign clinical codes for reimbursement and data analysis.

Most health information technicians work in hospitals or physicians’ offices. The median annual wage for health information technicians was $37,110 in May 2015. The median annual wages for medical records and health information technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

1. Register for admission to the college.
2. Declare Medical Coding Specialist—Physician Based (CCS-P) Program interest (by filling out application and returning to Carol Naccarato).
3. Meet Compass (or other course placement determined by the college) basic math and English criteria:
   1. ENG 063 – Reading for College or placement in BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Technical Communications or higher on Compass test.
   2. ENG 073 – Essentials for College Writing or placement in BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Tech Communications or higher on Compass test.
   3. Placement in MATH 055 – Basic Applied Math or higher on Compass test OR meet corresponding ACT/SAT scores.
4. If course placement criteria not met, student may enroll in appropriate remedial course/s to bring skill level up to criteria.
5. Complete course prerequisites: (minimum of a 2.5 GPA required – with no grade lower than 2.0)
   1. ALH 218 – Medical Terminology
   2. BIO 101 – Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology or BIO 210 & 211 – Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II
6. SUGGESTED COURSE ROTATION: (minimum of a 2.5 GPA required at all times – with no grade lower than 2.0)
   SEMESTER ONE:
   1. ALH 250 – Medical Law & Bioethics
   2. ALH 111 – Diagnostic Coding
   3. BUS 111 – Contemporary Business/Technical Communications

    

   SEMESTER TWO:

   1. ALH 210 – Procedural Coding
   2. ALH 205 – Pharmacology for Allied Health

    

   SEMESTER THREE:

   1. ALH 240 – Insurance Claims Processing
   2. ALH 222 – Disease Conditions

    

   SEMESTER FOUR: (AN OVERALL GPA OF 2.5 MUST BE MET TO ENTER PRACTICUM – NO GRADE CAN BE LOWER THAN 2.0 – ALL PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS MUST RECOMMEND THE STUDENT FOR PRACTICUM PLACEMENT)

   1. Complete practicum preparations
   2. Complete ALH 280 – Coding Specialist—Physician Based Practicum
   3. Complete suggested preparations and review for CCS-P or CCS exam (online)
   4. Complete CC