Answers to Chapter Review Questions and Workbook Suggested Answers, Chapter 3,
Leading the Medical Office Team
Answers to Chapter Review Questions
1. List the minimum data that should be included on a job analysis.
Answer: (a) Job title (that reflects the type of job), (b) job overview, (c) job qualifications, (d)
job duties and responsibilities, (e) job interactions, and (f) job relationships
2. Describe how a job description assists in the hiring process.
Answer: The job description provides the information needed to highlight the most important
aspects in any advertisement the practice chooses to use to solicit candidates.
3. Describe how a job description assists in training a new employee.
Answer: The job description acts as a guide to any job-specific training by listing the key duties
and responsibilities, including which software, etc., an employee must know how to use.
4. Describe how a job description assists with formal performance appraisals.
Answer: The job description is a guide to the most frequent responsibilities an employee has so
that the administrator can evaluate how an employee is doing in those areas.
5. What is the purpose of asking a candidate for a job in a medical office interview questions that
aren’t directly related to the technical aspects of the job for which he or she is being interviewed?
Answer: It’s important to know how well the candidate will work as a team and provide patientfocused customer service as well as how well the candidate deals with stressful situations or
contributes to solving problems.
6. Why is it important to have a policies and procedures manual instead of just verbally telling
employees what the office policies are?
Answer: From a legal perspective, it is more difficult to prove an employee violated the
conditions of his or her job if there isn’t any formal documentation delineating what those
conditions are. Also, the written document gives the employee a reference instead of having to
ask anytime he or she isn’t sure.
7. List some instances in which it may be necessary for the manager to provide training.
Answer: When an employee is first hired, cross-trained, or promoted, training is necessary. Also,
any internal or external change in procedures or new software requires training.
8. What are some things a manager can do to motivate employees?
Answer: Establish a team environment in which employees feel respected, communicate well,
train well, keep employees challenged, get employees feedback on making changes or solving
problems and what would make their morale higher or make them feel more satisfied at work,
recognize and compliment employees—acknowledge personal milestones, and delegate
thoughtfully.
Workbook Suggested Answers
3.A: The ads should clearly define what the practice is looking for in a successful candidate and
should also offer something that will attract people who may have a lot of offers (extra benefits,
relocation expenses, great schools, or beaches nearby).
3.B: In-service training should identify step-by-step procedures to teach the receptionist but also
give him or her guidance as to where there is room for a little customization so he or she feels he
or she has some control.
3.C: The recruitment plan should contain an estimated budget with ideas of where and how the
ad will be placed (e.g., if entry-level billing or coding, the plan might be to post at a local
community college, but if you absolutely need an experienced person and it is a hard to fill the
position, you may need to go to state or national medical office management journals, Web sites,
radio spots, etc.) and also whether or not the practice can assist with travel for a candidate who
lives more than 50 miles away and is invited to an interview, relocation, etc.
3.D: Video clip—students should either rewrite the script or just explain what the manager did
wrong and how to correct it using all the principles learned to date.
3.E: Expert panel—students should respond to the issue using all the principles learned to date.