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nha module 16: Communication and Customer ServiceTo be a successful member of a team, which of the following actions should a medical assistant take? demonstrate willingness to perform extra duties A patient in the waiting room approaches a medical assistant and states, "I've been waiting 30 minutes to see my doctor. Can't you do something?" Which of the following responses by the assistant is an example of active listening? You sound frustrated about how long you've been waiting. A medical assistant is preparing a business correspondence. Which of the following is a characteristic of the modified block letter style? The complimentary closing is centered on the page A medical assistant is checking in a patient who is hearing impaired. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? Stand within the patient's field of vision. A medical assistant is providing discharge instructions for a patient who is visually impaired. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? Notify the patient when entering the room. In which of the following locations should the inside address appear in a business letter? Between the dateline and the salutation
A medical assistant is checking in a patient who does not speak the same language as the assistant. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? Ask a bilingual staff member to assist with communication. Which of the following elements is essential for successful teamwork? related short-term and long-term goals A medical assistant is engaging in conversation with a patient who was recently terminated from the practice. The patient has come to the office and is demanding an explanation. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? Acknowledge the patient's concern. A patient calls into the office to report that her medication is "not working". Which of the following responses should the medical assistant make? I will notify the provider about your situation. During the admission process, a patient explains the manifestations of his chief complaint to the medical assistant. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? Document the patient's concerns in the medical record. When communicating on the telephone with a patient, which of the following actions by a medical assistant demonstrates the use of the appropriate technique for outgoing calls? Allowing the patient to be the one to end the call A medical assistant is approached by a patient who is angry and yelling. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? A medical assistant is caring for a patient who is frustrated and states, "My doctor doesn't have any idea how to treat my condition." Which of the following responses by the assistant is an example of therapeutic communication? Are you saying that you don't think your provider knows how to help you? A medical assistant is speaking with a patient. Which of the following might occur as a barrier to communication? The old-fashioned personal business letter—written on pristine, high-quality paper, sealed in an envelope, and delivered by post or by hand—remains the single most impressive written ambassador for your company. A letter has a dignity that cannot be equaled by electronic mail. E-mail has a spontaneous, off-the-cuff quality akin to a phone call. A letter, by contrast, says that someone has planned, written, edited and typed their message. In other words, the sender has expended time—that most precious commodity—to communicate with the recipient. It's a shame, then, that so many businesspeople regard writing business letters as a chore. But it doesn't have to be that way. If you aim for accuracy, clarity, and coherence, and follow the basic rules of form and grammar, you can master the craft of writing business letters. Business Letter FormatThe format of a standard business letter includes these parts: DatelineThis consists of the month, day, and year. The month is spelled out in full, and all numbers are written as numerals (January 1, 2010, not Jan. 1 or January 1st). The date is typed two to six lines below the letterhead, usually on the right side of the page, although flush-left and centered datelines are also perfectly acceptable. Reference LineSome letters require specific reference to file, account, invoice, order, or policy numbers. These references are usually typed below the dateline, but they may also be centered on the page. When the letter runs longer than one page, the reference line is repeated on each subsequent sheet. Special NotationsWhen necessary, letters may include notation of the means of delivery ("Certified Mail" or "Registered Mail") or on-arrival instructions, such as "Personal" (to be opened and read by the addressee only) or "Confidential" (for the addressee or other authorized personnel). These lines are typed in all capital letters and placed flush left, four or five spaces below the dateline, and two lines above the inside address. On-arrival notations are also printed in capital letters on the face side of the envelope. Inside Address of the RecipientThe inside address is usually typed three to eight lines below the dateline. When a letter is addressed to an individual, the inside address includes the following:
