CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018 1 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT Published Bi-Monthly by the California Medical Assistants Association, Inc. for Medical Office Professionals C M A A U N I T Y I S S T R E N G T H K N O W L E D G E I S P O W E R ● MARCH/APRIL 2018 ________________________ CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 5694 Petaluma, CA 94954-5694 Toll Free 1.888.464.2622 Fax 208.730.3763 www.cmaa-ca.org Email address: [email protected]Hello CMAA Members! My name is Byron Clinton and I was recently installed as the new CMAA statewide President. I first started serving at a state level in 2013 as Secretary/Treasurer, then as Vice President from 2016 through 2017 and now as President. I am really excited to announce that we already have two (2) education days planned for 2018, with the hopes of getting more education days for this year. We understand that it can be hard for people to travel these days; so with that in mind, the Executive Com- mittee is trying to offer education days throughout the state. This will enable everyone a better chance to get their CEU’s. The first Education Day that we are working on is slated for April 21, 2018 at Empire College in Santa Rosa. As the date gets closer, we will announce the speakers. We are also working on plans for another education day in Southern California on September 8, 2018; we will notify you on that education day as soon as more details become available. We look to our members to provide feedback on not only the types of speakers that you would like to hear from, but also the frequency and locations of future education days. With that in mind, please feel free to contact us with any suggestions via email at [email protected]. Byron Clinton, CCMA-C — PRESIDENT — CMAA, INC. NEW PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE NEW PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE - WHAT’S-INSIDE n NEW PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ......... 1 n CMAA MEETING SPACE NEEDED.... 2 n EDUCATION DAY: Saturday, April 21st Registration Form ................................ 3 Upcoming Meeting Details ............... 4 n CERTIFYING BOARD UPDATE: Newly Certified CMAs .................... 5-7 n CONTINUING EDUCATION: Common Blood Tests in the Physician’s Office .......................... 8-10 Self-Assessment Test....................... 11 n CME PERSONAL CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION FORM .............. 12 Putting Education in Forefront SATURDAY April 21, 2018 Santa Rosa, California UPCOMING EDUCATION MEETING (see page 4 for more details) BYRON CLINTON, CCMA-C Registration Form Enclosed Register today!
Transcript
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018 1
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANTPublished Bi-Monthly by the California Medical Assistants Association, Inc. for Medical Office Professionals
CM
AA
UNITY IS STRENG
TH
KNOWLEDGE
ISPO
WER
�
MARCH/APRIL2018
________________________CALIFORNIA
MEDICAL ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION, INC.
P.O. Box 5694Petaluma, CA 94954-5694Toll Free 1.888.464.2622
My name is Byron Clinton and I was recently installed as the new CMAA statewide President. I first started serving at a state level in 2013 as Secretary/Treasurer, then as Vice President from 2016 through 2017 and now as President.
I am really excited to announce that we already have two (2) education days planned for 2018, with the hopes of getting more education days for this year.
We understand that it can be hard for people to travel these days; so with that in mind, the Executive Com-mittee is trying to offer education days throughout the state. This will enable everyone a better chance to get their CEU’s.
The first Education Day that we are working on is slated for April 21, 2018 at Empire College in Santa Rosa. As the date gets closer, we will announce the speakers.
We are also working on plans for another education day in Southern California on September 8, 2018; we will notify you on that education day as soon as more details become available.
We look to our members to provide feedback on not only the types of speakers that you would like to hear from, but also the frequency and locations of future education days. With that in mind, please feel free to contact us with any suggestions via email at [email protected].
Byron Clinton, CCMA-C — PRESIDENT — CMAA, INC.
New PresideNts’ MessageNew PresideNts’ Message
WHAT’SINSIDE n NEW PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ......... 1
n CMAA MEETING SPACE NEEDED .... 2
n EDUCATION DAY: Saturday, April 21st Registration Form ................................ 3 Upcoming Meeting Details ............... 4
n CERTIFYING BOARD UPDATE: Newly Certified CMAs .................... 5-7
n CONTINUING EDUCATION: Common Blood Tests in the Physician’s Office .......................... 8-10 Self-Assessment Test....................... 11
n CME PERSONAL CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION FORM .............. 12
Material contained herein may NOT be used without the permission of the
California Medical Assistants Association, Inc.
