Medical Administrative Assistant
Prepare for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) Exam
Pursue your interests in the healthcare industry with a Medical Administrative Assistant preparation course from Trident University International!1 Medical administrative assistants play a vital role in any healthcare team, directing the flow of patients through the medical office and performing essential organizational tasks.
Medical administrative assistants typically work in a healthcare office setting to:
- Schedule patient appointments
- Manage patient check-in and check-out
- Answer and direct phone calls
- Maintain electronic and paper records
- Perform daily financial practices
- Assign medical codes to patient records
- Process insurance claims
- Other medical office related duties
Advance your education by preparing for industry certification exams. This course is designed to help students prepare for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) national certification exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Connect with an Education Specialist to get started!
6 Months / 160 Course Hours
Self-Paced $1,089
6 Months / 160 Course Hours
Self-Paced $1,089
Why Prepare
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About Certification
National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is a respected healthcare certification provider that aims to empower people to access a better future. The organization develops nationally-recognized certifications that demonstrate both a proven level of knowledge and a relentless desire for real-world application. NHA looks to increase the knowledge, skills and competency of healthcare professionals to enable improved patient care and better efficiency in the healthcare industry. Learn more at https://www.nhanow.com.
Course Overview
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Details & Objectives
Course Code: PCE MDAA
- Study skills utilized by medical administrative assistants
- Multitasking as it relates to scheduling appointments, processing insurance requests, maintaining records and corresponding with patients
- Best financial practices for a medical center
- Fundamentals of medical terminology and ethical best practices
- Understand the basics of working with medical documents, medical billing, and coding processes
- Self-paced, online course
- 6 months to complete
- Open enrollment, begin anytime
- 160 course hours
- This course does not award credit
- Explore how to effectively communicate with prospective patients and fellow professionals in the medical industry
- Understand how to create positive, efficient experiences for patients to make them more comfortable
- Exam voucher included
Outline
Details
- Becoming an Administrative Medical Assistant
- Qualities of a Medical Assistant
- Job Duties
- Certification
- Scope of Practice
- Ambulatory Healthcare Settings
- The Healthcare Team
- Managing Stress and Improving Communication
- Stress and Burnout
- Types of Communication
- Barriers to Effective Communication
- Patient Interview Techniques
- The Stages of Grief
- Law, Ethics and Healthcare
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Informed Consent
- Advance Directives
- Ethical Guidelines for Healthcare Providers
- Medical Identify Theft
- Improving Your Medical Office
- The Reception Area
- The Medical Receptionist
- Safety Issues
- Opening and Closing the Facility
- Computers in the Ambulatory Care Setting
- Use of Computers in the Medical Office
- Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- Safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI)
- Cloud Computing
- Mobile Health (mHealth)
- Telecommunications and Patient Scheduling
- Telephone Techniques
- Faxing
- Emails
- Patient Portal
- Patient Scheduling Methods
- Cancellations and No Shows
- Dealing with Irate Patients
- MIDTERM
- Medical Terminology: Word Parts, Plurals, Abbreviations
- Importance of Medical Terminology
- Understanding Word Parts: Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes
- Abbreviations and Acronyms in Medical Records
- Plural Endings
- Managing Medical Records
- Purposes of Medical Records
- Electronic, Paper and Hybrid Medical Records
- Categories of Medical Records
- Flow Sheets
- SOAP Notes
- Filing Paper Records
- Release of Information (ROI)
- Personal Health Record (PHR)
- Written Communication
- Components of a Business Letter
- Proofreading
- Meeting Agendas
- Business Emails
- Working with Medical Documents
- Purposes of Medical Records
- Types of Medical Record
- Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Scribe
- Electronic Signatures
- Medical Billing and Coding: An Overview
- Health Insurance Terms
- Private and Government-Sponsored Insurers
- Code Sets: ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT, HCPCS Level II
- CMS-1500 and UB-04
- Electronic Claims
- Pre-authorizations
- Medical Necessity
- Explanation of Benefits (EOBs)
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
- Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN)
- Daily Financial Practices
- Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
- Provider Fees
- Improving Patient Payments
- Claims Denial Strategies
- Practice Management Software
- Managing Patient Accounts
- Petty Cash
- The Administrative Medical Assistant as Office Manager
- Qualities of an Office Manager
- Job Duties
- Policy & Procedure Manual
- Staff Meetings
- Physician Credentialing
- Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
- Practice Websites
- FINAL
Requirements
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, in order to sit for national certification exams, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent; therefore, it is recommended you have this before enrolling for this course.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 8 or later.
- Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Microsoft Word (not included in enrollment).
