Physician Office Assistant Certificate (0028)

Physician office assistants work in the front of primary and specialty medical practices and contact call centers. Job duties may include:

• Provide friendly customer service to patients
• Answer phone calls
• Collect payments
• Handle patients’ medical insurance and electronic medical records
• Prepare schedules    

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You will learn how an outpatient medical practice works and handles the everyday duties related to patients’ records, scheduling and more. The classes will incorporate critical thinking skills, customer service activities and generational and cultural diversity where appropriate.

Our course is designed to prepare you to:

• Discuss the United States heath care delivery system
• Recognize the fundamental principles of healthcare law and ethics including HIPAA and ACT 13
• Demonstrate methods of communication that improve interpersonal relations, as applied to patients, peers, supervisors, and other healthcare team members
• Define medical terminology
• Explain the different methods of capturing and recording EHR data
• Compare and contrast various types of electronic health record computers, such as workstation, laptop, tablet/PC
• Describe the different types of telephone calls a medical professional may handle
• Explain the proper protocol for answering the telephone in a medical facility and list all the information that should be documented the phone messages
• Discuss meeting planning considerations, agendas, and various methodology for holding meetings, such as teleconferences

Our course prepares you to sit for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) certification exam administered through the National Healthcare Association (NHA).

• View summaries of our noncredit courses at HACC by browsing our schedule.

• Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.

Upon completing your certificate, you can continue your education at HACC if you wish! We have a variety of healthcare programs, among others, that may be of interest.

When you complete an associate degree, you can continue and transfer credits to a four-year school.

For your convenience, you have the choice of taking this certificate entirely through asychronous instruction or synchronous remote instruction.

Yes! Through the HACC Foundation, scholarships are available. Please visit hacc.edu/scholarships for details and deadlines.

You can complete spring, summer and fall classes at HACC. Please use the information listed in the "How Can I Learn More" section to find out about start dates and enrollment deadlines.

Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.