ALL ITEMS FOR PUBLICATIONSHOULD BE SENT
DIRECTLY TO THE EDITOR.
MISSION STATEMENT
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION, INC.
The purpose of the California Medical Assistants Association, Incorporated, is to promote the professional and educational growth of medical assistants.
CM
AA
UNITY IS STRENG
TH
KNOWLEDGE
ISPO
WER
�
California Medical Assistant
— NEXT ISSUE —
MAY/JUNE 2018
To submit items to be published in this newsletter, please email:
PLEASE JOIN US AT EMPIRE COLLEGE ON APRIL 21, 2018 Located at 3035 CLEVELAND AVENUE • SANTA ROSA, CA
H This will be a one day event.
H A CMAA business meeting will follow directly after meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the CMAA bylaws. There will be more information and registration to be published in next publication.
H Stay tuned...there is also another Education Day scheduled for September 8, 2018 at Saddle Back College located in Mission Viejo, CA.
Empire College is located in Santa Rosa,
California, which is just one hour north
of the San Francisco Bay Area in the
heart of the beautiful wine-growing
region of Sonoma County.
https://empcol.edu/
EDUCATION DAY
EMPIRE COLLEGE • 3035 CLEVELAND AVENUE, SANTA ROSA, CA 95403
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018 5
NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN
• RECERT ++ADDING 2ND SPECIALTY
C E R T I F Y I N G B O A R D U P D A T ECongratulations to the newly California Certified Medical Assistants
Certification Codes: A = Administrative C = Clinical AC = Administrative and Clinical
NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME STATUS HOMETOWN
ABULUYAN, OFELIA • C SAN JOSE
ALATA, CAROL JANET • C CLAYTON
ALEMAN, KAREN J • AC PITTSBURGH
ALTAMURA, HEATHER MEGAN C MOUNTAIN VIEW
ANDREWS-WRIGHT, CHANDRA • A SAN PABLO
ARENDS, CARLEY M C RIPON
ARREDONDO MONTES, ELIZABETH • C STOCKTON
BANDA, RAQUEL C STOCKTON
BARINGOLTS, ALISA V. • C BENICIA
BARRIENTOS, KRYSTLE C SACRAMENTO
BARRON, SARAH EMILY AC YORBA LINDA
BERNARD, KRISTINA LYNN • AC SANTA ROSA
BOOTH, CHRISTINE A BAKERSFIELD
BOSS, AUDREY M C SACRAMENTO
BRIZUELA, FRANCISCO DANIEL ++ AC SANTA ANA
CAMOLINGA LEDEZMA, VIOLETA CRISTAL C SAN JOSE
CANCHOLA, KARLA G. • C LA QUINTA
CANO, ANGEL PAUL C LANCASTER
CARDENAS LANDEROS, YANATL C BAKERSFIELD
CARLOCK, KAREN J. • C VALLEJO
CARMEN, HEIDI • C SO. SAN FRANCISCO
CASH, DESTINY C LOCKEFORD
CASTREJON-GAUCIN, MAYRA ALEJANDRA C TRACY
CERVANTEZ-SCOTT, VICTORIA • C ALAMEDA
CHAPMAN, JAIME A CITRUS HEIGHTS
CHAVEZ, RUTH AC BELLFLOWER
CONEJO del AGUILA, LAURA • AC BELL
CONTRERAS, ANGELICA • AC MODESTO
COVARRUBIAS, NATALIE C NAPA
CRANER, CYNTHIA LEE AC ELK GROVE
CRESS, ARIEL C SANTA ROSA
CRUZ RICO, ITZUMY DINEY C SAN JOSE
