Medical Office Administration

About the Program

Program Goal: Career

GE Pattern(s): Butte Local

Program Code: 01315.01AS

The Medical Office Administration (MOA) program is a two-tiered, structured career pathway for students who are interested in providing office support in the exciting and demanding healthcare industry. The MOA career pathway is a blend of three major areas: the advancing field of health information management (HIM), the ever-emerging field of business technology, and the constantly in-demand communication and professional skills; and it is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills required of today’s medical office support personnel. The types of healthcare delivery systems in the United States today vary depending on the services being offered. These systems include outpatient healthcare (a physician’s office, a dentist’s office, and many other types of healthcare providers’ facilities) and inpatient healthcare (general medical and surgical hospitals). These systems can be complex in purpose and structure. However, all healthcare organizations demand a common set of knowledge and skills from their medical office support personnel, which includes a broad understanding of healthcare delivery systems, health information management systems and practices, proficient technology skills, and a high-level of professionalism.

To meet these demands, the MOA career pathway includes courses in healthcare delivery systems, health information management systems, human systems, medical terminology, electronic health records, healthcare law and ethics, healthcare coding systems, healthcare reimbursement methodologies, electronic health records, Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access), collaboration tools, business communication, and professional development. Career related fields for the MOA include Medical Office Receptionist, Medical Office Assistant, Front Office Representative, Medical Records Administrative Assistant, Insurance Verification Specialist, and Medical Intake Specialist. In the workplace, students can expect to perform medical office support duties including scheduling appointments; compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence; and coding health records; and billing patients. Students interested in earning an AS degree in MOA will have successfully completed the MOA Certificate and the MOA Certificate of Achievement along with general education requirements and any electives required. Taken full time, this program can be completed in two years.

Program Learning Outcome(s): Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be able to:

1. Apply knowledge of medical terminology to perform outpatient/physician diagnostic coding, and determine outpatient/procedural coding based on the abstraction of medical records.
2. Analyze and interpret medical information and apply sound decision-making skills pertaining to the appropriate ICD and CPT codes needed to maximize compensation for services rendered.
3. Apply effective listening, verbal, written, interpersonal, and technological communication skills which prepare them for the outpatient medical workplace.
4. Describe the outpatient medical workplace environment and function in that environment as a knowledgeable, skilled, and professional team member.