Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
brilliant for the course im doing |
| Disadvantages: |
although an extensive book,not everything i need is in there |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
no |
I purchased this book last year as it was one of the books listed on my study list.
It covers many aspects of the jobs of a medical receptionist and secretary, and goes into detail about the structure of the NHS and a wide range of services and skills involved with being a medical receptionist.
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CONTENTS
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1.THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE-which includes:
History, the changing NHS, The patient's charter, Further change, The structure of the NHS, Quality, The NHS plan, Summary
2. PATIENT (CUSTOMER) CARE:
The medical receptionist and secretary, Putting patients first, Complaints within the health service, The complaints procedure,
Developing your personal effectiveness, Patients' rights and NHS charter standards, Access to healthcare, Total quality in medical practice, Audit and quality, The NHS plan:The role of patients, Customer care:involving patients and the public, Summary
3. COMMUNICATION
Introduction, Listening,Use of questions in communicating, Methods of communication, Barriers to communication, Confidentiality
4.LAW ETHICS AND MEDICINE
Introduction, History of ethics and etiquette, Doctors' duties, patients' rights, The right to confidentiality, Chaperoning, The regulatory bodies and their role, Summary of medical ethics and etiquette, Legal aspects, Employment law, Certification, Health and safety at work, Summary of legal aspects
5.HEALTH AND SAFETY IN A CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT
Introduction, first aid at work, Hazardous substances in the workplace, Hepatitis and AIDS,Fire precautions act 1971, Clinical risk management, Coping with aggression and violence
6. PRACTICAL RECEPTIO0N SKILLS IN GENERAL PRACTICE
Introduction,Record keeping and general administration, IT, Summary
7.THE HOSPITAL SERVICE
Patients route through the hospital, Outpatients appointments, Admissions from the waiting list, Accident and emergency admissions, Home from hospital support, day cases and ward attendees, The hospital team,clinical audit,What is a medical record?,case notes,master index,filing room, medical records library.The role of the secretary in hospital
8.PRIVATE MEDICINE:
Changes in the relationship between the NHS and the private sector,Private clinic or hospital,the secretary in private practice
9.FORMS,FEES AND FINANCES IN GENERAL PRACTICE
Practice income,salaried general practitioners.
With the following i have not gone into detail as i dont want to seem to long winded....
10.USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
11.MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY AND CLINICAL ASPECTS
12.PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
13. AUDIT,HEALTH ECONOMICS AND ENSURING QUALITY FOR THE MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST AND SECRETARY.
14. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
15.COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
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At the back of the book it gives an appendix of further reading and
reference books,the hippocratic oath,different immunisation schedules and useful addresses.
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My personal experience of this book is fairly satisfactory, i have used it continually throughout my studies.whilst doing modules and coursework and I am currently using it to revise from.I paid £19.95 for this book from waterstones which as far as study
books go is about average for the price.
there are three editions of this book and the 2002 version being the more recent, it has enabled the writer to incorporate the different changes that have taken place within the NHS since 1998. On the back of the book it states that:
"This practical book has become established as the key source of information for medical receptionists and secretaries in both the NHS and the private sector.It enables the knowledge to enable all administrative staff to work more efficiently and effectively"
I would recommend this book to anyone returning to work within the medical administration or for those just starting out.
