Medical Office Specialist AAS Degree

Program Information

The Anoka Technical College Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Medical Office Specialist is a 60-credit online program that consists of administrative support and medical courses to provide graduates with strong knowledge of administrative support skills with a specialty area in medical administrative support knowledge. This program prepares students with the broad range of technical and communications skills needed for success in today’s medical office environment with specific study in medical terminology, electronic health records software, and medical office procedures. The coursework includes practice management software to include setting patients’ appointments, maintaining physicians’ calendars, billing, and messaging, as well as specific interpersonal communications skills necessary in a medical setting. Students will gain competence in word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software. Keyboarding speed and accuracy is developed while grammar, punctuation and writing skills are polished. Students study bookkeeping theory and learn general ledger software in order to prepare them for general bookkeeping or accounts receivable or accounts payable positions. Graduates are well prepared for employment in any medical office environment.

Your goal as a medical office specialist is to provide excellent customer service to patients. Medical office specialists help to keep patient and department schedules running smoothly. Job duties may include greeting and checking in patients, collecting insurance information, retrieving medical records, filing patient forms, answering phones, and scheduling appointments, verifying insurance coverage, collecting co-pays, recording payments and scheduling any necessary follow-up appointments.

The AAS degree includes 15 Minnesota Transfer Curriculum general education credits which further enhances the educational experience and may better prepare students for advancement in jobs with employers that prefer or require a degree. The completion of a degree shows commitment and dedication and can be advantageous for students seeking jobs beyond entry level.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Define and recognize business etiquette and professionalism in the workplace and exhibit these skills in class interactions and communications such as e-mail and the discussion board.
2. Show basic keyboarding competency.
3. Utilize software applications necessary for business office operations including file management, e-mail, calendaring, search engines, word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software.
4. Use medical practice management software (scheduling, billing, and insurance) to enter front office, clinical care, and coding information, as well as claim forms, financial policies, and collections.
5. Define legal and ethical standards and principles of patient confidentiality within the healthcare community and as defined by federal, state, and local guidelines and regulations and recognize what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is and the consequences for non-compliance with the law.
6. Understand the history and standards of electronic health records and utilize electronic health records software.
7. Identify and define prefixes, roots, and suffixes to develop a vocabulary of medical terms and abbreviations. Identify major body structure and functions that reinforces knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology.
8. Employ intermediate to advanced Microsoft Word skills to create and edit flyers, letters, and reports using templates, mail merge, and building blocks.
9. Employ intermediate to advanced PowerPoint skills to create business presentations that demonstrate appropriate design techniques.
10. Employ intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills to use formulas and functions to create and edit worksheets, workbooks, charts and graphics, lookup tables, pivot tables, and charts as used in business scenarios.
11. Employ intermediate to advanced Microsoft Access skills to practice how to plan, design, create, and query a database, generate reports, and produce input user forms while recognizing correct database design concepts.
12. Apply accounting principles as they pertain to business office bookkeeping scenarios. Complete an accounting simulation by applying bookkeeping functions using QuickBooks.
13. Practice methods to integrate Office 365 software to achieve efficiency in office operations.
14. Recognize and use correct mechanics, grammar, punctuation, and usage appropriate for professional business communications.
15. Express thoughts clearly, concisely, and appropriately in verbal and written format by consistently using correct formatting and message approach (direct, indirect).
16. Demonstrate proficiency in keyboarding speed and accuracy and knowledge of correct document formatting.
17. Demonstrate knowledge of roles and functions of various professionals; collaborate and problem-solve as part of the office team.

Industry and Career Outlook

The work of a Medical Office Specialist supports the efficient functioning of any medical-related office position. The medical office professional applies the knowledge of customer-service techniques, medical terminology, health insurance rules, and medical billing procedures to perform a wide variety of functions. Job responsibilities may include greeting patients and screening calls, scheduling patient appointments and arranging referrals, billing patients and third-party payers, processing insurance forms, controlling accounts receivables, transcribing dictation, preparing medical reports, patient histories, operative notes, manuscripts, and correspondence, maintaining office files and patient records, making calls for physicians and other health care personnel, arranging hospital admissions, scheduling surgeries, and arranging physicians’ meetings and conferences.

Potential locations for employment include medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, private physician practices, public health clinics, rehab centers, medical laboratories, medical supplies and equipment businesses, and pharmaceutical companies.

Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Program Start Dates

Fall Semester: August
Spring Semester: January

Graduation Requirements

Students must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher to be eligible for graduation from this program.

Faculty Contact

Darla Cullen: 763-576-4018
Deb Catlett: 763-576-4025

For information on how to apply, to schedule a tour, or for service during summer hours, contact Enrollment Services at 763-576-7710 or EnrollmentServices@anokatech.edu