SalutationYour salutation is your greeting. In most cases, it is a simple "Dear Mr. / Ms. / Mrs. / Dr. _____:", followed by a colon. It is the standard to salute a person in a business letter with the same name form you use in person; so use a person's first name only when you know the addressee well or have agreed to correspond on a first-name basis. If in doubt, start with a formal address and wait to be invited to use a first name. What to write when you are addressing a company rather than an identifiable person? The old-fashioned "Gentlemen" is obviously unacceptable unless the organization includes no women. "Sir and Madam" and "Ladies and Gentlemen" sound stilted. "To whom it may concern" is acceptable but rather formal and cliched. The best solution is probably to address the company ("Dear Blue Sky Investments") or department ("Dear Investor Relations") or to direct your salutation to a specific position ("Dear Human Resources Director","Dear Sales Representative"). BodyWhether your letter consists of a single paragraph or several, the chief rule here is brevity. Business letters should never go beyond one page unless absolutely necessary. The trick is to be concise and to the point, while thoroughly covering the topic. EndingWhen ending your message, stay friendly and brief. If you know the recipient, it's fine to end on a personal note: "I enjoyed seeing you at the trade show and hope your trip home was pleasant." Even if you don't know the person, your closing can be friendly and helpful: "I look forward to talking with you soon." or, "Please call me directly at 555-1212 if you need additional copies of the report." It is always polite to say thank you for a service or attention. Do not, however, thank someone for something they have not yet done: "Thank you in advance" is presumptuous. Complimentary closeA complimentary close is used on most letters, typed two lines before the last line of your message and usually positioned flush left on the page. In most business letters, you want to end on a friendly but not too familiar note. Use variations of "truly" ("Yours truly," "Yours very truly," "Very truly yours") or "sincerely" ("Most sincerely" "Very sincerely," "Sincerely yours," "Sincerely"). "Cordially" and its variations are proper closings for general business letters, especially when the writer and recipient know each other. If you are on a first-name basis with your addressee, informal closings are appropriate ("As ever," "Best wishes," "Regards," Kindest regards," "Kindest personal regards"). Closings such as "Respectfully and "Respectfully yours" indicate not only respect but also subservience; they're mostly used in diplomatic and ecclesiastical writing, not business letters. SignatureYour handwritten signature will appear below the complimentary close, followed by the typed signature. Your business title and company name may be needed, but don't repeat information that already appears in the corporate letterhead. Your name is typed just as in your handwritten signature. A courtesy title "Ms.","Mrs.", and, less commonly, "Miss,"may be added to indicate the writer's preference. Academic degrees (Ph.D., LL.D.) and professional ratings (CPA) may also be included in the typed signature. If more than one writer is signing a letter, the written and typed signature blocks can be placed either side by side or stacked vertically. Final NotationsIf your letter is typed by someone else, the typist's initials may be included two lines below the signature block. Once standard in business letters, the use of initials is now a matter of corporate style. When you are enclosing materials with your letter, the notation "Enclosure," "Enc.," or "Encl.", sometimes with an indication of the number of enclosed pieces—"Enclosures (2)"—is typed below the signature block. The notation "Separate mailing" or "Under separate cover" followed by the name of the piece or pieces ("Separate mailing: 2004 Annual Report") appears when materials are being sent separately. Courtesy copies—notated as "cc:" or "Copies to"—indicate that your letter is to be distributed to other people. The names of these recipients are listed alphabetically, and you may also include their addresses if this will be helpful to your recipient. A postscript, or P.S., can be added below the last notation and should be initialed by the letter writer. Postscripts are a common tactic in contemporary direct-mail advertising, as if the writer had one last brilliant reason for you to buy the product. With word processing, however, P.S.'s are rarely necessary and may signal to the reader that you did a poor job of organizing your thoughts if you left important information out of the body of your letter. For information on Emily Post Business Etiquette Programs contact Renee DeBell at . What location should the inside address appear in a business letter?The inside address contains the mailing information belonging to the recipient and should be justified to the left margin of the letter and placed two spaces below the date (for very short letters four spaces is acceptable).
Which of the following elements is essential for a successful teamwork?The key elements to successful teamwork are trust, communication and effective leadership; a focus on common goals with a collective responsibility for success (or failure). However, without trust and communication the team will have difficulty functioning effectively.
Which of the following methods of filing paper medical records involves placing newer reports on top of older reports?Which of the following methods of filing paper medical records involves placing newer reports on top of older reports? Shingling is a method of filling in which a new report is laid on top of an older report, resembling the shingles on a roof.
How do you provide culturally competent care which of the following actions should a medical assistant take first when encountering patients?To provide culturally competent care, which of the following actions should a ma take first when encountering patients? Examine personal religious and cultural values and beliefs to identify any bias.
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