How Medical Assistants Can Help Breast Cancer Patients

With the exception of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women – affecting 1 in 8 women. Each year, approximately 266,120 new cases are diagnosed, and 40,920 women die of the disease. These figures are staggering.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to educating the public, fundraising for research and helping those affected by this devastating diagnosis. Early detection and diagnosis, as well as a well-thought-out treatment plan, are crucial for a positive outcome. A medical team of oncologists and other specialists can treat the physical issues associated with breast cancer, but other elements of patient care need to be considered. A medical assistant can play a vital role in treating non-medical issues and aiding in the healing process.

Many people feel some amount of anxiety when visiting the doctor for a routine appointment or procedure. If you’re a cancer patient, that feeling may be much more severe. As the first point of contact in the physician’s office, the behavior of the medical assistant can set the tone for the entire visit – and even the relationship between doctor and patient.

As a medical assistant helping a breast cancer patient, you should:

• Be conscious of your demeanor. Make eye contact, smile and be respectful. Make the patient feel important, and show genuine concern.
• Inject humor into the conversation. Cancer is bad news, but sometimes just lightening the mood with a joke or funny anecdote can help the patient relax.
• Show empathy and compassion. Do your best to be compassionate and empathize with the patient’s situation. Many times, a patient is more comfortable talking with a medical assistant than the doctor. Listen to what she has to say – and ask what she needs from you, how you can help.
• Treat the patient like a human being and not a sick person. Your patient has a disease, but she’s a woman Make her feel as “normal” as possible. Take your cues from her.

In addition to performing clinical duties such as drawing blood, taking vital signs and recording medical history, a medical assistant also helps set appointments, organizes hospital admissions and lab services, and supervises the patient’s insurance information. There are several other ways a medical assistant can help a patient with breast cancer:

• Assume the role of comforter. As such, you can establish a personal touch that becomes part of the healing. Use calming words and actions to reassure your patient, helping to reduce her anxiety and be more comfortable.
• Take charge of paperwork. When a person has cancer, there will be many appointments to coordinate and a lot of paperwork from labs, doctors and insurance companies. The medical assistant can step in and help minimize patient frustration by processing insurance forms and test results.
• Assist with home healthcare. Some cancer patients choose to stay in their homes rather than in a hospital. A medical assistant can help monitor the patient’s health, provide post-hospitalization follow-up care, help with mobility issues, assist with hygiene needs and administer medication.
• Help with palliative care. A breast cancer patient receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment often suffers from side effects (pain, nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, insomnia, etc.) that can disrupt quality of life. Palliative care helps relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. A medical assistant who works in a palliative care facility can help cancer patients with daily care, administer medication and change dressings.
• Lend support to breast cancer patients’ families. As a medical assistant, you can be a resource to family members by updating them on course of treatment, handling administrative duties and offering emotional support.

A medical assistant plays a vital role in the smooth operation of a doctor’s office, hospital or medical clinic, and can offer tremendous support for cancer patients. If you think becoming a medical assistant is a career path that you would like to follow, consider enrolling in the medical assistant program at MTI College.

An MTI education prepares you for a career in medical assistance with comprehensive training in administrative, clinical and laboratory procedures. You’ll learn:

• Medical terminology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Pharmacology
• Medical protocol and procedures in clinics and laboratories
• Front-office practices, including coding and billing procedures
• Patient relations
• Medical law and ethics

Additionally, a required 160-hour off-campus externship provides hands-on experience in a professional healthcare facility setting. In less than a year, you can be ready for an entry-level position as a medical assistant, a field that the Bureau of Labor Statistics says is expected to increase by 24 percent through 2024.

For more information or to enroll in the medical assisting program, contact MTI College today.

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5 Best Apps for Medical Billing and Coding

We live in a data-driven world, and that’s critically important in healthcare. Coding symptoms, diagnoses and procedures, and sending reports to an insurance company to request reimbursement is a complicated – but necessary – part of the healthcare process. There’s a considerable amount of documentation required, and someone has to do it. That’s where the medical coder and biller comes in.

Medical coding is the heart of the healthcare industry. It keeps doctors and nurses on track and organized, and it shows in clear terms a patient’s medical history. A requirement for a medical coding job is receiving ICD-10-CM/PCS certification. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) is an organized way of telling the entire story of a patient’s care and encounter with a doctor and/or hospital.

