Medical Assisting Programs

Admissions and Course Prerequisites:

All students entering AHDPG must submit or achieve the following:

• High School Diploma or the Equivalent, or Academic, Employer or Family Sponsorship.
• Complete the assessment associated with their respective program, as necessary.
• Maintain up-to-date information on the AHDPG Student Profile.

Program Overviews:

Medical Administrative Assistant Program (MAA)

This program prepares students to function effectively in many of the administrative and clerical positions in the healthcare industry. It provides students with a well-rounded introduction to medical administration that delivers the skills students require to obtain an administrative medical assistant position or advance within current their healthcare career. This course covers the following key areas and topics:

• History and background of the medical assisting profession
• Interpersonal skills, medical ethics, and basic medical law
• Telephone techniques and skills for scheduling appointments
• Medical terminology
• Basics of insurance billing and coding
• Medical records management and management of practice finances
• Course topics covered in this program include:
• An overview of the healthcare industry and expectations for a healthcare professional.
• Role of the medical administrative assistant
• History of medicine, medicine and the law, medical malpractice, medical ethics, and medical practice specialties.
• Ethical and legal issues, fraud abuse, and compliance.
• Office and patient communication techniques, appointment scheduling, and general office duties.
• Technology in the healthcare environment.
• Basic terminology used in the medical office.
• Medical records management, confidentiality of the medical record, initiating a medical record for a new client, and filing reports in the medical record.
• HIPAA review and patient bill of rights and confidentiality.
• Financial and practice management.
• Health insurance coverage, and billing and coding procedures.
• Professional fees, billing and collection procedures, accounting systems, and credit arrangements.
  Medical accounting, financial statements, cost analysis, and budgets for the medical practice.
• Specimen collection, laboratory safety, federal and state regulations.
• Assisting with medical emergencies.
• Career development.

Clinical Medical Assistant Program

The Clinical Medical Assistant course provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to perform clinical procedures in various medical office settings. For example, medical assistants perform routine clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, optometrists, and many other specialists running smoothly. Clinical duties may also include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, drawing blood, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, assisting the physician during the examination, and assisting with minor surgery.

The Phlebotomy component of the training prepares professionals to collect blood and other specimens from clients for the purpose of laboratory analysis. During this course component, students will become familiar with all aspects related to blood collection and develop comprehensive skills to perform venipuncture methods correctly and safely.

This EKG Technician component of the course covers topics and processes critical to conducting and interpreting electrocardiogram (EKG). To begin, you’ll review the anatomy and physiology of the heart. From there you will explore the technology used such as the EKG machine. Next, you’ll learn how to interpret a rhythm strip, and finally, you’ll follow this by discovering the details of a myocardial infarction.

This course covers the following key areas and topics:

• Explain the clinical medical assistant’s role in patient-centered care within the medical facility.
• Describe the specific personal characteristics, interpersonal communications, and professional skills required of the clinical medical assistant.
• Demonstrate an understanding of medical facility safety practices, measures, plans, and standards.
• Explain the steps in quality care throughout the patient encounter including preparation of the medical facility, completing required paperwork, taking vital signs, and completing the checkout tasks.
• Explain the concepts related to medical asepsis and surgical asepsis in the healthcare environment.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to pharmacology and the administration of medications within the scope of the clinical medical assistant practice.
• Explain the concepts related to medical asepsis and surgical asepsis in the healthcare environment.
• Explain the medical assistant’s role and tasks when helping with minor surgery and diagnostic testing procedures in the medical office, including laboratory procedures, specimen collection, microscopic assessment, and hematology procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to assist the physician as directed in various medical specialties of the medical office.
• Explain considerations of healthcare for special populations including pediatrics and geriatrics.
• Explain the steps in selected specimen collection procedures performed by the phlebotomy technician.
• Explain the safety procedures in the healthcare setting and specifically in performing specimen collection procedures.
• Identify specific supplies and equipment used in selected specimen collection procedures.
• Explain precautions and guidelines when collecting specimens in special populations such as pediatrics and geriatrics.
• Define quality of care and explain the impact on patient medical care when quality and safety are compromised in phlebotomy procedures.
• Describe the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and medical terminology associated with phlebotomy.
• Describe the requirements of a successful phlebotomy career including desired character traits, training and education, roles, and responsibilities.
• Explain how phlebotomists communicate with others in the healthcare setting verbally, nonverbally, within the health record, and using computer systems.
• Identify common legal issues, ethical issues, and regulatory issues commonly impacting the phlebotomist.
• Apply the basic electrophysiologic principles of cardiac conduction to the anatomy and physiology of the body.
• Identify proper placement of leads to ensure an accurate and consistent EKG reading.
• Evaluate various EKG rhythm strips following established normal criteria for each of the wave forms and intervals.
• Analyze a variety of EKG rhythm strips, identifying rate, rhythm, and intervals.
• Analyze a variety of EKG rhythm strips for common dysrhythmias.
• Apply an understanding of the technical aspects of the EKG machine to the correct use of the machine and interpretation of artifacts.
• Describe the functions, associated terminology, types, and rhythm strips of pacemakers.
• Describe diagnostic electrocardiography in terms of goals, types, procedures, indications, and contraindications.
• Explain how to interpret a 12-lead EKG strip.
• Explain myocardial infarction in terms of physiology, symptoms, and EKG interpretation.
• Describe common cardiac medications