- Windows Media Player or a similar program.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download the Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Materials
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:
- Administrative Medical Assisting
FAQs
Can I register for a course if I am an international student?
Yes, certification preparation courses are completely online. However, keep in mind that not all certifying bodies or industry-specific certifications are recognized internationally. Please review your country's regulations prior to enrolling in courses that prepare for certification.
Will this course prepare me for a certification?
This course is designed to help you prepare to sit for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). You will receive a voucher for the exam after successfully completing the course and your financial obligation. Although the topics and skills covered in the course are designed to help you prepare to sit for the exam, it does not guarantee a passing score. Trident cannot guarantee that students who complete this course will be eligible to take third party certification examinations. Certification requirements for taking and passing these exams are controlled by outside entities and are subject to change without notice to Trident.
When can I start the course?
This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.
How long does it take to complete this course?
This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive six (6) months to complete the course.
What if I don't have enough time to complete my course within the time frame provided?
The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact your Student Advisor to help you work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.
What kind of support will I receive?
You may be assigned with an instructor or team of industry professionals for support. Your support will be available (via email) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our instructors are working professionals in the fields in which they teach. You will be assigned to a Student Advisor for academic support.
What happens when I complete the course?
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion. In addition, NHA Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam vouchers are provided to you in the format of a digital registration process to enroll for the exam after successful completion of the course and financial obligation.
Am I guaranteed a job or career advancement?
No. This course is designed to provide you with skills utilized in entry-level positions in most cases. However, potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.
Can I get financial assistance?
This course is non-credit bearing, so it does not qualify for federal financial aid, (Pell Grant and Direct Stafford Loans). In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take these courses.
How can I get more information about this course?
If you have questions or would like more information about the Medical Administrative Assistant prep course, please fill out the contact form on this page. You can also call 866-860-2633to speak with an Education Specialist.
What is a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant?
A Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) is a certification earned by those who have proven their expertise in efficiently and effectively running healthcare offices. This nationally recognized designation is something that employers may be searching for. Upon earning this certification, individuals are able to confidently handle correspondence, answer calls, schedule appointments, operate computer systems, maintain files, update and maintain patient information, and create operation reports for any medical practice, which are examples of essential duties for medical administrative assistants.
What is the demand for medical administrative assistants?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.2 This job growth will result mainly from an increasing elderly population as well as advances in healthcare and medical office technology.
What does a medical administrative assistant do?
A medical administrative assistant manages all the front desk activities for a hospital, doctor's office, or other medical facility. This is an integral role in healthcare as it allows doctors and other medical staff to focus on caring for patients. This role requires excellent customer service skills as medical administrative assistants are often the first person that patients connect with at a medical facility. Ability to multitask, deal with stress well, use computer systems, handle money, and communicate clearly and concisely are important skills sets for this role. This course will cover all of these things and more!
What is the difference between a medical administrative assistant and a medical assistant?
The difference between a medical administrative assistant and a medical assistant is that while both positions can and do perform clerical tasks, a medical assistant also has the ability to perform some clinical tasks such as helping with examinations, giving injections, and preparing specimens for lab tests.
Where do Certified Medical Administrative Assistants work?
Certified Medical Administrative Assistants (CMAAs) are found in nearly every medical office in the country. CMAAs may work for clinics, private physician offices, hospitals, surgery centers, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, and more.2
How do I take the CMAA exam?
After you successfully complete the Medical Administrative Assistant course at Trident and satisfy the exam requirements, the Certified Medical Administrative Assistants (CMAA) exam can be taken at a PSI testing center near you or through live remote proctoring at the location of your choice. You can learn more from your Student Advisor.
What are the system requirements for the online certification exam proctoring?
System requirements for NHA certification exam proctoring are:
- Operating system supported: Windows 7 and later; 32bit (x86) and 64bit (x64); Mac OS X and later.
- Browsers supported: PSI Secure Lock-Down Browser
- Browser settings: The browser must accept third-party cookies for the duration of the exam ONLY
- Webcam/microphone: Minimum VGA 640 x 480 resolution, enabled built-in or external microphone
- Bandwidth: Minimum 400 kb/s download and upload Hardware requirements: 2GB RAM Memory; 1 GB Free Disk Space, minimum 1368x768 screen resolution
You can check the compatibility of your device at: https://home.psiexams.com/static/#/bcheck.
About the Certifier
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1Trident cannot guarantee that graduates of this program will be eligible to take third-party certification examinations. Certification requirements for taking and passing these exams are controlled by outside entities and are subject to change without notice to Trident.
2Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Assistants, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm (visited March 09, 2021). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.