There are thousands of ICD-10 codes to become familiar with, and one slip-up with an improper code could spell big trouble for a patient. It’s impossible to know every code every time, but there are a few apps for your tablet or smartphone that can keep them at your fingertips – and keep you from dragging around a huge written volume of codes.

Here are five inexpensive (or free) apps that can help you study for your ICD-10-CM/PCS exam, refresh information or have codes available when you need to reference them for work.

AAPC® CPC Exam Prep (pocket prep)

The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is highest standard for medical coding, and the pocket prep app helps you prepare for the exam. You can choose a practice mode (simulation or study), content area and the number of questions you want to answer. You can customize your practice exams, even targeting weak subject areas, and view detailed answer rationales. Save your history and review your results. Pocket prep is an Academics’ Choice “Smart Media” and Ed Tech Digest “Cool Tool” award winner.

ICD10 Consult 2018

The app, available for both iPhone and Android, offers a flexible search option for current ICD10-CM codes. It also provides instant ICD9 to ICD10 conversion. Its deep code analysis function allows you to handle laterality, encounter and staging codes, and helps you find medical acronyms and synonyms that are cross-referenced by abbreviation and full name. You can also browse through diagnoses and add codes to your favorites list.

STAT ICD-10 Coder

From Austin Physician Productivity, LLC, this app allows you to search from among more than 60,000 ICD-10 diagnosis codes and descriptions easily. All codes are downloaded automatically to your iPhone or iPad. The basic app is free, but you must upgrade if you want searching functions.

ICD 10 On the Go Mobile

The database on this app, developed by VLR Software, has been updated with the ICD-10-CM 2019 codes. It helps you easily choose the diagnosis code you need with a search-as-you-type feature. There’s an optional feature that allows you to tag codes and folders as favorites, and you can browse codes by chapters and subgroups. Additionally, you can print codes through AirPrint and share information by email.

Medical Billing Coding Flashcard 2018

Choose from thousands of questions to prep you for the MBCC exam. Use this app to practice on your lunch hour, between classes or even on the bus. Billing and coding experts have prepared the training materials that use proven study and test-taking strategies. There are even games to vary your learning opportunities. After a practice session, track your progress and watch yourself improve.

How to become a medical biller and coder

Partially because of a rapidly aging U.S. population, healthcare jobs are in demand. As people age, they usually need more medical care, and medical billers and coders are needed to handle insurance and patient claims. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for medical records and health information technicians (billers and coders) is growing much faster than the average for other occupations.

MTI College offers a Medical Billing and Coding Professional Diploma Program that can prepare you to enter this in-demand field. Although the medical biller is not responsible for patient care, you should have a good understanding of medical terminology to be able to discuss medical bills with both insurance carriers and patients. MTI College provides you with the background you need to enter the busy, exciting world of healthcare. You’ll become proficient in:

• Insurance billing
• Medical coding of records
• Administrative office duties
• Using Medisoft practice management software
• Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• Computer skills
• Problem‐solving and organizational skills

When you complete your studies, you should be prepared to take the Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) exam and the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam, industry-recognized credentials that will help you get that important entry-level position.

Does this sound like a job you would enjoy? Contact MTI College Sacramento today to jump start your medical billing and coding career.

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Tips for Repairing Damaged Hair

A “bad hair” day is never any fun, but every day is a bad hair day when your hair is damaged. Over processing, the sun, extreme weather, a chlorinated pool, irregular maintenance, stress and even a less-than-healthy diet can contribute to leaving your locks damaged and lackluster.

You can repair damaged hair if you modify your habits and follow these tips and try out some do-it-yourself treatments to restore the life, luster and condition of your hair.

Be gentle with your tresses.

Does having dirty hair make you feel grungy? If so, more than likely, you reach for the shampoo. Not so fast. Overwashing can damage your hair – especially if it’s color-treated or very dry. Washing strips the natural oils and proteins – the things that keep hair looking healthy – from your hair. The finer, thinner and straighter your hair, the easier it is for the oil to seep in and make it look greasy. If you normally wash your hair every day, try skipping a day or just rinsing it on the second day. Try using dry shampoo on the roots and scalp to absorb some of the oil. Believe it or not, some styles look better on “day-old” hair: braids, topknots, loose curls. When you do wash your hair, consider using shampoos that don’t contain sulfates and parabens, which tend to strip moisture and oils. Use shampoo only on your scalp and roots, avoiding the ends. Condition daily, concentrating on the ends and avoiding the roots and scalp.