DAVALOS, LINDA • AC PICO RIVERA
DE LEON, KAREN GAYLE YUMUL AC DALY CITY
DEVLIN, SAMANTHA D. • AC GRASS VALLEY
DIAL, HANNAH ELIZABETH AC OJAI
DURBIN, SUSANA MARISA C. AC CHULA VISTA
DUYANEN, CAROLINE • AC AMERICAN CANYON
ELLIOTT, LEONA MARIE • AC REDDING
ESPINOSA, YOLANDA A CAMARILLO
FAVELA SAYAGO, ALONDRA C CLOVERDALE
FLANAGAN, JEFFERY DAVID AC WILLOWS
FLORES, BRENNA BLANCHE C SCOTTS VALLEY
FOLDEN, TANIA • C RANCHO CUCAMONGA
GABRIEL, MARISSA C DIXON
GONZALEZ, NANCY L. • AC SANTA ROSA
GONZALEZ, BERTHA • C NEWARK
GONZALEZ, EMILY C ANAHEIM
GORDON, COURTNEY N. C TRACY
GOUIG, SUSAN • AC HEALDSBURG
GRANILLO, MONIQUE AC WATSONVILLE
GUNTER, CHRISTANIE A SHASTA LAKE
GUTIERREZ, VERENISE • C GEYSERVILLE
GUTIERREZ, MONICA AC WOODLAND
GUZMAN BANDERAS, CINDY AC SANTA ROSA
HAMILTON, DEBRA SUE • AC AUBURN
HANSEN, SHEILA C CATHEDRAL CITY
HAYES, DENA M. AC CHICO
HELEWA, DOMINIQUE AC VALLEJO
HERNANDEZ, ROSA AC SACRAMENTO
HERNANDEZ, MARIELENA AC OAKLEY
HERNANDEZ GARCIA, SUSANA AC BAKERSFIELD
HERRERA GARIBAY, MARIA DELIA C MORGAN HILLcontinued on page 6
6 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018
C E R T I F Y I N G B O A R D U P D A T E
NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN
• RECERT ++ADDING 2ND SPECIALTY
NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN
– continued from page 5 –
Certification Codes: A = Administrative C = Clinical AC = Administrative and Clinical
HOOVER, SHARI L. AC SACRAMENTO
HOSKIN, IMELDA • C SANTA CLARA
HURSEY, CELIA S C SANTA CRUZ
HUYNH, HOA ‘DANIEL’ • AC SAN DIEGO
INFANTE, BEATRIZ • AC PASO ROBLES
JENNINGS, ESTELLA • C OAKLAND
JUAREZ, KARINA C REDWOOD CITY
KARL, JANET S. C STOCKTON
KARPENSKE, ALEXA C BONITA
KEMPLIN, TAYLOR C GRASS VALLEY
KIM, SAROEUM C STOCKTON
KIMBLE, KORINN E. C HEALDSBURG
KUMAR, KAMLA • AC CYPRESS
LEE, MAI LOR ++ AC STOCKTON
LEON-VALENCIA, NAKOMI RENA C NEWARK
LILES, BROOKE ALEXANDRIA C TURLOCK
LOPEZ, DEBBIE L. AC LANCASTER
LUCERO, JULIENNE C CHULA VISTA
LUNA, NUVIA AC UKIAH
LUNARDI, SAVANNA M. C HAYWARD
LUPIAN, SONIA C TRACY
MARTINEZ, VICTORIA • C RIVERSIDE
MARTINEZ, JENNEDIER A. • A HUGHSON
MARTINEZ, IRENE N. • C CASTRO VALLEY
MARTINEZ, KRYSTLE AC HOLLISTER
MARTINEZ ESTRADA, ANDREA C SEBASTOPOL
MARTINEZ RAMIREZ, EMY GISSELA AC CALEXICO
MATTILA, LISA C RANCHO CORDOVA
McCALLUM, MICHELLE • AC CAPITOLA
MELGER, JESSICA E. C ANDERSON
MELVILLE, ANETHA AC GARDENA
MENDOZA CASTANEDA, FATIMA C STOCKTON
MEZA, YVONE LUISA • AC BELLFLOWER
MICHEL, WENDY A. • A LOS ANGELES
MICHEL, WENDY • AC LOS ANGELES
MITZEL, MICHELLE AC WEST SACRAMENTO
MOLINA-HERNANDEZ, KAREN REBECA • AC PALMDALE
MONTES, CRISTAL C DELANO
MOORE, KIMARA • AC MODESTO
MORA, WENDY S. A CHULA VISTA
MORALES, MONIQUE C VICTORVILLE
NARAYAN, MORINE • C SALIDA
