Medical Administrative Assistant (Certificate Program)

With this certificate program, you can prepare to become a medical administrative assistant, and master skills critical to office administration in a medical facility or other healthcare environment. The entire program is 18 credit hours, which can be completed in less than a year. You’ll learn important medical office functions, medical coding, insurance procedures, electronic records management and financial practices. Additionally, you will gain access to the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) portal used to practice, prepare and sit for the Medical Administrative Assistant Certification Exam – allowing you to become a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).

What will I learn in the online medical administrative assistant certificate program?

Your medical administrative assistant training provides a solid foundation in basic medical office functions, financial procedures and risk management for back offices. Completion of the program prepares you to sit for the Medical Administrative Assistant Certification (CMAA). In fact, the final Capstone course requires students to travel to the testing site to complete the Certification Exam.

Information and practice materials are available on the Association’s website: www.nhanow.com/certifications/clinical-medical-assistant. Fees associated with the NHA practice materials, practice exams, and one attempt at the Medical Administrative Assistant Exam are covered as part of the program.

How Does An Online Medical Administration Certificate Program Work?

Just like degree programs, certificate programs are increasingly popular for students attending class online. With this observation, you might be curious about how online certificate programs work (and their benefits) in comparison to traditional certificate programs. Below, you can learn how these programs differ, as well as some reasons you might choose to pursue a Medical Administration Certificate with us.

The traditional certificate program may have a similar format to the standard degree program at other universities, including those on ground. Most certificate programs range from 12-30 credit hours and can take anywhere from a year to a year and a half to complete. In the traditional environment, you might be expected to attend class in person, which could interfere with an already busy work schedule.

Online medical administration certificate programs, such as the one we offer, can provide you with a much more flexible format. The entire program consists of 18 credit hours, which can be completed in under a year. All six courses are directly applicable to becoming a medical administrative assistant, and there are no general education courses included in this certificate program.

Students attracted to online certificate programs may be busy, working individuals, or those with growing families and little expendable time to spend in the classroom. The goal of online programs is to provide a convenient format regardless of age and/or lifestyle.

This online certificate program can allow you to engage in coursework at your own pace. You may notice the information for the entire course is provided in the course syllabus, so that you know what to expect at any point during the course. You can access their course materials through the online class webpage, submit assignments via a helpful drop box tool and finish examinations via the internet.

Some of the busiest professionals rely on online certificate programs to help advance their knowledge base. This method may be growing into one of the most popular options, and ideal for you considering this type of program. More benefits of pursuing an online Medical Administration Certificate with us include:

  • Ease of communication with instructors and peers
  • Unified research and study approach using the internet
  • Around the clock technical support for current students
  • Curriculum can prepare you for the Medical Administrative Assistant Certification exam

Below are three sample courses you can expect with this program:

Healthcare Delivery Systems

The medical administrative assistant should have a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise on the healthcare field as a whole. In order to provide quality services to their employer, these professionals should take courses such as this one to help elaborate on the history of healthcare delivery systems, the ways these systems have improved over time, and society’s current standing with healthcare.

An important component to consider in this course may be the implementation of financial and ethical regulations on the healthcare field. Having a diverse understanding of the financial elements associated with healthcare can help medical administrative assistants provide educated responses to clients with questions about their own personal healthcare. This course may also help professionals in the field converse with healthcare providers and other healthcare specialists about billing and invoicing. Ethical guidelines can also be a useful topic in this course, since they can help set the foundation for quality healthcare.

While enrolled in this course, you may also have the opportunity to learn about culture’s role in healthcare, different healthcare organizations and their roles in the healthcare experience, and licensure requirements and accreditation for healthcare.

Medical Terminology

Medical terminology is an important thing to know when entering into a career in the medical field – regardless of degree level. Medical assistants can primarily provide support and administrative services to healthcare professionals that engage with patients on a daily basis. During note taking or documenting patient records, medical administrative assistants should have the knowledge of medical terminology and use it in their regular vocabulary. If you can use medical terminology in the correct context you may be clearer and more efficient in communicating within different healthcare environments.

Medical Assisting

Becoming a medical assistant may mean more than just taking phone calls and transmitting messages from one end of a hospital to another. This course can help you better understand the medical assisting field from a professional’s point of view, which can bring to light some of the common roles and responsibilities of people within this field..

Students enrolled in this class can learn how to properly communicate with members of their team, as well as with patients in a healthcare setting. In addition, patient records may contain sensitive data, so it is important that you learn how to properly handle, transmit and store this data during any given work day.

How much will the maa certificate program cost?

The undergraduate rate is $295 per credit hour, or $250 if you’re a military member, a veteran, a certified or licensed patient care worker, first responder, or their spouse or child. Grantham also offers scholarships and financial aid for those who qualify.

When can I start?

Grantham offers frequent course starts, typically monthly. So we’re ready when you are.

Call us at (888) 947-2684 to learn more about our accredited degree and certificate programs, financial assistance opportunities or enrollment process.