Just cool it.

Using hairdryers, curling irons and flat irons can really dry out your locks, causing breakage and split ends. Take a break from heat; your hair will thank you for it. Try air-drying it instead. After you wash and condition your hair, gently towel-dry and comb it. Try scrunching it with your fingers as it dries for a beachy look. If you must use styling tools, prep your hair with heat protection sprays.

Brush properly.

Yes, there is a technique to proper brushing. First of all, don’t brush your hair when it’s wet because the strands can break. Instead, comb it. If your hair is very curly, it’s best to use a wide-tooth comb in the shower before you rinse out the conditioner. You may also want to treat your hair with a detangling spray. When you are ready to brush, work from the bottom up. Start with small sections beginning from the ends.

Keep a schedule. 

Getting a regular trim every six to eight weeks actually promotes healthy hair growth and keeps ends from splitting. For thin hair, trimming can add volume. For curly hair, trimming can reduce tangling. Also, consider applying a deep conditioner a couple of times a month. If you notice your hair is too heavy or feels oily, cut back. Dryer, coarser hair will benefit from deep conditioning more than thin, fine hair.

Use the correct accessories.

Putting your hair back in a ponytail may seem to be a temporary fix for all kinds of problems. The truth is, it can strain your strands – especially if you put it into a tight ponytail secured with a rubber band. Always use accessories that limit the stress put on your hair. Use cloth-covered scrunchies and tiebacks, loose clips and stretchy headbands.

Sleep and eat well.

Your hair can tell if you haven’t been sleeping well. If you toss and turn, the friction can cause your hair to tangle and break. Try switching to a silk pillowcase to reduce the friction. Also, make sure you’re following a healthy diet, rich in proteins, fatty acids, and vitamins C and B. Taking supplements – Omega 3s and biotin – may help.

Try a DIY treatment.

There are thousands of products on the market that claim to make your hair look shiny and healthy. Many of them work as expected, but they can also be costly. Before you start investing your money in expensive products, you may have items in your pantry that could have the same results. Here are a few DIY treatments to try.

• Avocado mask: Remove the pit from a ripe avocado. Mix it with an egg and apply to wet hair. Avocado is loaded with vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals. Leave it on 20 minutes. Rinse it well. Try this weekly for damaged hair and monthly for healthy hair.
• Butter treatment: If your hair is brittle, massage some butter into your dry hair. Put on a shower cap. Wait for 20 minutes and then shampoo and rinse.
• Olive oil mask: Warm a half-cup of olive oil and rub it on dry hair to restore moisture. Cover your hair with a plastic bag or shower cap and then wrap with a towel. Wait 45 minutes before you shampoo and rinse.
• Apple cider vinegar mask: Combine 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 egg whites. Rub it in to revitalize limp or damaged hair. Cover with a shower cap or plastic bag. Leave it on for 30 minutes, and then shampoo and rinse.
• Protein enhancer: This remedy to enhance proteins in your hair is a simple fix. Mix an egg with a little bit of shampoo. Rub it in. Wait five minutes and rinse out.
• Honey hydrator: Mix ¼ cup of raw honey with enough water to thin it out and apply to damp hair. After 30 minutes, shampoo and condition.
• Frizz tamer: Combine ¼ cup of raw honey and 10 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Leave it on for 15 minutes before shampooing and rinsing.
• Oil treatments: Try warming 3 tablespoons of jojoba oil in the microwave. Massage it into your hair. Cover with a shower cap and wait 30 minutes to two hours for extra shine. You can also use sesame oil. To strengthen brittle hair and add volume to thin hair, replace the jojoba oil with castor oil. Use coconut oil to add moisture, softness and shine and to reduce dandruff.

Do you have an interest in hair and skin care, or do you enjoy styling hair? A career in cosmetology may be right for you. Regardless of your goal in cosmetology, MTI’s Paul Mitchell The School helps you develop the beauty and cosmetology skills you need for a rewarding career. Call today!