NASH, BEVERLY • C MILPITAS
NELSON, SALLY VENZON A SAN DIEGO
NGUYEN, MAY BICHMAI • C STOCKTON
NGUYEN, SOPHIA AC SAN JOSE
NIEBLAS, OLIVIA K. • C BAYPOINT
NIELSEN, JODIE ANN • C MODESTO
NIETO, GUADALUPE C WINDSOR
NIETO, JESSICA C MANTECA
NOP, MONA CHELSEA C BAKERSFIELD
O’CONNOR-ALCONCEL, KATIE C WINDSOR
ORIAN, MAOLENWILL V. C ANTELOPE
OVERLY, TRACY M. A RIVERBANK
PERALTA, MARIA J. • AC NORWALK
PEREA, DANIEL • C SAN LEANDRO
PEREZ, LORENA C ANTIOCH
PHAN, YEN C PITTSBURG
PICAZO, JESUS ALEXANDER AC SOQUEL
PIEKARCZYK, CELIA REBECCA • C LIVERMORE
PIERCE, TRACI C. A MODESTO
PLASCENCIA, MAYRA C STOCKTON
RAMIREZ, JENNIFER AC FOLSOM
RANGEL FELIX, JULIO C. • C CASTROVILLE
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018 7
• RECERT ++ADDING 2ND SPECIALTY
NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN
– continued from page 6 –
Certification Codes: A = Administrative C = Clinical AC = Administrative and Clinical
RATTO, DANIELLE ELIZABETH AC CARMICHAEL
REED, ERIN C. • C IGO
REID, EMMA AC SCOTTS VALLEY
REYES, ROSELINDA • AC LONG BEACH
REYES, ANGELICA • C PATTERSON
ROBLES, OLGA NOEMI C SANTA ROSA
ROBLES , LYDIA GARIBAY C EL CENTRO
RODRIGUEZ, GEORGINA • AC SALINAS
RODRIGUEZ, CARLA VANESSA C SACRAMENTO
RODRIGUEZ, SAYDE B. C SONOMA
RODRIGUEZ JR, ALBERTO • C REDWOOD CITY
ROMERO, YAIREZA ++ AC ARTOIS
RUCOBO, KARMINA JAZMIN • C LONG BEACH
RUIZ ZAPIEN, YESSICA C COTATI
SAAVEDRA, JAZMINA C SAN FRANCISCO
SAAVEDRA, EDUARDO AC OLIVEHURST
SALAZAR, ELIZABETH M. • AC NOVATO
SALCEDO, APRIL JASMIN ++ AC PALMDALE
SANCHEZ, RACHAEL C AUBURN
SERNA, ELIZABETH TOVAR C STOCKTON
SFORZO, DIANNE C PETALUMA
SHANNON, JUDY AC DENAIR
SIBBU, YOLANDA MAMARIL A SANTA ROSA
SIFUENTES, ALEJANDRA O. • C SAN LEANDRO
SIMS, LaDONYA E. • C SAN JOSE
SOARES MOURA, KENDRA AC RICHMOND
SORIANO, GABRIELA ANEL C SANTA MARIA
SOTO-BRIZUELA, YUREMA C CERES
STEINER, SOPHIA • C DISCOVERY BAY
SUAREZ, LUZ MARIA • C SANTA ROSA
SUAREZ, JESSICA AC LONG BEACH
TADDEI, JODIE C GREEVNILLE
THAN, RATHY C STOCKTON
THOMPSON, JODY ANN AC SACRAMENTO
TORCASO, SUSAN EDDIE C SAN CLEMENTE
TOVAR, SARAH LYNN ++ AC MODESTO
TREVINO de SAUCEDO, MARIA M. • AC LAWNDALE
TURNER, DEMETRIA • C FREMONT
VALENCIA, BLANCA E. • AC COMPTON
VALENTINE, KEELEY C DUBLIN
VANG, JAM AC SANTA ROSA
VEGA, YESENA LISETTE • C PITTSBURG
VEGA, MELCHOR C SALINAS
VELASCO, ALEJANDRA AC MARYSVILLE
VELEZ, EDER C WATSONVILLE
VIERNES, JENNISE FERNANDO • C MILPITAS
VILCHIS, ANITA • AC LONG BEACH
VUE, CANDACE C MARYSVILLE
WALLACE, JUSTINE A STOCKTON
WARD, ELLEN MICHELLE • C SANTA ROSA
WHITSON, TERRI LYNN • AC TEMPLETON
XU, SHANCHANG • C OAKLAND
YANES, CHONA G. C SAN FRANCISCO
C E R T I F Y I N G B O A R D U P D A T E
Congratulations to each of these medical assistants.