Medical Administrative Assistant (Certificate Program)

Medical Administrative Assistant Outcomes

After successfully completing University of Arkansas Grantham’s Online Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate Program, you will be able to:

  • Illustrate the role and function of different types of healthcare facilities and environments
  • Utilize medical terms and abbreviations that are commonly used in health information management systems
  • Articulate understanding of local, state and federal regulations, including OSHA standards and HIPAA’s rules for protected health information and ethical practices
  • Apply diagnosis coding skills for records management
  • Complete the CMAA Certification through National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Core Professional Competencies

University of Arkansas Grantham prepares graduates to succeed in a variety of professional and civic settings by incorporating these critical life skills into the curriculum:

  • Communication – Formulating and expressing thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and non-verbal communication skills in person, in writing and in a digital world.
  • Distributed Collaboration – Working effectively across distributed locations and asynchronously to achieve a common goal through relationship-building, shared responsibility, empathy and respect.
  • Professional and Social Responsibilities – Engaging in social responsibility through seeking justice, valuing diversity, respecting the environment; demonstrating professionalism through integrity, mutual accountability and ethical behavior. This includes considering the social and global impact of individual and organizational decisions and an awareness of and adherence to regulations, professional standards and industry best practices.
  • Critical thinking/problem solving – Using analytical reasoning when gathering and evaluating relevant information to effectively formulate possible solutions for an issue, problem or a variety of issues. This includes the ability to recognize potential consequences of a decision.
  • Data Aptitude - Developing information literacy and the capacity to manage data with subsequent finding, structuring, evaluating and interpreting in order to provide meaningful analysis to accomplish a specific purpose.

Additional Advantages

Students in the Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate program have the added benefits of:

  • Creation of an ePortfolio to assist in job searches
  • Assistance with resumes, job searches and practice interviews
  • Student advisors (SAs), academic mentors and program directors
  • State-of-the-art simulation technology
  • Face-to-face meetings, if needed, with faculty
  • A Health Care Highway Community portal
  • No extra fees: All classroom technology is included in the Resource Fee

Medical Administrative Assistant (Certificate Program)

University of Arkansas Grantham’s professionally relevant coursework is designed to help you prepare for your next challenges.

CMAA Prep

Upon completion of this program, you should have the skills necessary to complete the ATI Testing website’s Practice Assessment (4 attempts) in preparation to take the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) Certification Exam if you should so desire.

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT:
Program Core Credits: 18
Total Credit Hours: 18
Accreditation(s): DEAC
University Bookstore
Textbook Pricing
Program Core: 18
Course: Title: Credits:
Course: HP205 Title: Computer Software Applications in Healthcare Credits: 3
  This course provides an overview of commonly available software tools used in healthcare, including an introduction to encoding tools and computer-assisted coding software used in healthcare data processing. Focus is placed specifically on healthcare software and its many uses, functions and applications in the medical office. Other processes such as medical office billing and information technology are also discussed.
Course: HP114 Title: Medical Terminology Credits: 3
  This course teaches the foundation of the language of healthcare. Students will learn how to pronounce medical terms and communicate medical information to both health professionals and patients. Students will also learn the principles of word-building needed for the extensive medical vocabulary used in healthcare. Students will utilize interactive technology to assist with learning, pronunciation and application in Anatomy and Physiology.
Course: HP111C Title: Healthcare Delivery Systems Credits: 3
  This course introduces students to different types of healthcare delivery systems as well as how to analyze the organization, financing, regulatory issues and delivery of a variety of healthcare services. Topics include the continuum of care; methods and theories in healthcare delivery systems; and computer applications in healthcare. Focus is placed on evolution and trends in managed healthcare, including research, statistics, quality management and integrating information technologies into medical office practices. Other processes such as staffing, productivity and improving quality are also explored. This course provides students with access to the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) portal used to practice, prepare and sit for the Medical Administrative Assistant Certification Exam.
Course: HP212C Title: Basic Diagnosis Coding Systems Credits: 3
  This course offers an introduction to medical billing and coding in the medical practice. This course covers the basis of billing and coding issues including diagnosis, ICD-10-CM, current procedure coding, and coding compliance. This course introduces student to ethics, legal aspects, and anatomy and physiology. This course also explains The ICD-10 Procedure Coding Systems (PCS).'Basic Diagnostic Coding Systems will be using an interactive learning platform throughout the course.
Course: HP215C Title: Medical Assisting Credits: 3
  This course introduces students to the overall role of medical administrative assisting as a career. Students analyze job responsibilities of a medical administrative assistant including patient interaction and communication, scheduling, and maintaining accurate patient records. Students learn how to process insurance claims and examine various bookkeeping systems. This course focuses on the importance of inventory management as well as the process of purchasing decision making. Students also explore specialized options for an administrative medical assistant. Medical Assisting will be using an interactive learning platform throughout the course. This course provides students with access to the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) portal used to practice, prepare, and sit for the Medical Administrative Assistant Certification Exam.
Course: HP235C Title: Medical Admin Assistant Prep Credits: 3
  In this Capstone course students will continue to prepare for the role of medical administrative assistant. By completing this course, you will validate your ability to perform routine administrative tasks in a physician's office or clinic and complete the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) national certification exam offered by the National Healthcare Association (NHA). MindTap and the NHA Portal utilize simulated activities, including three preparatory exams designed to evaluate your knowledge of necessary administrative assistant responsibilities. This program culminates in the identification of a testing site, registration for sitting for the exam, and completion of the exam. You will also finalize your ePortfolio which will showcase to potential employers your achievement of the Medical Administrative Certificate program and earning your CMAA Certification.

All courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence. Failed (F) or Withdrawn (W) courses must be immediately repeated. All courses must be passed with a "D" or better in order to progress in the program. If any course is not passed with a "C" or better, the student will be required to enroll in Part-Time status. HP205 and AH235c are taken alone in their respective terms.
The six courses in the MAA Certification program are designed to transfer to the AAS in Medical Coding and Billing
All courses must be completed at Grantham. No transfer credit is allowed.