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Trial Preparation Tips for Paralegals

A paralegal plays a vital role in the legal system, serving supervising attorneys in their practice and in the courtroom. From drafting legal documents to interviewing clients and assisting with trial preparation, a paralegal’s responsibilities cover almost any duty the attorney does except practice law. Of those responsibilities, trial preparation is most important.

An effective paralegal should possess certain traits. These are particularly important to a litigation paralegal who accompanies an attorney to the courtroom:

• Good organizational ability
• Attention to detail
• Attentive listening skills
• Sound reasoning
• Strong reading comprehension
• Research skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Strong backbone
• Persistence

Preparing for the courtroom.

People’s lives – or at least livelihood – are at stake when they go to court, as is an attorney’s reputation. Having an attorney who is prepared and confident and presents his or her case well is important to the person or company represented. Behind a well-prepared attorney is a paralegal who has done due diligence to prepare the case.

Thorough pretrial preparation can make the difference between winning or losing the case, and the paralegal is critical to that preparation.

Create a plan or outline.

Determine all the players in the case – the attorney, additional support staff, the witnesses – and coordinate their schedules. Your focus should be on the essential tasks the players must accomplish to impact the case in a positive manner.

• Assign tasks to the key players in the case and hold them accountable.
• Set up a timeline to complete tasks and pay attention to deadlines.
• Monitor progress of task completion, constantly checking in with everyone involved.
• Handle any questions and concerns as they come up.
• Develop goals for the witnesses.

Keep lines of communication open and clear.

Constantly communicating with all parties on your legal team is an important part of your role as a paralegal.

• Always check in with your colleagues to make sure they understand what they need to do.
• Regularly update your attorney on what’s happening.
• Be conscious of any appointments you need to set with clients or witnesses.
• Attend to correspondence regarding the court appearance in a timely fashion.

Organize everything.

You must organize all paperwork so that once the trial begins, your attorney will have everything he or she needs.

• Analyze all documents and information you may need before and during the trial.
• Index everything so that you can find what you need in a flash – in less than five minutes.
• Index your indices so that you and your attorney can find information no matter how it is requested.
• Summarize and annotate everything.
• Talk to your attorney to discover how he or she wants to present information.

Pay attention to details.

No matter how insignificant the detail seems, it could be relevant when it comes time to appear in court. You wouldn’t want to compromise the case if you’ve missed a filing deadline or overlooked important data.

• Thoroughly review all documents related to the case that your office prepares or receives.
• Be diligent about cite checking.
• Keep track of court appearance dates.
• Manage exhibits and documents needed for trial.
• Take careful notes when talking to clients or witnesses.
• Stay on top of rapidly accumulating paperwork.

Study the judge.

It’s important to know the peculiarities of the judge on the case and what to expect in the courtroom.

Talk to attorneys who have tried cases before the judge (if your attorney has not). Is the judge all business? Is he or she patient? Finding out as much as you can could actually help your chances. The last thing you want is to offend the judge in some way.

Get your presentations ready.

If you have exhibits or visual aids for the case, make sure that they are neat and clear – and adhere to the rules of the court.

• Start by making an exhibit list; place deposition items first.
• If you need to have anything professionally printed, make sure you know the time constraints.
• Know how many copies of exhibits that you’ll need.
• Keep exhibits or charts to the point, logical and impactful.
• Carefully label exhibits.
• Arrange for copying and editing any videotapes that you will use as exhibits.
• Gather presentation materials such as easels, tables, pointers, etc.

Check out the courtroom.

If you’re unfamiliar with the courtroom, it’s a good idea to check it out before the trial. Find out where to park and know how long it should take to get there. Once you’re inside, there’s more to consider.

• If you’ll have exhibits, determine where you’ll need to place them for ideal viewing.
• See where the outlets are if you need to plug things in.
• In case you need to make additional copies of documents, know what resources are available in the courthouse.
• Notice where the jurors, witnesses and judge sit.

Prep your attorney.

Stress will undoubtedly be high for everyone working on the trial preparation. You can make it easier on your attorney by serving as a sounding board. Your attorney may ask you to help draft opening statements and/or closing arguments. He or she may instead want to have you listen to those statements. You can analyze them from different perspectives and offer constructive criticism. Throughout the trial preparation, keep your attorney focused and practice by doing a mock trial.

