Optional Project for Medical Assisting

Purpose To demonstrate proficiency in using the Internet to search for quality resources to apply to specific information problems related to medical assisting.

To complete this project, you can use computers in the Computer Technology Center (Building 1400). Call first to check for hours -- 477.5286. Lab computers have Word, Excel, and offer access to the Internet.

If you are totally unfamiliar with the basics of using the Internet, you might want to explore resources offered on the Internet and Library Instruction page. Librarians in the Library can also offer assistance to the uninitiated.

Two ways to do this project.

1) You can print out this project and fill in your responses in ink. If taking this option, put your name here:

name______________________ date_______________

OR

2) If you are working at a computer that has simultaneous access to the Internet and to word processing, you can open a word processing document, put your name at the top and date it, and type Optional Project for Medical Assisting. Label each Activity as you type up your responses.

Activity 1

You work in a busy medical office in this area. In order to know "the latest" about your profession, you want to get acquainted with the Web page for the American Association of Medical Assistants.

YOUR SOLUTION
1.Go to the Cabrillo College Library homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator -- Internet address) is http://libwww.cabrillo.edu 
Don't know how to do this? To open a new URL, highlight the current URL at the top of your screen (where it says Go To, or Net Address, or Location) and type in the new URL. If you are at one of the Information Workstations in the library, click on HOME towards the top of the screen to get to the Library homepage.
2.Click on Internet Links
 3.Click on Medical Assistant
4.Scroll down to Specific Aspects, then Medical Assisting & Transcription and click on American Association of Medical Assistants

Spend some time getting acquainted with this site. What does it offer?

__________________________________________________________

 

Activity 2

Someone at work has mentioned that they belong to CMAA, a medical assistants association in California. You'd like to know about the group. Maybe there's a chapter somewhere in this area?

YOUR SOLUTION
To find the Web site for the association, you'll want to use Internet search engines. Here's what you do:
1.Go to the Cabrillo College Library homepage.
2.Click on Search the Internet
3. Select Google.
4. Type in keywords. Quotation marks keep words in phrases together. Example

CMAA "medical assistants"

What's the URL for the CMAA Web site? ____________________________

Who is the regional representative for this area? If yes, who is it?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Activity 3

People at work are talking about getting scheduling software (or, if you work at a medical office that already has scheduling software, imagine that they are going to upgrade or get a new system). What Web resources can you find about scheduling software? Which products look especially good to you?

YOUR SOLUTION
To find good Web sites, you'll again want to use Internet search engines. Here's what you do:
1.Go to the Cabrillo College Library homepage.
2.Click on Search the Internet
3. Select Google.
4. Type in keywords. Quotation marks keep words in phrases together. Example:

"scheduling software" "medical office"

Note down information about some systems and Web sites that look good to you.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Activity 4

Patients are complaining that when they call your medical office, they get put on hold -- and stay on hold "forever!" You volunteer to find a published discussion (article) about handling phone calls in the medical office.

YOUR SOLUTION

1. From the Cabrillo College Library homepage, select Fulltext Articles [If you are accessing these resources for off-campus, your library card number is your user ID.]

2. Click on Health Reference Center, then on Proceed. This database is devoted to articles supplying information to all levels of professionals working in the medical professions.

3. Once you are connected to the database, search for your article using keywords such as "medical office" "phone calls."

Title of the article:______________________________________

Print out at least one page of the article and attach it.

Turn in your project (these pages printed out, with your responses and fulltext article attached, or your word processed document with fulltext article attached) to your CWEE Instructor and a copy to Leslie Read according to the time line specified in your learning objectives.

 

If you have questions or need additional information, contact Leslie Read, the CWEE Coordinator or the CWEE Office in 2100B, lower campus. Office hours are Mon. through Thurs. 1 - 4 pm. The office phone is 831.477.5650.