Workbook Practical Exercise, Review Questions 1-17 on pages 91-92

1. Why is it important for all members of the office staff to follow a general office filing system and obey filing rules? The systems will not otherwise work effectively and efficiently. 2. When determining the choice of a medical filing system, what must be considered? a. # of active records b. # of inactive records c. frequency of record retrieval d. amount of filing space e. convenience of file location f. cost of the system 3. Name three advantages of using an alphabetic color-coded file system. a. reducing misfiles b. speeding retrieval c. more efficient filing 4. Name several types of information that may be filed in a subject file. a. employee information b. insurance policies c. financial documents d. taxes 5. Why is numeric filing considered an indirect method? It has an auxiliary cross-reference index to determine a patients assigned number before locating the file. 6. Where are numeric filing systems primarily used? In an environment where rapid growth in the number of files is anticipated, numeric (or indirect) filing is appropriate. An example might be when the patient load is expected to exceed 10,000. 7. In a chronological filing system, numbers are used based on dates.

8. What type of filing system can organize retrieve, and store information so that it is readily available? Electronic Filing System 9. Guarding files so that information is not lost in a computerized system requires electronic security and backing up computer files. 10. What is the purpose of a tickler file? It is used to follow up on patients for appointments (missed, cancelled, or scheduled). Also, when actions need to be accomplished at specific times (such as letters, reports, orders, meetings), the MA may be prompted to take action. 11. A persons first name is also called the given name and the last name is the surname. 12. A married woman may legally write her name three different ways. Give examples. a. her own first and middle names together with her husbands surname b. her own first name and maiden surname together with her husbands surname c. her given name and her own (maiden) surname 13. What considerations should be made when selecting filing equipment? a. Size (floor space used) b. accessibility (ease of use) c. durability d. security e. appearance 14. Name two purposes served by file guides. a. provide support for folders b. act as signposts to direct the eyes to the labeled sections 15. What steps would you take when a patients chart cannot be located? a. Check spaces in front/behind where the file folder should be located b. Check above/below the shelves where the record should be filed and in the bottom of the drawer c. Look for the 1st two colors of the patients last name among other records if using colorcoded system. The color, if misfiled, should stand out.

d. Look under the patients first name, instead of the last; sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the two, or the file folder may have been set up incorrectly e. Search through the entire section of the first letter of the patients last name f. Determine other ways the patients name could have been spelled, as well as misspelled, transposed, etc. g. Look for similar names; names that sound the same but are spelled with a different vowel h. Explore different areas of the office; that is, look in desk trays or in-baskets, on top of and beneath folders, and among the charts of other patients seen the same day; a variety of employees may need to use the file 16. To purge files, what two procedures can solve the problem of determining when to transfer patient files from active to inactive status? a. date stamping visits or treatments on the front of each folder b. attaching colored tabs to indicate the last year of treatment 17. Name three space-saving quick and easy retrieval methods of storing large volumes of medical records. a. Problem-Oriented Record b. Source-Oriented Record c. Integrated Record