Grading Scale:

The following table shows the graded scale for all Medical Assisting Programs. A grade of 70% is required for successful completion of the program and to receive a Certificate of Completion.

Edit

PErcentage Range	Letter Grade	Point Value
90 – 100	A	4.0
80 – 89	B	3.0
70 – 79	C	2.0
0 – 69	Failing	0.0

The composition of grades including applicable categories of assignments and associated weights varies by subject module and can be found in the individual course syllabuses.

Tuition and Fees:

Medical Administrative Assistant Program

• Tuition and Fees:
• Tuition fee: $1,450.00
• Books, Materials, and Technology Fee: $795.00 (nonrefundable)
• Administrative Fee: $50.00 (nonrefundable)
• Administrative Fee: $50.00 (nonrefundable)

Clinical Medical Assistant Program

• Tuition fee: $2,800.00
• Books, Materials, and Technology Fee: $795.00 (nonrefundable)
• Administrative Fee: $50.00 (nonrefundable)

Other Fees

• 3% Convenience Fee (nonrefundable). Waived for direct bank draft payments.
• Extension Fee: Students requiring more time in the program than originally allocated will incur an Extension Fee. The Extension Fee will be assessed at $195 per month for students who pay upfront for their program or the monthly payment for students on the monthly payment plan.
• Missed Payment/Return Payment Fee: A $40 fee will be charged for each missed or returned payment.
• Readmission Fee: A student who leaves a program and consequently requests readmission will incur a Readmission Fee of $200.00.
• Transcript Fee: A fee of $15 will be charged for each transcript requested.

Completion Requirements

Academics – A minimum score of 70% is required for graduation.

Remediation – The facilitator will work with any student who seems to be struggling to achieve and maintain a minimum course average of 70%. Any student who is in danger of not achieving the 70% required to pass the to the next semester will be counseled by the instructor and a plan for Student Improvement will be written. This plan will be placed in the student’s official file.

Career Pathways:

Medical Administrative Assistant Program (MMA)

Students who successfully complete this program will have the knowledge needed to work as a Medical Administrative Assistant in the clinic or hospital setting. Among the subjects studied in this program are medical office procedures, medical law and ethics, interpersonal and written communications, medical records management, and front desk reception and scheduling. Medical administrative assistants may work in a variety of roles and locations with job titles ranging from unit secretary or medical office specialist to patient coordinator. This knowledge and experience are also helpful if more training is desired to progress to more advanced roles, such as within health information management.

Clinical Medical Assistant Program (CMA)

This course of study prepares Students who successfully complete this program will have the knowledge needed to work as a Clinical Medical Assistant in the clinic or hospital setting. The knowledge obtained in this program includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, medicolegal issues, specialty studies as they pertain to clinical medical assisting, vital signs and physical examination, EKG and phlebotomy training. A CMA works in both the administrative and clinical settings, gaining experience in office procedures and administration as well as direct patient communication and care within the scope of their duties and therefore honing skills that are desirable in a wide range of clinical and administrative healthcare roles.