Medical Reception Certificate

Michelle Boller, Interim Director

The Medical Reception curriculum provides students with the skills needed to provide exceptional service to patients in a medical setting. In this role,  essential duties include scheduling appointments, screening telephone calls, obtaining and entering patient registration information, releasing appropriate medical information, maintaining medical records and managing patient flow. Medical Reception students are instructed in the financial transactions of a practice and will have a clear understanding of all the activities in the billing and collection cycle. Students are provided a broad overview of medical law and the principles of medical ethics as well as the guidelines established by HIPAA. This training also prepares students for the position of a hospital ward secretary.

Certificate of Applied Science - Medical Reception

Missoula College

Catalog Year: 2014-2015

Degree Specific Credits: 34

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: See Program Director for scope and sequence advising.
Please refer to online schedule for online course availability.


CAS Medical Reception

Rule: All courses required.

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description ACTG 100 - Essentials of Accounting
Offered autumn and spring. Introduction to basic double-entry accounting. Emphasis on analyzing, journalizing, and posting transactions; trial balance, worksheet, financial statements, and adjusting/closing procedures, cash control and completing the accounting cycle.
4 Credits
Show Description AHMS 144 - Medical Terminology
Offered every term. Introduction to a medical word building system using Greek and Latin word roots, combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes.
3 Credits
Show Description AHMS 156 - Medical Billing Fundamentals
Offered every term. Prereq. or coreq., AHMS 220 or consent of instr. An introduction to insurance claim processing for the major medical insurance programs. Students will be provided with a basic knowledge of CPT and ICD-9 procedural and diagnostic coding. Emphasis on completing universal insurance forms to maximize reimbursement as well as trouble shoot denied or underpaid claims.
3 Credits
Show Description AHMS 220 - Medical Office Procedures
Offered autumn. An introduction to the necessary skills and qualities required to function successfully in the medical arena. Emphasis on medico-legal and ethical responsibilities, records management and financial management of the medical practice, and interpersonal communications to include patient reception, telephone techniques and appointment scheduling.
4 Credits
Show Description BMGT 216 - Psych of Mgmt & Supervision
Offered autumn. Management theory, research, and the practice of management. Topics covered include leadership styles and techniques, effective communication approaches, time management, decision making, delegation, and the basic functions of supervisory skills.
4 Credits
Show Description CAPP 120 - Introduction to Computers
Offered autumn and spring. Introduction to computer terminology, hardware, and software, including wire/wireless communications and multimedia devices. Students utilize word processing, spread sheet, database, and presentation applications to create projects common to business and industry in a networked computing environment. Internet research, email usage, and keyboarding proficiency are integrated.
3 Credits
Show Description CAPP 154 - MS Word
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq., CAPP 120 or basic computer experience and consent of instr. Preparation of business forms, correspondence, mail merges, columnar projects, and reports using up-to-date software.  Business related application projects, graphics, and printer operation are included.
3 Credits
Show Description MED 155T - Medical Software Applic
Offered spring, Prereq., AHMS 156; prereq. or coreq. AHMS 220; or consent of instr. A medical package is used to enter and update patient data, enter charges, payments and adjustments, and generate management reports, insurance forms, and patient statements.
2 Credits
Show Description TASK 145 - Records Management
Offered every term. Introduction to alphabetic filing techniques and electronic database records management. Current technical developments utilizing automated records systems, biometric access control devices, electronic file organization, ergonomics, the Internet, image technology, and integrated security systems.
2 Credits
Show Description WRIT 121 - Intro to Technical Writing
Offered every term.  Course assumes a basic computer literacy.  Appropriate score on placement test or consent of instructor.  Introduction to technical writing situations with appropriate formats.  Emphasis is on writing with document design and graphic placement introduced.  Students are expected to write without major faults in grammar or usage. 
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 34 Total Credits Required

Math Requirements

Rule: Pick 1 of the 2 courses below

Note: Appropriate placement into mathematics courses required. Prerequisites may apply.

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description M 105 - Contemporary Mathematics
Offered every term. Prereq., M 090 with a grade of B- or better, or M 095, or ALEKS placement >= 3. An introduction to mathematical ideas and their impact on society. Intended for students wishing to satisfy the general education mathematics requirement.
3 Credits
Show Description M 115 - Probability and Linear Math
Offered every term. Prereq., M 090 with a grade of B- or better, or M 095, or ALEKS placement >= 3. Systems of linear equations and matrix algebra. Introduction to probability with emphasis on models and probabilistic reasoning. Examples of applications of the material in many fields.
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 3 Total Credits Required