Being well prepared leads to confidence in the courtroom. If you’ve crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s, you’ve done all you can. After that, it’s up to the judge.

MTI College paralegal program.

If you’re fascinated by the legal world but don’t want to invest the time to become an attorney, consider registering for the MTI Paralegal Studies program. In just two years, you can earn your associate’s degree in paralegal studies and head out to begin a career that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says is growing.

If you have the interest and the necessary personal traits to become a paralegal, enroll now in the MTI College Paralegal Studies program for the education you need to get that important first job.

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Alumni Spotlight: Nichole Dickinson, Legal Superstar

Nichole Dickinson’s route to success is both impressive and a testament to hard work, dedication and perseverance. Now a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney in Sacramento, Dickinson began her legal career as a paralegal, having graduated from MTI College’s Paralegal Studies program in 2012.

“I had a feeling when I was doing my undergrad that I wanted to work in the legal field, but my undergrad was in psychology,” Dickinson says. “I didn’t feel like I was in any way prepared to work in the legal field.” She learned about MTI College to train as a paralegal as a precursor to becoming a lawyer. Dickinson began night school courses at Lincoln Law School while working days as a paralegal.

“I was very happy working as a paralegal, but I just wanted to further my education,” she says. Dickinson was the salutatorian of her graduating class at Lincoln in 2016. She took the bar exam that year and passed it on her first try. Although practicing law is her primary occupation, Dickinson is also an instructor.

“I teach Legal Writing and Administrative Law at MTI, and I also teach Legal Writing at Lincoln Law School,” Dickinson says. She is married to an attorney who can appreciate her schedule. “He also has a very busy schedule,” she adds, “and we have a dachshund who understands when I work late.” To stay motivated, Dickinson says, “I enjoy on a daily basis just being able to help people resolve problems and help people in situations that they don’t want to be in.”

Dickinson credits MTI for her success in law school. “I’m so glad I decided to make the commitment to do the program. It really helped me find a job and be confident in my skills and what I’m able to do.” The legal foundation she received from MTI gave her a head start in law school. “I went into law school knowing how to do legal writing, research and understand how to read cases and interpret them.”

“My favorite thing about MTI was the fact that the instructors were also practitioners, so you got real-life experience from them and just pro tips in general,” she says. That, she says, has helped her in her teaching. “Being a practitioner, I can make concepts relatable because I can explain how it plays out in real life. This is how it happens when you end up showing up at court or go to the deposition. This is why this is necessary,” she says. “It allows me to translate very tangential book concepts and make them real-life applicable.”

Since Nichole Dickinson has been both paralegal and an attorney, she has a good perspective on the demands of both jobs. She understands what is most stressful. “The most stressful thing, honestly, is knowing that a client’s rights and a client’s ultimate outcome in their case is so heavily dependent on the paralegal,” she says. “A lot of the time the attorney’s gone and the paralegal is the first point of contact, and they’re the sympathetic ear to people. It can be stressful because you want the best outcome possible.”

“At times, I look at it as the paralegal’s job is harder than the attorney’s job, and I can say that from both sides,” Dickinson remarks. “The attorney is the face, and the paralegal is the engine doing all the work, making sure everything is running smoothly.”

As stressful as a paralegal’s work can be, Dickinson believes it’s so worthwhile. Her advice to prospective students is to not hesitate and “be brave and do it.” According to O*NET OnLine, the demand for paralegals is expected to grow 15 percent faster than other professions. “There are so many different kinds of law you can practice and so many different types of jobs that are available for paralegals that are outside of just working in a traditional law firm,” she says. Paralegals can work for a judge, at a library, for the state government or as a licensed document preparer. “Every personality type could find their fit in the legal profession,” Dickinson says.

If Nichole Dickinson’s story inspires you to enter the legal field, consider MTI College’s Paralegal Studies program. It prepares you with the education you need to gain an entry-level paralegal job. As a paralegal working under a supervising attorney, you will play a vital role in your company. You will be able to perform many duties the attorney does. That, plus your perseverance and dedication, help you plead your case for that important first job.

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