| A | B |
|---|
| Medical Office Assistant | an individual who assumes administrative, communication, and/or clinical responsibilities in a health-care setting |
| Allied Health Care | any duty or profession that supports primary health-care professionals, such as physicians, in delivering health-care services |
| Administrative skills | Reception, Recording, Financial, Communication, Computer Literacy and Keyboarding |
| Reception | greeting patients, obtaining information |
| Recording | entering patient info into a computer, constructing charts, filing |
| Financial | Billing, bookkeeping, payroll, insurance forms |
| Communication | typing correspondence, answering telephones, scheduling appointments and referrals |
| Clinical skills | preparation, specimen handling, assisting with exam |
| Role of the office manager | policy and procedure manuals, orientation and training, maintaining staff harmony, improving efficiency, supervising purchase and care of equipment, recruitment and management of staff |
| professionalism | Conduct appropriate to a given profession or exhibiting a courteous, conscientious and generally businesslike manner in the workplace |
| characteristics of professionalism | appearance, manner, analytical thinking, good judgement, responsibility, calm demeanour, flexibility, initiative, tolerance, empathy, ethical attitude |
| Professional appearance | neat, clean, discreet make-up, no fragrance, subtle jewellery, clean shoes |
| Professional manner | treating patients with kindness, recognizing professional boundaries, positive, honest, trustworthy, warm and attentive, prompt action, promise-keeping |
| analytical thinking | prioritizing and multitasking, making decisions using professional knowledge, solving problems, responding to emergencies |
| Good judgement | making decisions based on careful review of the issue and potential risks and benefits |
| triage | prioritizing problems (patient needs) based on their severity or need |
| approachable manner | speak pleasantly, show empathy and caring, use diplomacy, maintain calm |
| responsibility | be accountable for actions, know your limitations, fulfill all duties |
| flexibility | adapting to changes quickly and easily in unpredictable environments |
| calm demeanour | staying calm in the midst of challenges, not being easily flustered |
| Initiative | ability to assess what needs to be done and to do it without the need for guidance |
| Tolerance | allowing for other people's beliefs, opinions and ways of doing things; accepting people whether or not you agree with their lifestyle, decisions or beliefs |
| Empathy | being able to understand another's thoughts and feelings so patients feel understood and accepted |
| Ethical Attitude | demonstrating respect for the obligations of the health-care industry; respecting patient rights, practicing confidentiality |
| Barriers to Professionalism | personal problems, rumors and gossip, personal business, office politics, procrastination |
| Burnout | exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation, usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration |
| Ethics | Standards accepted by society of what is right and wrong with respect to human behaviour |
| Hippocratic Oath | Ceremonial oath (400 BC) administered to many medical students - only a guideline for ethical behaviour (not legally binding) |
| Values | The principles, standards or qualities that an individual holds dear and that guide their decisions and behaviour or conduct |
| Morals | What an individual believes to be right and wrong pertaining to how to act, treat others and get along in society |
| Duties | an obligation that a person has or perceives themself to have |
| Rights | claims that a person or group makes on society, a group, or an individual |
| character traits | a disposition to act in a certain way |
| Autonomy | The patient has a right to be fully informed about all things involving his/her care and or body, and to make his or her own decisions about care based on accurate information |
| Veracity | Honesty and truthfulness |
| Beneficence | Maintaining or promoting well-being; working in the patient’s best interest |
| Justice | fair distribution of benefits and burdens among individuals or groups in society |
| Fidelity (faithfulness) | carrying out obligations, keeping promises |
| Ethical Distress | a certain course of action is indicated, but there is a barrier preventing the action |
| Ethical Dilemma | two or more choices that are legally acceptable and correct, but doing one precludes the other |
| Dilemmas of Justice | issues of fair distribution of benefits to those who are entitled to them |
| Locus of authority issues | two or more authority figures with differing opinions, but only one can prevail |
| 5-step Process for Ethical Decision Making | Identify, Gather info, Determine approach, Make decision, Take action |