From the
California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants
8 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018
One of the most common tools healthcare providers have at their disposal for the assessment and diagnosing of patients is an array of blood tests. The results of laboratory testing gives providers information that can confirm a patient’s wellbeing or help them to diagnose a health concern. There are many possible ways a medical assistant may interact with patients to assist in the gathering, analysis, and reporting of specimens.
Some offices might simply refer patients to a clinical labora-tory in order for the specimen to be obtained and analyzed. In this case, the medical assistant may need to give instruc-tions for the test preparation, directions to the lab, and let the patient know when they can expect to hear about the test results. It is also possible that the MA may obtain the speci-men in the office and have it sent to a laboratory for analysis. It is the responsibility of the technician obtaining the specimen to choose the correct tube additive in order for the test to be properly processed. In other instances, the medical assistant may obtain the specimen in the office and run any of a number of tests that are CLIA waived for the Physician’s Office Laboratory (POL).
Physicians may order tests to obtain a variety of information. The test may be meant to help evaluate a symptom or mon-itor a chronic condition. Results can also assess whether a medical treatment is working. It is important that the medical assistant have a good understanding of the tests that they are performing not only to ensure accuracy but also to answer any questions that the patient may have. The following tests are some of the most commonly ordered tests and all MAs should have a basic idea of what each test will indicate.
The Complete Blood Count (CBC)
The CBC is one of the most frequently ordered blood tests. It is often done as part of a routine checkup or in the case of infections. The information in a CBC can also diagnose anemia, clotting disorders, some cancers and immune isorders. The common components of a CBC include:
• White Blood cell count – these are the cells of the immune system which help fight infection. The types of WBCs identified can help a provider distinguish between allergies, viral and bacterial infections as well as diagnosing leukemia. The differential is the part of
the CBC which will identify and count the five different types of WBC:
o Lymphocytes
o Monocytes
o Basophils
o Eosinophils
o Neutrophils
• Platelet count – these are the smallest of the blood cells and they function in the coagulation of blood. Platelets are also called Thrombocytes
• Red blood cell count – RBCs are the most numerous of the blood cells and they carry oxygen from the lungs to the cells of the body.
• Hemoglobin – an iron-rich protein that allows the oxygen molecule to bind to the red blood cell.
• Hematocrit – measures the percentage of RBCs in whole blood.
• Mean Corpuscle Volume (MCV) – measures the average size of the RBC.
The Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
This is a group of tests that provides information about blood chemistries. The test is typically performed using serum so it is important that the correct tubes and additives are used. The BMP includes analysis for:
• Glucose – measures blood glucose levels and is used to diagnose diabetes. Most accurate results require the patient to fast for 8 to 12 hours.
• Calcium – influences function of the nervous system, muscles, heart, blood clotting and bone formation.
• Electrolytes- includes, sodium, potassium, CO2, bicarbonate and chloride, which have a wide influence over pH, muscle and nerve function and fluid balances.
COMMON BLOOD TESTSin the Physician’s Office
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAa Bb Cc224
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018 9
continued on page 10
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAa Bb Cc224
CommonBloodTestsinthePhysician’sOffice – continued from page 8
Cardiac Enzymes
During a heart attack the muscle tissue may suffer damage that releases certain enzymes into the blood stream. Detec-tion of troponin, creatine phosphokinase CPK, or creatine kinase CK would indicate that injury of the heart muscle has occurred.
Blood Clotting Tests
These tests, the PT (prothrombin time) and the INR (inter-national normalized ratio), measure the proteins in the blood that lead to clotting. Patients who use anticoagulants such as warfarin or heparin need to be tested on a regular basis to be sure that they stay within a normal prescribed range. It is important for medical assistants to remember that patients who use these medications will have longer bleeding times and may bruise more easily when they have their blood drawn.
Thyroid Panel
The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metab-olism. It is stimulated by the secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland in the brain. A thy-roid panel measures the levels of TSH as well as the T3 and T4 hormones produced directly by the thyroid gland. Exces-sive secretions would lead to hyperthyroidism while insufficient secretions indicate hypothyroidism.
