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Medical Office Receptionist Certificate

Certificate Code 5588

Program Contacts:
QC Campus
Amy Levins-Smith, 309-796-5329, smitha@bhc.edu

This certificate is offered only at the Quad-Cities Campus.

The Medical Office Receptionist program prepares individuals for medical office receptionist employment. By combining courses from Administrative Assisting and Health Management Information AAS degrees, this certificate will provide students with specialized knowledge of medical terminology and medical procedures to better perform front desk operations in a medical environment. The medical office receptionist coordinates office functions and operates as part of the medical team.

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

  • Appropriately manage telephone communications and schedule office, surgical, and diagnostic procedures.
  • Receive patients and visitors.
  • Apply legal and ethical standards.
  • Create and maintain confidential patient records; sort and disperse incoming mail.
  • Utilize the computer to perform office functions: key documents and other correspondence using correct grammar and punctuation, enter patient information, complete billing, enter payroll, record insurance information, schedule patient appointments, etc.
  • Apply appropriate medical terminology when communicating with patients, office staff, and insurance companies.
  • Employ proper health insurance knowledge when speaking or corresponding with clients/patients and insurance companies.
Required courses for this program include: »

BE 100 Work Environment Orientation
This course is intended to introduce the facts, skills, strengths, and career goals necessary for success in the business education curricula.
2 credit hours: 2 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 101 Office Accounting
Designed as an introductory accounting course for business students with emphasis on the accounting cycle and small business transactions in a user-oriented environment for students with little computer experience.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 106 Records Management
Management of records using ARMA rules. Emphasis is on current business practices, systems, supplies, and computers in records control, retrieval, disposal, and database management.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 110 Data Entry Applications
Designed to teach data entry skills, to help the student develop dexterity and accuracy in keyboarding alphabetic and alphanumeric characters, and to help the student become familiar with common data entry procedures, including voice input.
2 credit hours: 2 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 122 Administrative Support Systems
Discussion of attitudes, ethics, professional conduct, global market awareness, and effective procedures for encouraging teamwork and discouraging workplace harassment. Emphasis on telecommunications, meeting planning, proofreading and grammar review, time management, organizational tools for electronic offices, and methods to research information for business use.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 141 Computerized Keyboarding I
Keyboard mastery and document formatting using a current word processing software package.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 145A Information Processing I
Prerequisite: BE 141 “C” or better or instructor consent.
Students learn word processing software most commonly found in area offices.
1 credit hour: 1 lecture hour; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 145B Information Processing II
Prerequisite: BE 141 “C” or better or instructor consent.
Students learn word processing software most commonly found in area offices.
1 credit hour: 1 lecture hour; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 180 Business Communications
Prerequisite: See assessment and placement guide.
Techniques of effective written communications for business. This will include psychology of communicating with customer service emphasis, focus on international communications, and accuracy and conciseness needed for in-house e-mail.
4 credit hours: 4 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BIOL 150 Medical Terminology
Prerequisite: 83 or above on COMPASS reading test or REA 098 “C” or better.
This course presents the principles of medical word construction through identification of root words, prefixes, suffices, combining forms, and methods of building medical terms. Emphasis is placed on correct medical word spelling, pronunciation, and definition, while introducing terminology specific to various body systems. The course is intended to prepare students to classify medical information for use in medical coding, billing, and reporting.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 156 Introduction to Health Insurance
Introduce students to health insurance industry; present step-by-step procedures for generating, processing, and submitting health insurance claims to commercial, private, and governmental health insurance programs.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 200 Advanced Medical Terminology
Prerequisite: BIOL 150 “C” or better.
Building a strong medical vocabulary, emphasis on extensive medical specialties anatomy, diagnostic and treatment procedures, progress of student from word recognition to usage in medical reports.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 255 Medical Manager Software
Administration of the medical office with use of “Medical Manager” practice management software. Hands-on computer experience with Medical Manager software. Students will gain knowledge and understanding of how accounts receivable, billing, collections and reporting are electronically performed.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

Course of Study Outline
First Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
BE 100 — Orientation to Work Environment (2)
BE 106 — Records Management - fall only (3)
BE 141 — Computerized Keyboarding I (3)
BIOL 150 — Medical Terminology (3)
BE 110 — Data Entry Applications - fall only (2)
BE 101 — Office Accounting/Quickbooks - fall only (3)

Second Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
BE 122 — Administrative Support Systems - spring only (3)
BE 145A & B — Information Processing I & II (2)
*BE 180 — Business Communications (4)
HIM 156 — Introduction to Health Insurance (3)
HIM 200 — Advanced Medical Terminology (3)
HIM 255 — Medical Manager Software (3)

Minimum total hours required for Certificate (34)

*Students should look at Assessment and Orientation.

Occupational Profiles

CIP Code:
SOC Code:

Cost of Attendance

Success Rates All Students Full-Time Part-Time
Completion rate at 100%
Completion rate at 150%

Job Placement Rate:

Loans

  • Median loan debt
  • Title IV loan debt
  • Private loan debt – $0
  • Institutional debt – $0