PHS-Ch.2 (slides 20-29): Technical/Employability Skills

Ch. 2: Technical Skills, & Employability Skills
(slides 20-29)




1. Technical Skills
-Letters/Memos/Forms/Filing/Scheduling
2. Employability Skills
-Career assessments/Portfolios/HOSA Connections

Ch. 2: Technical Skills, & Employability Skills (slides 20-29)



1. Technical Skills
-Letters/Memos/Forms/Filing/Scheduling
2. Employability Skills
-Career assessments/Portfolios/HOSA Connections

Technical Skills in Health Informatics

🛠️ Technical skills are the hands-on tasks and practical functions a worker performs as part of their job. These skills are specific to their role and help them do their work accurately and efficiently.

✍️ Writing Skills

• 📄 Formal Business Letters – professional communication used in healthcare settings

• 📝 Memos – short, informal messages for quick updates or reminders

• 🧾 Forms – includes medical records, insurance claims, and other healthcare paperwork

🛠️ Other Important Skills

• 🗂️ Filing – organizing patient records, charts, and important documents

• 📅 Scheduling – making, adjusting, or canceling patient appointments

Technical Writing

• A necessary skill for all healthcare professionals

• Writing must be concise, clear, and logical

• Documents must have a professional appearance

Letters & Memos

​📄 Business Letters

• formal correspondence sent to people outside your organization, such as patients, insurance companies, or other clinics.

📝 Memos (memorandums)

• shorter and more personal messages sent to people within your organization, like coworkers or supervisors.

🧾 Forms in Healthcare

• 📁 All forms become part of the patient’s official medical record.

• 🤫 Always speak privately with the patient to clarify any information.

• ✍️ Fill in all spaces completely and accurately.

• 🚫 Use Ø, N/A, or None if a question does not apply — never leave blanks.

​Think Further

Why is it important to protect information in a patient’s medical record?

• 🔒 Patients have the right to keep their health information private and confidential.

• 🆔 Sensitive info like Social Security numbers can be stolen and used for identity theft.

Important steps to protect patient confidentiality:

• 🔐 Avoid sharing your computer passwords.

• 👀 Always close screens that show patient data when not in use.

• 📝 Never leave papers in the fax machine or out in public.

• ✅ Only share information with people who are allowed to receive it.

• 📋 Provide facts only, not personal judgments or opinions.

Tips for Filling Out Medical Forms

🔤 Use common abbreviations:

• S = Single

• M = Married

• W = Widowed

• D = Divorced

• l and w = living and well

• d = died (ex: d. 1987)

💳Know the Responsible Party

• The person paying for the medical services (may not be the patient).

​👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family History

• Includes current and past health conditions or diseases for the patient’s parents, grandparents, and siblings.
  

  
  

🤒 Present Illness or Current Complaint

• Describes the patient’s symptoms or reason for the visit.

Multiple Choice

Writing letters, memos, scheduling, and filing are all skills a health informatics worker needs to succeed.

• True

• False

Match

Match the following:

• Formal messages sent to people outside your workplace, like patients, insurance companies, or other clinics.

• Messages sent to people inside your workplace that are usually shorter and more personal in tone.

• When filling out forms and leaving something blank you should put

business letters

memos

N/A

• business letters

• memos

• N/A

Multiple Select

Select the steps workers must take to protect patient privacy:

(select 2)

• close computer screens that are not being used

• know who CAN or is ALLOWED to receive patient information

• share your computer passwords

• leave patient documents exposed on your desk

Multiple Select

Medical forms will include which of the following:

(Choose 2)

• family history

• present illness/symptoms

• a list of hobbies

​FILING

​These are different ways healthcare offices organize patient records and documents. Common systems include:

• 🔠 Alphabetical – arranged by patient’s last name (A–Z).

• 🔢 Numerical – assigned numbers to each patient or file.

• 📅 Chronological – organized by date (oldest to newest or newest to oldest).

• 📁 Subject-based – grouped by topic or type (e.g., insurance, billing, medical history).

• 🧍 Geographic or location-based – organized by place (e.g., office location or department).

These systems help keep records organized, secure, and easy to find.

📅 When scheduling an appointment:

• 🧑‍💼 Ask for the patient’s full name and date of birth.

• 🕒 Confirm the date and time that works best.

• 🩺 Know the reason for the visit (if allowed to ask).

• 📞 Repeat the details back to the patient to avoid mistakes.

• ✍️ Record the appointment in the correct place (calendar, software, etc.).

• 🔁 If rescheduling or canceling, update the system right away

Scheduling

​❌ When Patients Cancel Appointments:

• 📞 Ask for the patient’s name and date of birth to find the correct record.

• 📝 Record the cancellation in the schedule immediately.

• 🔁 Offer to reschedule the appointment, if possible.

• 📂 Note the reason for cancellation, if provided.

• 📊 Keep records updated to avoid confusion or double-booking.

Employability Skills

💼 Employability Skills are the skills you need to get, keep, or change a job and grow your career.

• 🧩 Use career assessments to find jobs that fit your personality.

• 📁 Make a career portfolio with a letter about your skills, a résumé, recommendation letters, and other important papers.

• 🤝 Join groups like HOSA for chances to learn and grow professionally.