Vitamin Levels
There are several vitamins levels that are commonly tested for:
• Vitamin D
• Folate
• Vitamin B12
Abnormal levels of these vitamins can indicate a broad range of problems from anemia, kidney or liver function, fatigue, memory problems and walking difficulties.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) blood test screens for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or Crohn’s disease. It is a measurement of how fast the red blood cells in the blood sample fall to the bottom of a test tube in a specific amount of time. This test cannot be rushed because the results are based on the rate of cells falling in an hour. Inflammation in the body is indicated by how quickly the RBCs fall.
• Kidney Function – BUN and Creatinine help providers assess how well the kidneys are cleaning the blood.
These tests can be ordered to gather information from something as simple as dehydration to diagnosing diabetes or kidney failure.
The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Providers may order a CMP if they need additional informa-tion about a patient’s organ function. In addition to the tests in a BMP the CMP includes:
• Albumin and total protein
• Liver function tests –ALT, AST, ALP AND Bilirubin
The results of these tests indicate the health of the liver and would be abnormal in the case of liver disease or damage.
Lipid Testing
These groups of tests reveal important information about the types, amount and circulation of the various types of fats (lipids) in the bloodstream. The most accurate results require the patient to be fasting for 8 to 12 hours. There are numer-ous substances that are tested in a lipid panel. Total choles-terol, high-density lipoprotein, HDL, low-density lipoprotein, LDL, and triglycerides are the common tests in a basic panel. There is more extensive testing that can assess the type and size of the lipoproteins, which can give providers more specific information about the risk of coronary artery disease.
Hemoglobin A1c
This non-fasting test reports a 2 to 3 month average of blood glucose levels. More accurate than a random glucose check, it proves a picture of the way patients are able to manage their diabetes over time. Glucose attaches to hemoglobin circulating in the blood stream and since red blood cells live about three months the A1c reading is able to show the average levels over time. Long-term elevation of blood sugar is also associat-ed with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Prostate Specific Antigen
The PSA is a routine screening test for men over 50. The presence of this protein manufactured by the prostate gland may indicate an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Additional testing and biopsies are necessary for providers to be able to make a diagnosis.
10 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — MARCH/APRIL 2018
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAa Bb Cc224
The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) (continued)
Antibodies
There are some conditions and diseases that do not have a laboratory test to identify an organism. However, when a per-son has been exposed their body may form antibodies in response to having had the disease or having been immunized. In order to confirm the presence of many diseases or to verify that a patient has had the disease in the past there are blood tests to detect these antibodies. Health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, hepatitis, and influenza can be identified by the presence of antibodies. Additionally, immunity to diseases such as varicella (chicken pox), measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis are confirmed by checking for the presence of antibodies.
The responsibility of collecting and processing blood for analysis is an important task for the medical assistant. The
following areas are just some of the essential considerations for the accuracy of the test results:
• Understanding and following the physician’s order
• Proper patient instructions and preparation (if required)
• Use of correct tubes and additives
• Accurate labeling of specimen
• Timely processing of specimen
• Following manufacturer’s instructions on POL tests
• Accurate report of results
Finally the medical assistant must be sure to inform the provider of any abnormal results as soon as possible. Attention to each detail will help to ensure that providers have all the necessary information to deliver the best care possible for their patients. ❧
CommonBloodTestsinthePhysician’sOffice – continued from page 9
Read the Continuing Medical Education Article
COMMON BLOOD TESTSin the Physician’s Office
located on page 8-10then complete the Self-Assessment Test on page 11 for CME credit.
RESOURCES:
Proctor, Deborah B. Kinn’s The Medical Assistant 13th Ed., Elsevier, 2017.
Bonewit-West, Kathy. Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants 9th Edition, Elsevier, 2015.
US Food and Drug Administration – Tests Used in Clinical Care https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/InVitroDiagnostics/LabTest/default.htm
All CEU’s are subject to final approval by CA Certifying BoardRetain this certificate for your records
Just a friendly reminder to use the proper form (below) to document continuing medical education when attend-ing non-CMAA functions. Your help in this matter will be greatly appreciated.
