Program Overview
Office administrators in the health services field are vital members of the healthcare team, often the first person to interact with clients in a physician’s office. Graduates are able to work within and manage any health services office with the required comprehensive knowledge and specialized skills. Accuracy and confidentiality are paramount and students should have excellent critical thinking skills, be organized and know how to prioritize. Students must have solid interpersonal skills and work effectively in a multicultural environment. Good communication skills, both written and oral, and excellent keyboarding skills, are assets.
Program Highlights
- Training includes client care, appointment scheduling, manual and electronic charting, transcription of a wide range of medical data and reports and communication techniques.
- Strict emphasis is placed on confidentiality following PHIPA (Personal Health Information Protection Act) guidelines.
- Graduates will have an understanding of healthcare billing through MOHLTC (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care-OHIP), along with third-party and private billing with a hands-on approach in an electronic healthcare software setting.
- Work Placement in the final semester in a variety of private and government-funded medical clinics, general and specialized healthcare offices, hospitals, or alternative healthcare facilities. A major capstone project may be substituted if appropriate placements are not available.
- Advanced computer software including EMR (electronic medical records) training using Accuro, typing training using Typist as well as advanced Microsoft Suite.
- This program is accredited by the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CCHIM). Graduates of the program are eligible to write the HICA national certification examination (NCE).
Career Opportunities
Opportunities in the healthcare field are diverse and include physicians’ offices, hospitals, laboratories, medical clinics, nursing homes, health insurance offices, public health offices, and alternative health therapy offices.
Degree Completions
Students who have successfully completed the 2-year OAH Diploma Program may continue their education towards a Bachelor of Health Services Administration Degree from Davenport University or a Bachelor of Business Administration, Major in General Business from Walsh College.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of the Office Administration - General with a GPA of 2.0 or better.
Mature students - See Admission Procedures for details.
Courses
The curriculum below is for incoming students:
Semester 1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|
Semester 3
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|
Note: Semesters 1 and 2 of this program are the Office Administration - General Certificate.
View Pre/Co-Requisites for Office Administration - Health Services
Past Cohorts:
Semester 1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| OAG110 | Language Fundamentals | 3 |
| OAG125 | Administrative Procedures | 3 |
| OAG101 | Introduction to Keyboarding | 1 |
| OAG160 | Essential Business Calculations | 3 |
| OAG113 | Introduction To Word Processing & Business Documents | 3 |
| ELEC1030 | Choose 1 Elective Course | 3 |
| OAG117 | Introduction To Computer Technology | 2 |
Semester 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| OAG201 | Accounting For The Office Assistant | 3 |
| OAG210 | Business For The Office Assistant | 3 |
| COM103 | Business Communications I | 3 |
| OAG222 | Advanced Word Processing And Documents *Delivered in first 7 weeks of the semester. | 3 |
| OAG217 | Keyboarding And Transcription *Delivered in first 7 weeks of the semester. | 3 |
| OAG260 | Electronic Spreadsheets And Databases | 3 |
Semester 3
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| OAH306 | Health Services Administrative Documents & Procedures | 4 |
| OAH307 | Electronic Medical Records & Billing | 3 |
| OAH302 | Health Services Office Management | 4 |
| OAH303 | Medical Terminology I | 3 |
| OAH308 | Medical Transcription I | 4 |
| OAH305 | Social Relations, Ethics, And Legislation In The Health Service Office | 3 |
Semester 4
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| OAH400 | Pharmacology & Safety Systems In Health Service Offices | 2 |
| OAH401 | Medical Terminology II | 3 |
| OAH402 | Medical Transcription II | 4 |
| ELEC1030 | Choose 1 Elective Course | 3 |
| ELEC1030 | Choose 1 Elective Course | 3 |
| Choose one of: | ||
| OAH405 | Health Services Office Work Placement | 4 |
| OAH411 | Health Services Office Capstone | 4 |
Placement Requirements
Some of our employers who provide our placement settings require a clear POLICE RECORD CHECK for criminal offences with vulnerable sector screening before accepting a student into the clinical setting. The record check MUST be obtained by the student and at the student’s expense. If you are unable to obtain this police clearance please discuss this with the coordinator to ensure that proper arrangements can be made in advance for your placement. Some of our employers who provide our placement settings also require up-to-date immunizations and proof of a negative Two-Step TB Skin Test. Should you be unable to acquire these, please discuss the matter in advance with the coordinator.
Program Physical Demands Analysis
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Office Administration - Health Services (Ontario College Diploma) (MTCU Code 52308)
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Conduct oneself professionally and adhere to relevant legislation, standards and codes of ethics.
- Manage the scheduling, coordination and organization of administrative tasks and workflow within specific deadlines and according to set priorities.
- Coordinate the collection, analysis, distribution and response to communications in the workplace to facilitate the flow of information.
- Operate and provide support to others related to the use of office equipment and technologies.
- Evaluate, establish and administer health records management systems* to ensure confidential, secure, accessible and organized electronic and paper records*.
- Produce financial and client billing records* for health services by compiling relevant information and using accounting software.
- Produce health documents and reports using available technologies and applying industry standards.
- Use interpersonal and client service skills to respond to the diverse needs of clients, their family members and the health care team.
- Identify and use non-invasive clinical tasks to support effective and efficient health service operations.