Safety Tutorial for Office Work-- Medical Billing and Coding— By Maria Colella New Utrecht High School

Training Tasks for Office Work as a Medical Billing and Coding. Perform day-to-day office tasks such as maintaining files and processing paperwork Lean and apply knowledge of insurance rules and regulations Post charges, payments and adjustments to patient accounts and office accounts receivable records Assist in preparing claims generated by the practice Review denied claims with a CBCS for the purpose of identifying errors Assist with the timely updating of the practice’s internal documents, patient registration forms and billing as required by the insurance billing company Use good communication skills in order to work effectively and efficiently with the office staff Assist patients in filling out insurance forms Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained

Workplace Safety Pre-Test 1. Accidents on the job can only happen if you leave your work area. TrueFalse 2. Working with a computer can cause stress and eye-strain TrueFalse 3. Working with patients is always enjoyable. TrueFalse 4. It is the responsibility of the worker to report any hazardous condition in the workplace False True 5. Proper ventilation is a must when you work with fluids, chemicals and electronic equipment False True

Answers to Pre-Test False True False True

Personal Grooming Clothes Wear appropriate attire to work (no jeans, sloppy clothes, shorts, sandals, etc.) Hair Always neat and clean, not a disheveled look Shoes Comfortable, clean

Safety Equipment Fire alarms and extinguishers First Aid Kit Ergonomic office furniture (desk, chair, keyboard)

Tools Computer Fax Machine Copier Paper Cutter Electric stapler

Equipment/Machinery Computer workstation Keyboard Monitor Fax Printer Telephone Pen/paper

Electrical Safety Make sure all cords are not in walkways Do not overload plugs or power strips Always plug into a surge protected outlet Do not remove the back of any electrical equipment or try to repair on your own Report any problems at once Do not have liquids near PC’s or nay other electrical equipment Compute workstation, components and accessories are maintained in serviceable condition and functioning properly

Floor, Doors, Exits the floor you are on location of staircases location of exists location of fire alarm boxes and how to operate them where the fire extinguishers are and how to operate them aisles, exists and doorways clear at all times floors clear of spills KNOW KEEP

Chemical Hazards Powders Dusts Gases Vapors Liquids Know the chemical hazards and the workplace and follow safety procedures for handling them Make sure there is proper ventilation when using glues, paints, adhesives and other chemicals Make sure rooms with copiers and other equipment are ventilated

Ergonomic Hazards— Looking at a monitor for too long can cause Eye Strain To avoid eye-strain Position the monitor so that the top of the screen is at or below eye level Position yourself to be able to look at your reference material without having to squint Arrange lighting so that it does not cause a glare on your screen Take frequent breaks to rest your eyes Blink often to keep your eyes from drying out

Ergonomic Hazards—(Continued) Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion of your wrists and affects your tendons and nerves To avoid Carpal Tunnel syndrome Perform stretch exercises Stretch your fingers Do wrists circles and circles Take frequent breaks Use correct posture and wrist position when keyboarding

Infectious Diseases Cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough Throw away used tissues Wash your hands often Do not chew on pens or tools Avoid rusty nails, needles, splinters Keep work area clean Blood borne disease— Avoid exposure to items contaminated with human blood or body fluids

Fire Ensure that you are familiar with the location and operation of the extinguishers in your facility Carefully review the instructions of the fire extinguishers so that you can react quickly in case of a fire emergency Know evacuation procedure in case of fire Know how to immediately report a fire

Robbery/Bomb Scare In case of robbery Do not resist a robbery attempt. Give up what they are asking for and trigger a silent alarm (if available and within reach) In case of a bomb scare Remain calm and in a orderly fashion evacuate the office Locate your fellow employees outside Have a designated meeting are Report to the fire department or police if you think someone may still be inside Do not go back until you are told to do so

Angry/threatening patients/customer Smile even if you are on the phone Close your eyes and take a deep breath Stay calm Offer assistance Offer options/solutions Refer patient/customer to supervisor

HOW and to WHOM DO YOU REPORT AN INJURY Emergency numbers should be visible, use them to reach any authority Contact your immediate supervisor Complete an accident report Follow instructions in the company’s employee handbook if available for reporting an injury Keep a copy of all forms Contact WBL coordinator Contact parents

Workplace Safety Post-Test 1. It’s acceptable to wear jeans at work if that makes you more comfortable in doing your job.TrueFalse 2. You should not worry about the location of the fire extinguisher because it is your supervisor’s responsibility to locate it and operate it. TrueFalse 3. No liquids, whether bottles are closed or not, are allowed next to a PC or any other electrical equipmentTrueFalse 4. Make sure there is proper ventilation whenever using glues, paints and other chemicals.TrueFalse 5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by seating long hours at a computer desk which puts strain on your back.TrueFalse

Post-Test (Continued) 6. It’s fine to leave a copier on all night because the next day you won’t have to wait until it warms up.TrueFalse 7. You must familiarize yourself with company’s procedure on reporting and evacuation in case of fire.TrueFalse 8. In case of robbery, show loyalty to the company by resisting demands until the police comes.TrueFalse 9. When patients get out of hand, keep smiling and offer assistance in solving a problem. TrueFalse 10. In case of an injury on the job, let employer know about it immediately and, when you go back to school the next day, tell the story to your coordinatorTrueFalse

Answers to Post-Test 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. True 10. False

Safety Web Resources ctSheet.pdf ctSheet.pdf